August PNW Cruise: Hood Canal to Alderbrook
In 1792, George Vancouver, British Royal Navy, ventured into Hood Canal in longboats. He left his ships, the Discovery and Chatham , in nearby Port Townsend. Vancouver and his crew journeyed as far as the mouth of the Skokomish River, near the present day town of Union, where Menzies, his botanist, was amazed by the rich vegetation as well as the natural beauty of the area. He wrote in his journal, “here the arm was hemmed in by lofty Mountains on one side and low flat country of considerable extent on the other.” We also have been captivated by the beauty of Hood Canal. There are no large towns, so it looks much the same today as it did when initially explored. Its beauty continues to be defined by the clear blue skies, blue water and lush green forests descending all the way to the water. The Fjord, which is often more than 500 feet deep, separates the Kitsap Peninsula from the Olympic Peninsula. The towering mountains of the Olymp...