Puget Sound, a fjord-like estuary in Washington State, adjoining the inland marine waters of
British Columbia, is home to orca whales, salmon runs, and 3.5 million people.
The Greater Puget Sound area is bordered on the west by the Olympic Mountains. The
Cascade Mountains are to the east. Mount Baker to the north and Mount Rainier to the south,
both active volcanoes, rise majestically skyward like bookends. The cities of Seattle, Tacoma,
Olympia, Bremerton, and Port Townsend are all located on the Puget Sound.
The Washington State Ferry System crosses the Puget Sound at several points. The cities of Bellingham,
Blaine, Anacortes, and Friday Harbor are all located in the San Juan Islands area but those who consider
all inland seaway waters in Washington State as Puget Sound also say they are located on Puget Sound.
Rivers flowing into the Sound have names like Nooksack, Skagit, Snohomish, Stillaguamish, Puyallup,
Nisqually and Duwamish. For those unfamiliar with these names I will skip the pronunciation lesson,
for now. Needless to say there are more than a few photo opportunities around here.
