More Salt Creek - Port Angeles, WA - Jun 2009

Salt Creek Recreation Area used to be Fort Hayden -- just one of several locations used as a battery for the coastal defense system. Here in the park are the remnants of the structures -- including this building that housed a 45' long gun (with a 16" barrel) on a rotating turntable. The thick walls of the building were constructed to survive a direct hit and the guns could launch a one-ton projectile a distance of 28 miles -- far enough to reach any enemy ship that ventured into the Strait. There are red (display only) shell casings lining the interior wall. Frank is standing next to the ones on the left. Can you see him?
Also scattered throughout the park are concrete bunkers buried into the hillsides that were used to monitor the activity along the Strait.
Some are out in the open, but others are buried deep in the forest. This one we came upon quite by accident and it startled us as it was camouflaged so well. Covered with 60+ years of vegetation, this one was small, dark, dank and musty.
Frank and the doggies explored its interior, but it was too creepy for me and so I just took pictures.
While our site is open to the Strait and has great views, to the side of us is a thick forest.
We often wander into the forest to walk the dogs and quickly become enveloped in trees, vines, ferns and moss. You can see how dark it gets just a few steps into the forest and looking back to our RV.
Another shot of one of the fern-filled paths in the park.
I much prefer the open spaces in the park. Here is a beautiful spot at the top of a knoll overlooking Tongue Point.

And another view spot that overlooks Crescent Bay. All of these beautiful places are just steps away from our campsite. Can you see why we love it here?