20 Sept 2015, Sunday

This morning we try to dispose of as many leftovers as we can at S &
K’s house before setting off for the Olympic Peninsula.  We have a
breakfast scramble with mint-pistachio broccoli, bits of left over
salmon and potatoes. It is good!

I finish packing my backpack, now that I can disassemble the sleeping
system. My pack, without water is 15 Kg. That’s fairly heavy. . .
we’ll have to eat food fast! We plan on re-distributing the weight a
bit by shuffling water bottles from heavier to lighter packs. We all
sit down together and review the backpacking check list. I think we
have everything.

Our four packs fit nicely into Ferd. We head for the ferry. As the ferrry
departs we are informed that we are on a Coast Guard mission. A boat
has been reported dead in the water about one mile to the north. We
are asked to divert and ensure everyting is OK. We head in the
direction of the reportedly disabled vessel. The wind is out of the
south, so despite the white caps it is warm and sunny as passengers
and crew keep an eye out for a vessel in distress. The first small
boat we approach powers out of our way. They are obviously not
disabled. The next vessel is just floating in the water. The ferry
officer calls out to ask if they need assistance. The boat’s
occupants report they are OK. The ferry is cleared by the Coast Guard
to proceed on its way. Mission accomplished. O talks with one of the
ferry officers who explains that the ferries aid and rescue more
people than the Coast Guard here, simply because they are always out
on the water.

As the ferry resumes its normal course, we head directly into the wind.
S can lean far forward without falling over due to the force of the
gale. As we leave the ferry and cross the next bridge we can see foam
flying off the tops of the whitecaps.

It turns out to be a fairly quick trip down 101 to Quilcene where our
inn is located. Since we are running early we drive further south to
find the Duckabush trailhead. It’s a good thing we explore as it
takes awhile to determine exactly where the trailhead is. It is rainy
and gray at the trailhead, but more pleasant back in Quilcene.

Our room at the Mt. Walker Inn is very nice. We have a substantial dinner
at the 101 Brewery and Cafe. After a short walk we spend some time back in our room
catching up on journals and reading.

S checks on the origin of the name Quilcene. It is the name of a
subgroup of the native Twana tribe. The name means saltwater people.