In the middle of our big northeastern tour we took a side trip to Seattle.  That’s what happens when you have a four year old grandaughter.

Awen and Mimi

We had some great family time.  The tourist highlight of the trip was our excursion to Blake Island State Park on a ferry from the Seattle waterfront.  Our son and grandson and their friends met us there after they kayaked and canoed across Puget Sound from West Seattle.  It’s called the Tillicum Excursion and features a traditional Northwest native American salmon roast.  The food was fantastic with the salmon roasted on split alder wood over a wood fire.  We also enjoyed steamed clams as an appetizer.  They even had wild mushroom ragout over polenta for those disinclined to eat salmon.  Sides, dessert and drinks rounded out the feast.  Blake Island is a small island in Puget Sound and reputed to be the birthplace of Chief Seattle.  The entire island is a state park with beaches, trails and a marina.  The kayakers found it to be a fairly easy paddle but it could be challenging depending on wind and tide.  Maybe next time we’ll paddle it in our tandem kayak.

Sailing from Seattle on the Salish Explorer

Jason, Graham and friends

Jason and Graham paddling

Tillicum longhouse

Salmon roast

Native American totem

Family time

Family time

Planting garden with Awen

We also explored Narrows park near the Tacoma Narrows bridge, the Point Defiance Zoo, the Museum of Flight, the Navy Museum in Bremerton, the Puyallup Farmers Market and the mudflats and oysterbeds of Belfair State Park on the Kitsap Peninsula.  We had a very busy, fun 10 days in the Pacific Northwest.