Day 109 - Deception Pass SP to Fort Casey SP

Hoping For Some Openness 

It was still very smoky this morning. We've had enough of wooded campsites for a while and decided to move on. The icebox technique still working for the refrigerator and the combination of the very slowly melting ice and the absorption refrigeration are keeping the temperature low.

We left early for Coupeville and Fort Casey State Park campground which is right next to Port Townsend ferry terminal. We have reservations for the 9:30 ferry tomorrow morning to Port Townsend. This will make it easy.

We arrived around d 9:30 am and there were only two empty sites. We took both them, even though either one would have been large enough for both vans. Park rules only allow one camping-capable vehicle per site.  Two other sites opened during the morning and were scooped up very quickly. We are very glad we came early. The park is open and treeless, but is right along the shore next to the ferry terminal. It is very small but very popular, particularly among locals. We saw mostly Washington plates on the campers and saw no rental campers.

Again, it was park with good birds, both in the bushes behind our sites and along the water. There was even a Bald Eagle in a tree right above our sites.

We mostly relaxed in the morning and I took advantage of a water tap right next to the site to wash Speedy. It was pretty dirty to begin with, but we also managed to get some kind sticky tree droppings on it. If one even touched the van, it would leave it covered on black dots. Speedy hasn't looked this clean since we left Cohasset. It will probably last a day or so.

After lunch we all walked to Fort Casey, a deactivated Army post converted to a park with conserved fortifications from the 50s, even two restored disappearing artillery gun emplacements. Many of the camp buildings are still there and in good condition. There is even a section of officers' housing that looked just like the homes at Fort Seward in Haines. Much of the grounds have been made over into an open park ringed in bushes and there is also a deactivated lighthouse, which was closed today...but it was good walk. 

After the walk it was to Speedy where we relaxed and watched the ferry come and go.