The Duwamish river is a conundrum of Nature and Industry.   That industry part has not been nice to the river with blight abound.   Despite restoration projects like the small park I visit, there are still a considerable amount of  derelict boats, buildings and people on her banks.   The duck above is floating on the high tide that has filled the recreated marsh and inter-tidal zone.  He and his family bask in the beauty that has been formed here.  However, just a glance to the side one can see the looming industry over this idyllic place.

A little further behind the trees can be found the remains of old maritime ships.  A crow has found them an perfect place to watch his surroundings.

Some are being used as a temporary dock to moor barges, some are still active and one appears to just be rotting attached to an old dock.  Pictures tell a thousand words, so here is a slide show of these derelicts.

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On the side of the rotting dock is a row of box cars.  In one of my previous posts I talked about them and a shed that was behind them.  That day I was getting shots of the Osprey nest on a light pole on the adjacent property.  “The Shed” creeped me out.  It smelled like something died in it and had lots of rubbish inside a slightly open door.  I did not have the nerve to open it and left wondering if someone died there.  http://wp.me/p1d1cX-Es

Today I had gotten my courage back up and as I walked down the box car row I saw the shed between them.   Low and behold, someone had cleaned out the debris and removed the door.  You can see this shed has some sort of valves and piping and the stink was pretty much gone.  Some of the homeless person’s junk is still around but no dead bodies.   Thank God!!

More evidence of homelessness and human dereliction could be found on the paths in the park.   A pile of clothing on a tarp is a sad reminder of this human condition.   I also, went back to a place where I had found a dug out homeless home years ago.   This was with mace in hand but I found they had been routed and only the dug out area left.  The roof and belongings long gone.   Someone has use it recently to enjoy a fire pit but that was all.

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Industrial blight does not end on the river, as I walked down the bike trail next to West Marginal Way, I spotted an old empty derelict building.

This is right next door to the new Longhouse – Museum that was built by the Duwamish Tribe.  Believe it or not, this tribe of Chief Sealth (which Seattle is named for), is not recognized by the US government.  They were almost official at the end of the Clinton presidency but when Bush entered office he threw out that ruling.  They have struggled to prove they are real to this day.   Recently, some litigation has gone their way and perhaps in the near future the tribe of this river will be official.

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