Which one is the jib again?
Located mere miles from downtown Seattle in the Puget Sound, Blake Island is a state park that can only be reached by boat.
Sailboats at anchor on the back side of the island:
Allegedly the birthplace of Chief Seattle, it was clearcut like everything else in the region, then used by smugglers and rumrunners before a wealthy real estate financier, William Trimble, bought the island and turned it into a private estate. Trimble intended to eventually give it to Seattle as a municipal park, but when Trimble's wife died, the family abandoned the island and the plan. After decades of neglect, local government bought Blake Island and Washington State turned it into a park in 1959.Today there is a small marina that charges a nominal daily fee to dock, about 12 miles of hiking trails on the island, and dynamite views of downtown Seattle.
The idyllic setting is spoiled only by a tourist attraction known as Tillicum Village. It's actually not that bad. Tourists are ferried from Seattle to eat "traditional" Northwest Coast Indian food, watch some traditional dancing, and buy some ethno-tat (aka traditional art/weaving/etc). It's kind of like the Northwest version of the Hawaiian luau. The set-up is pretty localized, however, and it's only from the marina that a person sees the tourists. On the plus side, there is a little shack associated with the village that sells ice cream.Staying overnight at the marina was peaceful. The scent of barbecues wafted along on the gentle ocean breeze and everyone watched the lights of Seattle twinkle to life as the sun set. I was ensconced in a little congenial community. Sitting in a boat rocking gently on the water, lulled by waves lapping softly against the bow, promotes a sense of peace and well-being that is contagious, I guess. It was easy to fantasize about setting sail, encircling the world with the web of our wake, and spending hundreds of future nights in similar places, sharing tales and tips with other vagabond sailors.
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