Fort Worden

Fort Worden in Port Townsend is a beautiful place and the soldiers who first occupied it were very fortunate to have had this place of tranquility to go with their military service. I was there for the west coast kayak symposium and elected to stay in one of the dormitories. It's a little eerie if you think about the fact that this place had been in service since 1904 and I wonder about the different enlisted men over the years who may have stayed in the very room I was occupying. I had trouble sleeping the first night. One of the first things I discovered when I entered the room on day 1 was that....well....no TV. I've gotten so used to having a TV lull me to sleep that pure silence kept my mind too busy to sleep. I started thinking...."well imagine you're a convicted criminal and this is your jail cell.....or.....you're in a mental institution and you are confined to your quarters until you come to your senses." Eventually, I got tired and dozed off (finally!)

Friday morning was delightfully slow. I had breakfast at the commons, then attended a class on hypothermia. I walked around the military base for hours after that, taking pictures as I go. After lunch, I went to the beach for one of the kayak sessions and went on the water on a Gulfstream (by Current Designs). It's a nice boat and reminds me of the used Andromeda that I recently acquired (from Cascade CK). I tried a few more that day but none much to say. I was tired that night and had no trouble getting to sleep. The following day I joined an early morning group for a paddle. This time I tried a Nigel Denis kayak. It was a bit windy but luckily the NDK was maneuverable and so leaning was not a problem. I could have probably stayed for the day but I had pretty much felt satisfied will the activity so I drove home afterwards and spent the rest of the weekend resting and doing housekeeping at home. I've still got memories of Fort Worden and I know I will visit it again.