Back-Easters who've never been to Seattle can be amusing. You see 'em struttin' around Pike Place Market in their $800 London Fog raincoats, getting in my way while I buy frisee and focaccia.

I want to swathe them all in fleece, and rip their vestigial umbrellas out of their hands.

But I chill. Because I am now - for the last 11 years in fact - from Seattle. I have left Chicago behind. Thank goodness.

Sporting chap that I am, I even forgive them for sometimes blurting out that here, we're on the "ocean," or the "coast."

Even our football team seems afflicted with this malady; they're called the Seahawks.

But if there are any Seahawks actually flying around here, somebody better tell me.

I see more eagles, and herons.

And the ocean is a good ways to the west.

What we DO have is a glorious inland waterway, running some 80 miles from south to north, called Puget Sound, or alternately, The Sound, or even The Puget Sound - which always sounded (there's that word again) a bit off, to me.

Via the Straits of Juan de Fuca, well north of Seattle, Puget Sound connects to the Pacific Ocean.

A map is good, but a picture is worth at least 425 words, and 575 pixels of width.

I took this one below, just a few hours ago after picking the kids up from school.

We were on our way to Alki Beach in West Seattle, a beautiful place despite some city property maintenance issues. But on the way, we sneaked out to a place where you should definitely park for a few mellow moments next time you're in Seattle.

It's the dead end of 55th Ave. S.W., a block south off Genesee St. S.W., looking south, a-way-on-down The Sound. Just 20 minutes from downtown. Dij:

You'll see large Washington State Ferries on The Sound; a few, smaller passenger-only ferries (I'd like to see LOTS more of those); kayaks; sailboats; tour boats; cargo ships; and varied work vessels like this one below, heading north past Alki.

A few of the many beach-y nooks and crannies to explore around The Sound are Key Pensinsula, west of Gig Harbor; and Tacoma's very own Dash Point Park. The Sound's treasures are revealed with just a bit of digging.

TECHNORATI TAGS: PUGET SOUND, SEATTLE, TOURISM

TO COMMENT: The regular "comment" feature is not in operation. E-mail comments to address under "Contact" on main page masthead, and I'll add them, here.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at October 21, 2005 07:05 PM