Category: Puget Sound

Henderson Inlet

Henderson Inlet and Dugout Canoes

Henderson Inlet is just outside Olympia, Washington and is one of the numerous inlets off of Puget Sound. This is looking northeast from the Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area … on Weyer Point, between Chapman Bay and Woodard Bay. The canoe on the left has a couple of baskets and a paddle on the inside … the baskets have oysters and blueberries in them (or depictions of such).

The image below shows Henderson Inlet from the other side Weyer Point, looking south.

Henderson Inlet South of Weyer Point

Below is looking north again, showing the old dock that was used for the export of logs from back when there was a rail line (the Chehalis Western) running up to help feed the mills of Puget Sound. Notice how dense the pilings are on the dock … a requirement in order for being able to hold the weight of railcars loaded with logs and the engine.

Old Dock at Weyer Point on Henderson Inlet

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Loading Logs for Export

Loading Logs for Export

This is the south end of Budd Bay, the inlet of Puget Sound that comes down into downtown Olympia, Washington. There is pretty limited ship traffic down this far, but one of the few regular uses is for loading logs onto ships for export. The negative side of this is the stream of log trucks bringing loads of logs right through the middle of downtown. Between where I was standing and the log ship you can see the two tugboats that are stationed in Olympia when there is shipping traffic.

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Bull Kelp

Bull Kelp

Bull Kelp is a very common seaweed in Puget Sound and provides some important protection for young salmon … and important nutrients for the food chain. It is an annual … what you see here is just the top of a mass of kelp (you can see some of it in the water running down to the left lower corner. A lot of the bull kelp will wash up onto beaches where young kids try to play crack-the-whip with it.

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The Strait meets the Sound

The Strait of Juan de Fuca meets Puget Sound

Port Townsend (where I live) is at the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets Puget Sound… and at the top of what is referred to as the Admiralty Inlet area.

This image shows the area where the two bodies of water meet. In the distance is Whidbey Island and above it Mt Baker, the northern-most of the stratovolcanoes of the Washington Cascades. Tidal currents in the area can reach 6 knots. (Canoes and kayaks beware!)

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