We took the ferry over to Vashon Island the other day.
This big island near Seattle (37 sq. mi.) has no bridges, so it has retained a good bit of charm. Lining up to wait for the ferry, we relaxed and watched the sun struggle to break through thick morning fog.
While we waited, I got out of the car and gazed into clouds of fog. The blending of one tone into another was so subtle, it was mesmerizing.
We boarded and began the short ride to Vashon Island, with just enough time to get out of the car and walk briskly around the deck. I looked in vain for Orcas (killer whales, regularly seen here), but instead, another ferry slowly appeared through the fog.
There are no big towns on Vashon Island, and only one stop light. This old wood building which may have been a feed store but now stands empty caught my eye. I’m always drawn to this kind vernacular architecture.
We parked in town to check out the Farmers Market, first stopping at the island’s only supermarket for a bottle of water, which I had forgotten to bring in the rush to leave that morning. In front of the supermarket was a “Scone Wagon” – go figure! As local residents caught up with each other I took a photograph. This is a typical look on Vashon – relaxed, ready to pull up a weed or two, with a bit of whimsy at one’s side.
The Farmers Market was full of beautiful veggies, many of them organic and all grown on the island. No bargains here though!
Exuberant bunches of dahlias added to the celebration of fall color at the market.
And these root vegetables are ? I’m not sure…
A huge mural painted on the wall of an old bank next to the market features local history. This is just a portion of it.
We stopped for espresso at a roadside cafe that has a nice front porch. You could help yourself to coffee from carafes left on a table outside (and oh, how I love the easy availability of good espresso in rural places here in the northwest).
Inside there were old Danish coffee grinders on display:
It’s an island, so of course we explored the shore in various places…
The water is so clear!
The sturdy Pt. Robinson Lighthouse is an island attraction – there were at least 4 or 5 other people there! This lighthouse was built in 1915 and the old keeper’s houses next to it (below) can be rented ($225/night on the off season; about $1500/wk in the summer).
The charming keepers’ houses are situated beautifully along the shore, facing east. There’s a stunning view of Mt. Rainier, wildlife on the water, and plenty of driftwood for building impromptu sculptures. Making interesting piles of driftwood is a common past time in the Pacific Northwest. A sign reminds you not to take any driftwood from the beach, just in case you could be rude enough to contemplate that…
This was my favorite sculpture:
And here’s that spectacular view of Mt. Rainier, complete with a fishing boat and a loon. We sat on a log, basked in the sun, and watched the loon dive for fish. Perfect.
Back inland we walked a short trail through typical northwest woodland. There were feathery cedar boughs, abundant sword ferns, plentiful mushrooms and moss, and a slant of sunlight brightening up a spot where someone cut down a cedar.
Bright red-orange berries growing in a tangle along the shore were attractive. I think this plant is poisonous though. I couldn’t remember its name but I’m pretty sure it’s in the same family as tomatoes.
Back at the ferry dock, the Cascades tore a ragged edge along the horizon and gulls sliced the air over calm waters.
On the ride over to Vashon that morning, fog had completely obscured Mt. Rainier, but now the grand lady’s snowy flanks were resplendent in the late afternoon sunlight.
I feel very lucky to live in a part of the world that so readily offers up treasures of land, water and sky.
bluebrightly 
Wonderful pictures, thanks for bringing me along!
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I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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🙂
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Great pictures Lynn. Love the bright colours of the Farmer’s Market and the subtleness of the foggy shoreline. Looks like a charming island. Great place to live – the Pacific North/South-west!
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Ha! Yes, I’m being America-centric, aren’t I? I’m definitely SE of you…
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Incredible landscapes! They make what I shot in Michigan’s UP look boring.
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NOT AT ALL! You take wonderful photos. But I know what you mean about the grandeur of the western landscape, and how sometimes it seems that anyone living east of the Rockies has to make a greater effort to get an interesting shot. Here, you can get away with just pointing your camera, to a degree.
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You about covered all the wonderful treats we have living in the wonder-full Pacific NW… how lucky we are.
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So true, we are.
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I’d never heard of Vashon Island but it looks a wonderful place to be, Lynn. Love the foggy shots, the driftwood on the beach and the coffee grinders. Life looks good! 🙂
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It’s not a very well known place outside of this area, but if you want a ferry ride that’s not super costly and a pleasant day trip, it works well. Fog and coffee go well together…
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Wow, Lynn, what I lovely day I just spent with you on Vashon Island. Like Jo, I love the foggy shots, the pics of Mt. Rainer (oh how I miss the Pacific Northwest!), the Scone Wagon, the driftwood and that strange-looking vegetables. I’ve seen these before somewhere, but I can’t remember where, or what they were!
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Someone did know – celeriac – one of these days you’ll get back over here, I bet!
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What a marvelous tour of a beautiful spot in the PNW, Lynn! The Mt. Rainier photo is amazing; it is almost unreal looking in its craggy perfection. And those radishes – wow! Scone wagon and espresso – yum! The Seattle area is probably my favorite place to visit in this country, so much natural beauty, great food and coffee, and a gardener’s paradise. All the things that make life sweet 🙂
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Rainier is just so beautiful. The even slopes, the way it changes with the light, and most of all, the way it rises by itself, making everything around it look puny – it’s undoubtedly worthy of worship, in my view. You be sure to let me know if/when you visit again, OK?
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That would be lovely, Lynn!
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Beautiful shots, Lynn and a wonderful trip. Thanks for the tour! Oh, and BTW, those vegetables are celery root – also called celeriac. I grow them in my garden. I like to peel them, cut up the root, boil them and then puree them in my food processor like mashed potatoes. They’re like a celery-flavored mashed potato. Delicious!
Cathy
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Thank you! I’ve heard of it, for sure, but I’ve never cooked it and didn’t recognize it. Next time I see it I’ll have to spring for it and follow your lead.
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Thanks for taking me with you on your travels. The text and pictures complemented each other beautifully.
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That’s good to hear Louis, thanks!
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The pictures are adorable. My days are very full right now… and I came here, just wanting to see what this island was all about… and found myself gazing at your beautiful pictures for quite a while…
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I’m glad your days are full: a good thing. And I’m pleased you enjoyed the photos. Thank you!
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Thanks Lynn, for the lovely tour!! How nice that this is an easy trip for you 🙂 But keep looking for the orcas please!!!
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What a nice little trip this morning….thank you, Lynn. 🙂
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There’s a sense of place in many of these photographs that makes me want to visit this island.
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Is this the island where they filmed Five Easy Pieces?
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No idea so I looked it up – parts were filmed in British Columbia, on Vancouver Island, which is certainly in the same general neighborhood, geographically and maybe culturally. Vashon has a long, long hippie tradition and that contributes to the look I think. So I’m off to an area east of here now, nothing spectacular (lots of national forest sites are closed now). But we’ll see – exploring back roads, which sometimes pans out & sometimes doesn’t.
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The sense of place is always what interests me – and you, I know. Thanks!
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What a lovely day out. You have captured all the vibrant colours of the market.
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Ooh those foggy images are stunning… and the keeper’s house… and the shoreline shots… and… Oh they’re all so beautiful it’s hard to pick!!
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Beautiful! But where are the kayakers?? Seems there would be plenty of them, eschewing the ferry or at least paddling out from a home-base of that rentable lighthouse… hmmm, you give us ideas! Love the images — thank you 🙂
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I didn’t see any – I don’t think. Funny – they must have been somewhere else. But one has to constantly remember – there’s more land, more water, and fewer people – compared to the east coast. Good to hear from you!
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Wonderful post, Lynn… did make me homesick, though! 🙂 For sure there is beauty in Michigan (where we’ve been for 13 years now), but as they say, there’s no place like home!
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Thanks for taking me to Vashon Island. You brought back lots of memories of a day I spent there
And Mt. Rainier decided to make itself visible for you. Nice day 🙂
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I’m pleased this brought back good memories. Thanks for commenting!
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