Port Orchard

I recently did a fair bit of research on geologic hazards in the Port Orchard area that mostly entailed research and remote sensing (LiDAR, aerial photographs and papers). Other previous work was always short site visits with little time in the city or simply passing through on the way to somewhere else. It was nice to get a chance to spend some time in the small city that serves as the Kitsap County seat.

 

The city is across Sinclair Inlet across from Bremerton. Port Orchard itself has a low key feel and look. But that said, the waterfront is not peaceful. There is a very steady hum and noise that readily crosses the water from the very busy Naval shipyard in Bremerton. The noise included the periodic revelry as well as a lot of barking sea lions. The noise reminded me of the signs around the Whidbey Naval Air Base that proclaim the jet noise as the "sound of freedom". The hum of the shipyard was steady though and I had no problem sleeping.

 

The west end of the naval ship yard with the Olympic Range in the distance

The east side of the ship yard

Washington State ferry making its morning passage up Sinclair inlet from Puget Sound and Seattle

One other aspect of this visit was the traffic around Bremerton. I got caught up in the evening commute. It was slow going. Listening to the radio as I slowly made my way around the west side of Bremerton I was struck by the lack of traffic reports for Bremerton. Our dominant radio stations are rather Seattle-centric.