Seattle, WA to Bremerton, WA
After the Ballard Locks we cross Lake Union which is starting to kick-up. By the time we run the short distance to Bremerton (19NM) it is blowing 15 knots and gusting to 20. Larry expertly maneuvers the Independence into the busy ferry terminal/marina toward our slip. Thankfully, the marina team is out to lend a hand as it was pretty crazy getting her against the dock. Between the current and the wind it took a good bit of effort to get all the lines secure. Of course, as it always seems to be the case, the wind calms in the next few hours and the rest of our stay in Bremerton is lovely. Made only better with the 24 hour fly-by visit of our good friend and returning ship-mate - Chris Adams.
To say Bremerton is a Navy town is a bit understated. In 1998, the U.S. Navy commissioned Naval Station Bremerton as it’s newest home port. According to Google, in June 2004, Naval Station Bremerton and Submarine Base Bangor were joined to become one regional base known as Naval Base Kitsap. Above is the 31 foot long ‘Sail’ from America’s Most Decorated Ship the USS Parche.. It is 18 feet tall and weighs approximately 60 tons and is specially hardened for breaking through ice when surfacing in Arctic waters. This nuclear-powered submarine conducted many special operations between 1976 and 2004, all of which remain classified to this day but were generally known as Cold War and post Cold War intelligence-gathering operations. This sail supported many functions; it contained the fairwater planes used to maneuver and maintain depth, and the periscopes and masts used for navigation and communication. The sail is free-flooding - no crew would be inside when the sub was submerged. When operated on the surface, a team of three or four officers and crew stood watch on the bridge located in the forward part of the sail. Parche’s crew earned nine Presidential Unit Citations, the highest award a ship can receive, as well as ten Navy Unit Commendations, and 13 Navy Expeditionary Medals. The stripes displayed on the sail are efficiency awards earned by her crew in competition with other submarine crews. The most important efficiency award a ship can receive is the Battle E annually to the ship or unit that demonstrated the highest state of battle readiness - that’s a lot of lines under the E! The USS Parche was decommissioned 2004.
The 911 Memorial in Bremerton is very powerful. These 5,000 pound beams from the Twin Towers sit gracefully beside the flowing water. Children’s ceramic tiles surround the memorial. At 10 years old they were asked to define “What a Hero Means to Me?”.
Made in America…in fact right here in Bremerton, WA, Life Proof boats. We went for a ride and think they are pretty sweet.
During our Life Proof boat demo we had the awesome luck to see Orca Whales (photo by Larry McCullough)
Time for a cold one with Chris Adams, who literally flew in to Bremerton for 24 hours to say hello
While we enjoyed our dinner there was a fabulous wild life show at the dock of the Boat Shed. This adult Bald Eagle grabbed a Cormorant and dragged up on the dock, where he/she dispatched it quickly
The Eagle seemed to enjoy every fresh bite
The USS Turner Joy DD 951 (commissioned in 1959 and decommissioned in 1982) moored in front of the Bremerton Marina is now a maritime museum
The Bremerton Harborside Fountain Park. The sculptures are made to resemble an armada of submarines leaving the Bremerton Naval Ship Building Yard heading out towards the Sound. The explosion of water created by air driven jets (one sub every five minutes or so) is also meant to reference whale spouts and the volcanic activity of this area…that is the abstract part of the design by Sun Valley, CA WET designer Patty Lundeen.
After all that history, sculptural and culture it is time for a drink…I wouldn’t want to disappoint!