26 June: a walk to the port

Friday, 26 June 2020

Curbside gardens beds on Howerton Avenue

Port office garden, south wall:

On Waterfront Way:

Time Enough Books

Don Nisbett Art Gallery

Purely Shell Fiber Arts

Salt Hotel and Pub

On the docks

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Slow Drag 2015: The Parade down Waterfront Way

The annual Slow Drag at the Port took place on the evening of September 11th.  If you would like to see every single photo that we took of the vehicles, have a look at this album on Discover Ilwaco.  Here are our favourite photos of the vehicles parading down Waterfront Way between heats.  The race takes place on Howerton Avenue and will comprise our next post.

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Saturday Market: favourite photos Aug. 2012

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Saturday Market: favourite photos July ’12

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Ilwaco Saturday Market: favourite photos September 2011

The September 2011 market had a wild assortment of weather….from the hottest Saturday of the summer on September 3rd, to wind so fierce on September 17th that for the first time ever the rain or shine market was closed for the day because vendors could not put up their tents. I missed my weekly ritual of strolling the market photographing booths, dogs, boats, and shoppers.   The wind on September 24th had vendors taking their tents down because it was easier to operate without the billowing canvas.  In 2010, nice weather gave us a bonus Saturday Market in October, but not so in 2011.   Now the long seven months of fall, winter and early spring has passed and the happy days of Saturday market are almost here….

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September, Double J

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September

3 September, the hottest Saturday market day of the year!

10 September

10 September, beads

10 September

10 September, Cranguyma Farms

10 September, Cranguyma Farms blueberries

10 September

10 September, market director & pro photographer Bruce Peterson bringing out the art

10 September

10 September

10 September, The Wood Elf

10 September, Cranguyma farms

10 September

17 Sept…no market because of fierce wind. Not a favourite sight!!

24 September; some vendors took down their tents because of the wind…

24 September

24 September

24 September

24 September, The Wood Elf

24 September

24 September

24 September

24 September

24 September

24 September, Blue Crab Graphics

24 September, Peter outside Don Nisbett Gallery

24 September, wind

24 September

24 September

24 September, deck of Harbour Lights

24 September

24 September, Blue Crab Graphics

24 September

24 September

24 September; the beautiful hanging baskets by the Harbour Village shops are made up at the Basket Case Greenhouse on Sandridge Road.

24 September

24 September, a poignant last shot of the 2011 market

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Ilwaco Saturday Market: favourite photos, April/May 2011

The “parade of dogs” will get its own entry!  As we swiftly approach the opening day (May 5th) of the 2012 Saturday Market (and oh! how I look forward to the weekly blast of colour, happy people, and the many cute dogs being walked through the market)…I reminisce with my favourite photos from 2011.  (When you click on a photo, you can then look through them at full size like a slide show.)

30 April, Peter ar Don Nisbett Art Gallery

30 April, opening day

30 April, wooden flowers

30 April, glass; in background, boats preparing for Blessing of the Fleet

30 April, rocks and crystals

7 May

7 May, started out rainy, then turned nice

7 May, Lavender Lady

7 May, South Pacific County Humane Society

7 May

7 May

7 May, Mary admires some Japanese maples

7 May; I now use one of these almost daily.

7 May, a sale to my dear friend Mary, visiting from Montana

7 May, “fair food” (as a friend calls street fair yummies)

7 May

14 May

14 May, nasturtiums

14 May

14 May, radishes

14 May

14 May, hot fries

14 May

14 May, fresh rhubarb

14 May

14 May, Kelly Frech of Blue Crab Graphics

14 May

21 May

21 May

21 May

21 May

21 May, Double J and the Boys

28 May

28 May

28 May

28 May (from the Wood Elf display)

28 May

28 May

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flashback: 19 December 2008 — snow!!!

Snow is rare enough here at the beach to merit at least three exclamation points.

On 17 December we took a walk to photograph the downtown tree and the crab pot Christmas tree gleaming in rain.

rainy holiday displays

Two days later we experienced the rarity of an Ilwaco winter wonderland.

The afternoon was not going well for some folks when we left on our first walk. Coming down the curve from SaHaLee more than one driver had lost control.

2nd SW and Spring Street

A block away, we passed the Ilwaco boatyard where you’ll see the Ankeny Street every winter.  Here her bright paint job stands out against the snow.

Ankeny Street and Marine Travel Lift

the bench for watching boats hoisted into the yard

by the boatyard

our celebrated crab pot tree

approaching the dock by Jessie's, and the view from the dock

part of the fishing fleet

We soon realized that we were not dressed for the brisk cold wind so back we went round the boatyard to our house to add more layers.  Some progress had been made on the road accident.

2nd SW and Spring, 2:27 PM

birdhouses by our gate

We paused for a spell to walk round and round our own garden taking dozens of photos of snow on every twig and ornament, and then Allan set off to take more pictures in town.  By then, the accident at the bottom of Spring Street had been almost resolved, with just one tow truck still in play.

road closed with tow truck up at the curve, 3:03 PM

Allan walked past the boatyard to the street running along the row of port shops, charter fishing companies, restaurants, and art galleries …

on Howerton, Time Enough Books

Around on the port side you can see by footprints on the docks that fishing folk would not be daunted by snow.

Ilwaco Harbour Village from the docks, and the Condor

the condor in snow

boats and bird

Don Nisbett emerged from his art gallery (then called The Crew House) with his usual friendly greeting.

The harbour village, and the Don Nisbett Gallery

As Allan walked around the port, snow flurries came and went.  The single red flag means a moderate wind storm.  Two red flags and you might want to batten down the hatches.  Two rectangular flags mean seriously windy business.

boat with Christmas tree

The Ilwaco Harbour Village looked as enchanting in the snow as did the Christmas Village in the window of the Imperial Schooner Restaurant.

Imperial Schooner window

Jessie's Ilwaco Fish Company

Back on Howerton, shop signs gave evidence of the direction of the wind.

shop signs

Time Enough Books landscaping in snow

by Tuscany Café and Time Enough Books

by Olebob's fish market and café

by Nautical Brass (now Queen La De Da's Art Castle)

Allan walked downtown, and as you can see, Ilwaco’s intrepid dogwalkers weren’t discourage by increasing snow.

 Other than dogwalkers, the streets were quiet.  Behind the museum Discovery Park lay untrammeled.

Discovery Park: Fishermen's Memorial Wall

Doupé Building

town Christmas tree in the empty lot where Red's once stood

First between Spruce and Lake

downtown storefronts

First and Spruce

our stoplight

At dusk, Allan returned home to find 2nd and Spring was clear, except for one ATV posing as a snowmobile…

2nd and Spring, 4:23 PM

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Ilwaco Saturday Market: our favourite photos from 2010

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Every Saturday from May through September, I take a walk down to the Saturday market to take photos for the Discover Ilwaco page on Facebook.  With a row of restaurants, art galleries and charter fishing companies on one side and a marina full of working and pleasure craft on the other, the market teems with photo opportunities. Perhaps I post too many photos….bu I like to give each vendor a frequent showcase and I’ve found that some regular readers especially like the weekly parade of dogs.

Here, winnowed out for you, are my very favourite non-dog-centric Saturday market photo from 2010.  The parade of dogs will get its own moment of glory in a later gallery, as will my favourite photos from 2011 (perhaps divided into two entries; I didn’t expect to end up with, out of 600 photos posted in 2010,  124  that I found irresistible because of the memories they brought back).  So if you like, take a tour of the year of 2010 at the market in about eight minutes.

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crab pot tree & lighted boat parade

Perhaps eight years ago my friend Jeannine and I went down to the Port in early December for Ilwaco’s Christmas lighting festivities.  I can’t remember if the crab pot tree was a yearly thing by then, but I do recall that we walked around and couldn’t even find a place offering a cup of hot chocolate.  What  disappointment we felt on a cold dark evening to find so little going on.   Perhaps a few boats were lit up, perhaps there WAS a crab pot tree, perhaps a shop or two was open…but it seemed there should be MORE!

What a difference a few years makes.  The “Crab Pot Christmas Tree Lighting and Lighted Boat Parade” draws a crowd on the first Saturday in December, hot chocolate and cookies are always offered at the Don Nisbett Art Gallery during the event, and Time Enough Books, the Saturday Christmas Market and at least three restaurants are open into the evening.  The town has excelled itself with new crab pot themed street light displays on the approach to the crab pot tree itself.

crab pot display

lighted crab pot at the base of each street lamp

To open the evening, a crowd gathered at the crab pot tree at 5 to watch “the world’s shortest fireworks display” and sing crabby carols.

crab pot tree

gawking at the two spectacular fireworks

one of several crab pot carols

The first glimpse of the lighted boats came via Santa in this little craft, with Ilwaco Landing fish processing place in the background (from the crab pot tree field).

Santa’s craft

Don’t be late for the crab pot carols!  Our friend Cheri missed them by arriving just a bit past five, because there are only three or four songs!

After the caroling everyone walked past the bustling Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Co and its lighted Christmas star to the port where the boats awaited the parade.

Jessie’s star

Soon we could see the stunningly gorgeous Coast Guard boat motoring in.  It docked long enough for all the boats to be admired; then at six o clock, the boats went out to the Columbia River bar and back. I was helping the mayor with the judging and presenting of awards to the best decorated boats, an amusing task because he, I, and the third judge, Diane, were all sore for one reason or another and had trouble walking down to the docks; I stayed ashore holding Mayor Mike’s coffee mug and some of the award plaques; Diane fell partly in the water by taking a misstep by the Coast Guard boat (disaster averted; she did not even drop the plaque she was carrying!).  I took a video of the boats motoring out in their beautiful procession and it seemed the only unhappy person at the port was a baby who suddenly started wailing loudly next to me.

our beloved Coasties

Surefooted Allan roamed the docks getting some excellent still photos; I saw him setting up his tripod on a narrow dock in the dark and was amazed that HE did not also fall in.

The results were so good that our local paper picked up one of the lighted boats photos for their news story.

the published photo

The Nauti Lady

from the dock; Ilwaco Harbour Village dressed for the holidays

watching the parade

beautiful reflections

After the boats paraded out toward the bar, the crowds lingered to enjoy dining or browsing at the shops or the Saturday Christmas market, open for this special evening.  The Port Office had exceptionally good lights this year.

by the port office and the Nisbett Gallery

outside Don Nisbett’s gallery

We had TWO cups each of delicious “adult” hot chocolate from the Nisbett gallery and fish tacos from Olebob’s Café.  Other diners thronged the Tuscany Café and Pelicano Restaurant.

Olebob’s

Tuscany Café

Pelicano Restaurant

at the crab pot tree

Santa and Mrs. Claus got around, first appearing at the crab pot tree, then shopping at Time Enough Books and later hangin’ with Don at his art gallery.

shopping at Time Enough Books

with Don Nisbett, photo by Jenna Lanette Austin Nisbett

Determined and forward thinking shopkeepers, artists, restaurateurs, and port and city officials) have made this a completely satisfying event not to be missed.  I look forward to it all year and it is a bigger Christmas-y evening for me than Christmas itself.  Next year come drink a cup of that delicious hot chocolate, dine with a view of the sparkling lights and maybe even adopt a lighted boat yourself.

For more photos of Ilwaco’s holiday festivities, including Tuba Christmas and the Saturday Christmas Market, see Discover Ilwaco’s photo album.  A second album featured the many lights of homes and businesses which have lifted our spirits and given us joy in the early dark evenings of winter. Even the sewer plant wishes us happy holidays.

happy holidays

Till next year…wishing you the traditionally crabby Ilwaco Christmas.

“Oh crab pot tree, crab pot tree, made of steel and wire.
Put another crab pot on; let’s make this tree grow higher.
Oh crab pot tree, crab pot tree, with your buoys and lights;
Let’s cook up some crab and have some Dungeness tonight.”

(almost) all photos by Allan Fritz

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It’s a WORKING fishing village

While taking an evening stroll on School Hill to look for more holiday home lights to add to an album on Discover Ilwaco, I was enraptured by the view of Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Company with crab processing steam, lights, the Christmas star.  It was impossible to get a steady picture of it with my cheap digital camera on zoom, handheld, a camera that is failing anyway (and in fact completely plotzed the next day), but if you imagine an impressionist view, perhaps these photos capture the essence of Jessie’s:

school hill view

school hill view

The white triangle of light is the Jessie’s Christmas tree and star, and the steam is from the crab processing.

When I first moved to my former little house behind the boatyard, I was shocked to find Jessie’s ran all night long sometimes.  The plant did more hours then than it does now, but after two somewhat sleepless weeks, I got used to it…except for once when they got a hugely noisy used pump.  The owners kindly muffled it when they found how much it was bothering us and a few other neighbours.

At that particular meeting, one of the neighbours actually said she wanted to see Jessie’s be closed at night so they would not disturb her sleep.  Really?  The biggest employer in town?  Were boats truly supposed to motor in at hours convenient to our sleep?

I loved hearing the boat radios and intercom while I lay semi-snoozing on a dark night.  (My partner at the time could do an amusing rendition, with sound effects, of the boat radios, intercom, ringing phone and clattering metal gear.)  When we moved downtown, much to my surprise, the sound of Jessie’s followed; most residents don’t hear it as much but my bedroom windows have a direct shot across other back yards to the fish company.  All that time I had thought the noises only carried over the narrow channel of water to my old house.  I was glad to still hear them.  Just like watching Deadliest Catch, I like to know that there are hard working people around.

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