| Well... this just seems kind of obvious... But it took a study to tell the politicians this. AMHS needs ability to plan long-term, says reshaping group chairman Yeah, that's the Wickersham. Yes, she's long gone. But I still liked her best. Author's collection. |
| Ellis # 9023 "Mt St Helens Lodge Snowed In" The name Harry Truman is well known in connection to Mount St Helens. In 1980 when the volcano woke up, Truman famously refused to leave his lodge. Truman was a colorful character, who had landed at Spirit Lake, so the story goes, hiding out from bootleggers in California. He leased the land and built the lodge and cabins at the site, where he would remain for the next fifty-two years. The lodge was a well known spot on Spirit Lake, popular the year round though mostly in the summer months. The growing popularity in winter sports saw people filling the lodge, though they might have had a tough time getting there when this photo was taken by Ellis. (That's Truman's dog "Boy" in front of the sign.) Curiously, when Ellis did postcards for hotels and lodges, he often did not sign his name to them, even though the hadwriting is distinctly his. You can read more about Truman and his lodge in his niece Shirly Rosen's book, Truman of St. Helens. |
| And so ends 2020... In what had perhaps been one of the worst years in recent memory, puncuated by a few bright spots, one can only hope that 2021 brings an end to the pandemic and life can start moving back to normal--if it ever can. Sending everyone out there best wishes for the New Year. The Kaleetan in her twilight years, holding down one-boat service in June on the bremerton run. Courtesy of Matt Masuoka. |
Because we all need a little laugh... Always be careful with your signage! Some passengers 'can't unsee' new BC Ferries mask policy signs Covid signs weren't a worry back in 1962 when this photo of the still-then named City of Vancouver was taken. Author's collection. |
| Off to dry dock with you... Where you look a bit like a hotdog sticking out of bun. Washington State Ferries' Largest Vessel Enters Drydock The Wenatchee just before she left for drydock in Everett. Photo courtesy of Matt Masuoka. |
| Olympic: White Star Line's "Old Reliable" She was far more than the sister ship of the ill-fated Titanic. She was one of the most successful and popular ocean liners of all time. Of the big Edwardian-era liners, the Olympic was, for my money, the best looking ship of those "trio of trios." The long, yacht-like sweep of her lines, the tidiness of her decks, (even after the addition of all the lifeboats after the Titanic disaster) gave her an asthetic edge that the Cunarders didn't quite carry off. The Mauretania, a lovely ship in every regard, was marred by the clutter of cowl vents on her upper deck. The German giants, Imperator, Vaterland, and Bismark (later the Berengaria, Leviathan and Majestic, respectively) seemed bulky by comparison. She served admirably in WWI, transporting thousands of troops across the Atlantic, earning her her nickname. She even turned the tables on a submarine, becoming the only liner to have rammed and sunk her attacker. There's much to be found online on the Olympic; the Wikipedia entry is quite extensive. However, for the best source of information, there is none better than Mark Chirnside's books: RMS Olympic: Titanic's Sister, The Olympic Class Ships, and Olympic, Titanic, Britannic: An Illustrated History of the Olympic Class Ships. Though she'll always be tied to her ill-fated famous sister, she was a remarkable vessel in her own right. |
| COVID-19 Schedule "Until further Notice" ANACORTES - SAN JUAN ISLANDS YAKIMA - SAMISH - CHELAN TILLIKUM (Inter-island) ANACORTES - SIDNEY Suspended until who knows when. PORT TOWNSEND - KEYSTONE SALISH MUKILTEO - CLINTON TOKITAE SUQUAMISH EDMONDS - KINGSTON WALLA WALLA SPOKANE SEATTLE - WINSLOW (AKA Bainbridge Island) PUYALLUP TACOMA SEATTLE - BREMERTON KALEETAN CHIMACUM SOUTHWORTH -VASHON - FAUNTLEROY KITTITAS ISSAQUAH POINT DEFIANCE - TAHLEQUAH CHETZEMOKA IN THE YARD WENATCHEE CATHLAMET SEALTH KENNEWICK AWAITING DISPOSAL ELWHA KLAHOWYA HYAK Previous Day Room |
| There are dozens of postcards of the Olympic. This one is a personal favorite. Author's collection. |
