1st Ferry to trip to Vashon Island

    Today was a pretty exciting day. Today we took a family trip to Vashon Island here in Washington. Last time we were stationed here, we would pass the ferry dock every time we went to the zoo and I used to think...how cool would it be to take Austin on a ferry (since back then we only had Austin). Today we woke up, Brian went and topped off my gas tank (gas here on post is $2.61 a gallon...gas on Vashon Island was $3.57 if I remember correctly per gallon), the kids ate breakfast, they got dressed and got most of their chores done. We packed up and left. It takes maybe 20 minutes to get to the ferry, the ferry ride itself is maybe another 20 minutes (which going to the island they had made an announcement that you had to stay in your cars- insert eye roll and sarcastic thanks covid comment) I was slightly bummed because this was my children's first time on a ferry, I texted my mom and sisters about how dumb it was. Luckily we were very close to the front of the line so they could at least look through my windshield. Coming back home they did not make that same announcement so we took full advantage of standing by the roped off front, masks on and keeping our distance. 

    So anyways when we got there I instantly realized just how small this island is. Before I get to what it is we saw let me fill you in on some info from Wikipedia. Vashon Island-population (from 2010 Census) was roughly 10,624 people. Vashon Island is actually the LARGEST island in the Puget Sound.Supposedly there is a Strawberry Festival ( I will be researching that because...1 how flipping cool but also 2 To Wong Foo was centered around a Strawberry Festival and I have always wanted to go to one). 

    Now back to what it is that we saw. our 1st stop was the infamous "bike in tree". I remember first seeing a picture of this tree floating around facebook...I remember thinking I wonder if that is real...how neat is that...how in the world does that happen. (yep just like that because much like in real life...in my brain voice I do not use punctuation properly LOL) So there are many theories about this bike and tree. Some are to include that a boy tied it to the tree and was called off to war never to return or a young boy chaining it up and just grew up and plum forgot where he chained up his bike. Some think it is a hoax (how can a tree "lift up"  a bike). There is even a book called "Red Ranger Came Calling"- Berkeley Breathed where he tells his own version of events about this tree and bike. Now in this day and age nothing can ever just be left alone so a lot of the bike has been stolen (the wheels, handle bars and most of the metal left has been twisted like crazy) BUT still what a really neat piece to see. Almost like nature was yelling at the human who left the bike "THIS ISN'T A BIKE RACK" lol. 

    Our second stop was Point Robinson Park. So the main thing here was the lighthouse. BUT before the lighthouse we went and looked at what we think used to be a huge HUGE stone sundial. There is nothing anywhere near it that explains what the stone structure is or why there are so many big boulders by it. After we stopped and took some pictures we did a small little hike to lighthouse. The lighthouse sites right on a beach that is more like a driftwood bone yard. There are soo many pieces of amazingly smooth, pale, sturdy driftwood pieces. Madison found herself a perfect walking stick (she has been dying for one for many many months) and I found a beautiful piece to maybe do some sort of macrame on or something. Here on this beach we also found many crab shells, a dead jellyfish (that was literally bigger than my head), and creatures that we thought were geoducks but we found out for sure they werent...but we still have no idea what they were. The beach was mostly rocks and people had built driftwood structures as well as decorated trees with empty white clam sells as if they were ornaments on a Charlie Brown type tree. Now...let us get back to the lighthouse. The light house has a beautiful backdrop from any angle you look at it, HOWEVER it was not opened for tours. I believe it is closed due to a fatal accident that happened in 2018 where a woman fell and unfortunately died from the injuries of that fall a few days after. After knowing that story...do not get scared if you happen to look in the windows and see a mannequin staring back at you...it is not that lady's ghost...it is indeed a non living human sized statue. 

After the lighthouse we attempted to find a "crashed UFO" but were unable to see if from the road and the gate to the municipal airport was locked. So while we were trying to figure out what else we can do, I had decided that a trip to the local creamery was needed. So we stopped at Glass Bottle Creamery. Madison got a chocolate ice cream cone with sprinkles and Austin had mint. Their ice cream was delicious. I tried their Rhubarb Sorbet and really missed the strawberries but if you like the tart of the rhubarb without the sweet of the strawberries then that sorbet would be amazing!! Now what some of you may not know, is that at the beginning of June I had my tongue partially released. I had an anterior and posterior tongue tie my whole life making eating an ice cream cone basically impossible. Now I had intended on my tongue being fully released but the doctor didn't cut far enough to do that so I will have to make a second visit for that. BUT I tell you all of that because with a partially released tongue I was able to steal a few licks of Madison's cone while she buckled back up and it was pretty awesome not getting ice cream all over your lips instead of in your mouth. Anyways while we were getting ice cream Brian had found our next stop...Fern Cove.

Fern Cove is what ultimately ended our trip. Nothing bad happened BUT lack of balance landed Austin's feet in some foul smelling sludge. We decided to take this little hike to see the cove and in order to get it we had to cross was would appear to be a small stream of water but ended up being sludge that had an outhouse smell to it. Of course the smell was very minimal until a size 9 foot broke the smell barrier. We got to see multiple animal tracks from deer to bear to crane. We also saw signs for bears and bob cats which made me only grateful that our time was cut after the sludge mishap LOL. Now while Austin's feet were the main source of smell...Madison's feet also landed in the sludge on our way back to the car soooo that lead to both kids being stripped of their shoes and socks before getting into my car. I have a plethora of reusable bags so I just used one of those to house the nasty socks and shoes in the way back of my car. We do plan to go back to complete the hikes we saw but could not complete due to shoe less children (note to ourselves to pack extra clothes and shoes the next time we go hiking). 

After we decided to head back home, I had thought our adventures were over. We drove back to the ferry...and we were second in line (so we at least knew going back home we would have a good view again). Well to my surprise as I was snacking on some peanuts waiting for the ferry to make its way back I kept seeing this thing bobbing in the water. At first I was thinking ehh whatever it is a tree branch or one of the buoys...but then I saw a pointed snout and couldn't believe my eyes. I instantly told Brian that there was something in the water and that I was pretty sure it was a sea lion. Then we both were like "Are there even sea lions in the sound?" So he googled it in the car while I was googling it out of the car walking up to the railing to get a better look. Sure enough there are sea lions in the sound and that was exactly what I was looking at. I tried to get pictures with my phone and then Brian reminded me I had my camera with me and my lenses so I should try to use that instead. The sea lions were in a group and according to google they were "rafting"...but it was soo cool to see them so close and not in a zoo. I tried to point them out to the kids. Madison had no idea what she was even looking for and Austin saw them but was ready to be home. So we saw some sea lions to end what I think was a pretty great time out as a family. 

Also just to add a couple more pictures...Brian took a picture of the ferry AND I took a picture of him with the kids looking at a boat wrecked on the beach. I can't remember the name of the boat at the moment but I remember laughing and saying it was a good name for a boat. 

~Stephanie S.