Field Study #3
The second viewpoint I observed Capitol Lake from on Saturday the 2nd was from up on the Capitol campus, looking toward the north and toward Budd Inlet. I walked the Hillside trail up to the Law Enforcement memorial, which has benches overlooking the lake. I could see the Olympic range on the horizon, blue mountains covered in white snow. Sailboats were out in the inlet, and a big ship was at the port. From this vantage point, I really noticed how wide the lake is, and how narrow 4th and 5th avenue are. It seemed like there was hardly anything dividing the lake and the inlet, which makes me think of what those streets will look like in coming years, with sea levels rising and storm events increasing. From this perspective, things feel a lot smaller than they really are, which makes the issues surrounding climate change and sea level rise seem so obvious– things need to change soon, our communities will be effected by our inaction. It’s interesting to me how the Capitol has such a great view of the lake and the inlet, because the people inside those buildings have an important role in managing the future fate of this area.
I enjoyed your blog post. I have had similar observations while in that same area, staring over Capital Lake; perhaps it is easier to envision sea level rise from a far away perspective because there is a sense of separation when staring at a landscape, rather than looking at the space around you.
I like the perspectives you have and the use of photos to enhance the viewing of your posts