Birth Week Island #1! Harbor Island
Area: 0.64 square miles
Population: 3 (2020 census)
Distinction: world's largest man-made island when first created in 1909 at 350 acres (0.55 sq. mi.); lost that title in 1938 before being increased in size in 1967; lost that title again permanently in 2004; it remains the largest man-made island in the United States
Harbor Island was surprisingly fun—I thought it would be largely inaccessible and just industrial all over, but, while it was still both of those things to a large degree, Alexia and I managed to find several charming little pockets of it. Even she commended on how she had a good time.
We weren't there a huge amount of time, roughly 80 minutes, not counting the drive there (from my office, where she picked me up when I got off work at 4:30) or the drive home. It was about 6:30 when we got home, so we hung out for a pretty good, solid two hours.
Before I left work, I thought to Google "points of interest on Harbor Island," and actually found a message board with someone noting a couple of small parks. So, I also made note of those parks and looked up directions, which Alexia put into her GPS when I got into her car.
Right when we got onto Harbor Island, there were blocks on the road and at first we thought maybe we wouldn't be able to see much of the island at all. Still, we parked the car and walked over to the lower bridge across the eastern arm of the Duwamish River. I got a few great pictures over there, including the selfie with Alexia that I took when I suggested it in case this was the only particularly photogenic spot we found.
We then just started walking toward the west side of the island, and we found ourselves running right into the first park that had been noted:
Bridge Gear Park, which features giant gears from the original, 1924 bascule bridge that crossed the Duwamish River at Spokane Street. The swing bridge that replaced it in 1978 is currently swung open, allowing passage of gargantuan container ships.
I noticed a concrete staircase across the street and was immediately interested. We walked over there and there was a sign saying the stairs were closed, with a red caution tape stretched across it. "I'm dying to go up there," I said. "Should we break the law?" Alexia asked. Yes! We both ducked under the tape and walked to the top of the staircase, where there seemed to be an odd bridge that just ended nowhere. It was when we got to the top that we realized it was the swing bridge, which I never even realized the lower West Seattle Bridge was, was open. I took several pictures of that.
When we got back down to the ground, I suggested we walk to the nearby south shore of the island, where we discovered a small marina, across the river from a cement plant. We got slightly worried for a few minutes when we saw a freight train passing across the island where it appeared it would be our way. It was going quite slowly, and then it stopped! But, then it started to back up. After a bit, we figured out it was moving back and forth in some form in regards to the fact that this island is where shipping containers are transferred between cargo ships and freight trains.
We made it back to Alexia's car on foot, and then I figured out where the other park was:
Terminal 18 Park. Alexiia practically gushed about what a charming and beautiful park it was. We watched a giant shipping container sail by, out to Elliott Bay via the Duwamish River, and Alexia recognized the letters "AML" as "Alaska Marine Lines," indicating to her that it was on its way up to Alaska. I noted that she was actually the best person for me to go to Harbor Island with, as she would know more about this stuff than anyone else I know. She works for as chemical distribution company and thus has extensive knowledge of distribution and supply lines.
When we returned to the car there, I made one last suggestion, that we take the road we had gotten there on further north as far as we could go, to see if there were any good views of the city from there. There weren't really, but we did pass by a terminal where shipping containers transfer between ships and trains. We did climb up to the top of
a pedestrian overpass that crossed railroad tracks, and I got a couple of at least halfway decent photos of the city from there.
We finally drove back home after that, the first of many islands for me to visit this week already in the bag. I already expected it to be interesting enough, but it was actually more fun than I expected. Even Alexia quite openly enjoyed herself. Now I need to get ready for bed, as I'll be getting up early to drive Shobhit to work, before I drive from there to the Southworrh ferry from Fauntleroy. Tomorrow is the visit with Claudia in Port Orchard and then staying overnight with Jennifer, and then Sunday is my annual Birth Week bike ride with Dad, which will be on Anderson Island.
Oh, and before I forget: the full photo album includes 41 photos—honestly a good amount more than I really expected to take tonight, This is my third Birth Week including Alexia as a participant, and by a pretty good margin the most shots I've taken at a Birth Week activity with her.
[posted 10:47 pm]
