Journeys›Photograph

Sunny Afternoon on Lake Union, Seattle

·Lake Union·#photography#travel#summer#seattle#lake union
The Space Needle and a modern building stand against a blue sky, with green trees and people in the foreground.

Spent the afternoon walking around Seattle's Lake Union. It was a perfect mid-July day, clear skies and warm enough that the water was full of people swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding right next to the city. From the south end of the lake, you get these classic views of the Space Needle juxtaposed with all the new glass office buildings.

My walk took me along the waterfront park, past the Museum of History & Industry and a dock where a seaplane was tied up. The whole shoreline is a busy mix of activity. Geese were on the grass, people were sunbathing, and boats were constantly coming and going.

The lake itself felt like the main event. A sailing class was getting underway from one of the docks, their small, colorful sails lining up in a row. Farther out, the water was dotted with dozens of other sailboats. It's a very active waterfront, with views of residential hillsides and the more industrial parts of the shore across the way.

I was most struck by the contrasts. You have the quiet, historical feel of the Center for Wooden Boats and the iconic houseboats right up against the massive scale of the new development. It feels like several different versions of the city all occupying the same space. I ended my walk near the old Virginia V steamship, a clear link to the area's past.

A river scene with people on paddleboards and swimming, a bridge, and a city skyline of modern buildings.City skyline visible behind a tree-lined bank and a body of water with two people on small boats.A seaplane docked on a lake, with geese and a person on grass in the foreground and colorful buildings on a hill behind.The Museum of History & Industry building stands beside blue water with people on its shore.Children in colorful sailboats are docked, while other boats sail on the water with a city skyline in the background.Multiple sailboats on blue water, with a city and shipyard on hills in the background.A wooden boathouse with boats on calm water, surrounded by foliage, with modern glass buildings in the background.Boathouses and docked boats on a lake, with a hillside town of houses and trees in the background.A vintage street clock, Carroll's Diamonds-Watches, stands in front of a white boat, Virginia V, under a blue sky.A street signpost titled "Sister Cities of Seattle" shows directional arrows for various international cities and their distances.

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