On A Clear Day

Yesterday (Saturday) was a clear day here in Edmonds. Well, as clear as it gets this time of year close to the salt water.

In the early afternoon I decided to take a walk, so struck off south on 3rd Ave. I like to walk on the streets less traveled so popped up to 4th and kept walking south toward the dead end just south of Pine Street. Instead of going up the hill to the east on one of my usual routes, I decided to go west. Pine runs down the south side of the park. Decided I needed some time in the woods and wandered around the small wooded area then went on west across Edmonds Way and north to where I could duck around the edge of the Edmonds Marsh and pick up the boardwalk that runs along the north side of the marsh.

I took this photo on Veterans Day when I was flying the POW/MIA Flag. On the left side of the photo, just beyond the slide and playhouse, you can see the easternmost edge of the Edmonds Marsh. Between the far edge of the marsh and the building, Edmonds Way runs north to the ferry ticket booths and parking area. Under the pine tree is where the boardwalk starts so you can see it's not far away as the crow flies. Afoot, it is farther and to get there one needs to follow the path I describe above.

I enjoy walking along the boardwalk as it winds along the edge of the marsh. It is usually deserted except for the occasional birder or dog walker. Yesterday I saw one birder taking photos of the herons. It was close to high tide and the herons were having good luck fishing in the shallow water.

This photo was taken from one of the lookout stations along the boardwalk. The view is toward the SSW. The condos on the hill are recent additions that were built on the site of an old tank farm. The boat storage rack is just to the west of the BNSF train tracks. 

The main road (Edmonds Way) and the tracks have culverts to allow water to move with the tides. There is a plan to improve the wetlands by building bridges and removing the culverts to allow the water to be more free flowing and the fish to have better access. 

I had wanted to walk out onto the fishing pier to see if people were catching anything, but being a nice day, there were hordes out walking so grabbed a quick shot to the north and headed back to less crowded areas.

The land to the left of the ferry is Whidbey Island and that to the right is the mainland. The elevated walkway is for foot passengers. Vehicles board via the hard-to-see bridge between the water and land.

From here, I continued north alongside the train track to the ferry terminal entrance. Asked an attendant if I could go out on the dock and take a photo or two. She probably thought an old guy like me couldn't get into much trouble so granted permission. 

Looking NNE I could see Mt Baker. It is visible in the right center of the photo, over the breakwater and the point of land in the distance. It's about eighty miles away as the crow flies, but on a clear day, it comes into view.

Here's hoping for a clear day for our country. To see that other people, who may dress, act and look different, are still people. To see that members of other groups are not all ogres bent on our destruction. Most importantly, to see that real communication (listening in addition to declaiming) can allow the beginning of understanding. 

I know it's a lot to ask, but if we could cut through the fog and mist of rumor and rhetoric to really see and hear other people, we might be surprised at the results.