Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Drawbridge in Seattle

As we headed towards the Wild Mountain Cafe in Seattle we passed over what we realized is a drawbridge so larger ships can make it through out to sea. The first time going to the restaurant there was no problem getting across the bridge. However, on our way back into Seattle proper the bridge was straight up in the air. So, we had to wait about 5 minutes until it came down with traffic building up both directions. However, it was a fun experience because we had never done this before here before. So, I now know of at least one drawbridge across an ocean section where larger ships dock and load and onload their passengers and goods where you have to cross a drawbridge to cross this area. There is a bike path on this drawbridge both directions too.

Also, if you have never been to Seattle before there are boat ferries to cross to islands like Whidbey as well as a large ocean going type of ferry that crosses from Port Angeles to Victoria. Further away from larger ocean waves there are flat ferries (not capable of dealing with large waves) that cross from Anacortes to Victoria or you can take a ferry from Vancouver to Victoria too. If you leave from Anacortes you can also go to and stop off on the way to Victoria in the San Juan Islands to places like Orca Island or Friday Harbor.

But, if you are just going to Vancouver and heading north or east into Canada you don't have to take a ferry because there are roads all the way up north and East across Canada. Also, if you want to drive to Canada and then Alaska there is the AlCan highway but likely it will beat your car to death. However, it might have improved in the last few years. Most people now take ferries north with their vehicles to sight see the glaciers on their way to Anchorage where they drive their vehicles from there northwards in the summers.

Washington and Canada and Alaska are really beautiful this time of year but the fall and winter are an unknown because of global Climate changes. This is the first time I have ever been to Seattle where it was sunny and from 75 to 80 degrees most days thus far in my life.(I've been here almost a week so far.)  So, I know the climate is changing even here in Seattle which used to only get maybe 7 days of Sunlight a year and the rest was cloudy or rainy or snowy from the 1950s when I was born here from 2 to 4 years old and every time I have returned here to visit relatives ever since until this year. If we had one sunny day to go to the beach or a lake for canoeing we felt lucky every time I visited before when I was younger.

Now the humidity feels a lot like Hawaii in March(I was there this March with my family) here in  Seattle like it does in northern California on the coast where I live most of the time now all this summer.

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