(Peach Arch in the distance)
There is not really much here except for a tavern or two and a place to fuel up
(The main street: Blaine, WA)
Many years ago this small border town was bustling with BC residents, that was back in the day when WA state had a lower age of consent and liquor establishments in British Columbia were closed on Sundays. Of course, Expo 1986 changed all of this when we welcomed the world and took a more civilized approach to liquor consumption.
After you cross the border you will find a causeway that takes you out to the Harbor where there is a pier at the end
(You can see Canada in the background, just left of the Peach Arch Crossing)
This is a working harbor, mostly fishing vessels and fish processing plants administered by the Port of Bellingham
Forget what the sign indicates. Bellingham is another 20 miles South, we are in Blaine, Wa so I suspect that this is Blaine Harbor. At least this is my story and I'm sticking to it.
Here we find ourselves at 7:30am on a Saturday morning the day after Easter Friday. Not a soul in sight, except for Mr Seagull admiring the view. I think he is looking for coconuts and thinks that this metal lamp standard resembles a Palm tree, wishing he was in a warm place somewhere south of Miami at the end of the Great Ocean Highway.
Ah ha, another sign which confirms that we are actually in Blaine, and not Bellingham as we were previously led to believe
If somehow you managed to bypass this sign . . .
(Land's End, Blaine Public Pier, end of causeway)
. . . you would very shortly come to the end of the pier and encouter a great body of water with nowhere else to go and you would come to the same conclusion.
You will find a lot of buildings weathered by ocean winds and rain. A photographers paradise
There are not many pleasure craft for this is a working harbor filled with commercial fishing vessels, at rest possibly because there are no more fish in the ocean to harvest
It was a chilly day in spite of the fact that the sun was trying to peek out of the clouds
Those buildings in the background and the water tower belong to the Semiahmoo (Luxury) Resort & golf course. While it looks close enough to touch, you have to take a meandering route and circle around Birch Bay to get there. It is a place for the upper crust of society, not for us mere mortals.
Canada is just a stone's throw away
(Peach Arch, Blaine, WA)
Dear BobSkoot:
ReplyDeleteI genuinely like the character of old fishing villages and working fishing piers. I like the fact that you can easily go from one country to the next, taking in the best of varied terrains, and presumably, the cuisines of both countries. To me, fishing piers mean fresh fish, someting I cannot get enough of.
I am not surprised that there is a sign on the pier forbiding the consumption of alcohol. There is always someone looking to screw up a little fun. There were two places on earth, however, where fishing was the most enjoyable for me. One is on the Outer Baks, up at Corova Beach, where I could put a sand chair in the water and drink a gin and bitter lemon while watching my line. The other was at Everest Lake on the AuSable River in Wilmington, NY. On the Outer Banks, I was fishing for Red Drum. In the Adirondacks, it was brown trout.
As it was the summer in both places, I was drinking Gordons gin.
Great pictures Bob! Nice commentary.
Fondest regards,
Jack Riepe
Twisted Roads
Jack:
ReplyDeleteDid you not notice that today's entry was written in the curmudgeony, sarcastic style of (you know who) in a warm place south of Miami at the end of that dead end highway, which is reported to have coconut & palm trees ?
Geez, lash me hard why don't you. I was going to say it has a nice, other worldly, overcast charm seen from the heat of my home, where the big decision today is whether to turn on the a/c or to sit and sweat.
ReplyDeleteBorders have always fascinated me, the invisible human-made line that means nothing and everything at once. Key West is in a total tizz over the soon-to-opened Forbidden Isle, so perhaps we will soon get our own Coconut Arch?
PS a Wee Twin is perfectly capable of crossing the country.
Dear Bobskoot:
ReplyDeleteActually, I did notice that... But hoped you would take a laxative and let the feeling pass. You captured the pure essence and style of Key West Diary so accurately that the gentle reader is lulled into the local color -- just before getting slammed with a political statement aimed at politicians, the economy, or a decision by the local school board to trade oil wells for scungili stands.
But since you are Canadian, you lack the facility for a vicious sarcastic attack. It wouldn't occur to you to describe a politician "as the people's choice for a self-inflicted kick in the balls."
You may hve noticed that I am not burdened with this sense of consideration.
When I switch to my version of Key West Diary, in a week or two, there will be no mercy. The sarcasm will be strewn like broken glass in a Jersey City playground.
Fondest regards,
Jack Riepe
Twisted Roads
I love you both. I apologize for any offense/offence caused and I am going to be really nice from now on.Really. Boringly sweet.
ReplyDeleteWishing you both all the brotherly love and boredom in the world,
Your loving friend
Michael
(at least I can get off my motorcycle without a herd of servants to run errands for me).
Dear Conch/Via This Blog:
ReplyDeleteThere is considerable evidence that you are not Canadian.
With some skepticism regarding recent statements of yours,
I remain,
Riepe
Twisted Roads
Actually, I am glad to have "found" both of you. After reading "Twisted Roads" and "Key West Diary". I have corrupted my innocent soul and started to emulate both your sarcastic (Jack's) and curmudgeon (Michael's) style and I think that I have evolved "out of my shell" so to speak towards the goal of becoming a better, well rounded person (not well rounded in the Jack Riepe sense) but more able to accept the unrelenting words of disfavour that seem to originate from a warm and humid land, not attached to but approx 90 miles due north of a forbidden land previously not accessible for a great number of people residing just south of the 49th parallel.
ReplyDeleteIn short, I love you both too and hope that we will eventually meet and you will see me for the sensitive, emotional and trusting person I am.
Gentlemen:
ReplyDeleteIn order for me to tell someone I love them, they should be blond, tanned, capable of breastfeeding children, and standing bare-assed in the kitchen, making me breakfast, or mixing a pitcher of planter's punch.
They may have other qualities, but I'm happy with these.
Fondest regards,
Jack
Twisted Roads
This looks like a wonderful, fun place to ride to and poke around. Wonder if it's a good place for sunrise or sunset shots? I've got to ride to Washington State and BC some day!
ReplyDelete