Fort Flagler: A Scouting Trip
- Mark Favero
- Nov 1, 2024
- 2 min read
Do you ever have one of those days where you go out to shoot or do anything you enjoy, and everything just feels like it is coming up, but it is anything but roses?
We all ask ourselves what we do to get around it. Now, I am no expert on anything, but I do know what this is like. And I think if we all share a little of what we try to do when this happens, it might add to each other's kits.
The plan was simple enough: grab the camera, grab a buddy, and head out for a couple of days to shoot one of the old coastal defense bases here in Washington, Ft. Flagler. I don’t recall ever going out to Fort Flagler before, but who doesn’t enjoy an excellent empty base and concrete powder rooms that are not to be confused with the actual latrines? But that is a different story.
The drive out was fine, but my back was a little sore, and my ankle (still in recovery) gave me some fits. So we arrive, set up camp, and take a walk. No problem. Get back and went to sleep in the tent, and then the next morning…my back felt like someone walked on in and not in that excellent massage parlor way. So, as the day went on, I would walk and shoot and ache and shoot and walk and ache.
Depressing, right? I know. But then I found myself walking before shooting, with no camera, and just listening. Nobody else was there in the mortar pits. My buddy sat in the car shopping. It is fantastic to have a place like that, do yourself, and walk freely and patiently, even with some pain. I’ll admit for a moment, sitting in the Plotting Room, I thought the pain had left.
I returned to the truck, grabbed my camera, and decided to do some “sketching” (stolen, not original). Below are some of the “sketches.” For me, slowing down and listening to the location gave me the peace I needed to see the beauty. Overall, a great first scouting trip to Ft. Flagler is one of Washington's many beautiful state parks.
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