Neptune's Needle

Arm of the Pacific Ocean, NW Wash., connected to the Pacific by Strait of Juan de Fuca, main entrance to sound through the Admiralty Inlet bet. Quimper Reservoir, extension of Olympic Peninsula (Port Townsend) to SW, and Whidbey Isl., NE, and extending in 2 arms. Secondary entrance to N through Skagit Bay and Deception Pass, bet. Whidbey (S) and Fidalgo (N) isls. The main sound extends c.100 mi/161 km S to Olympia, Hood Canal extends c.50 miles SSW with a 15-mile NE hook at its end. The sound, which receives many streams from the Cascade Range, has numerous isls. and is navigable for large ships. Along its shores are important ports and commercial cities. The Puget Sound lowland, which extends W and E from the sound, is the most densely populated area of Wash.; major cities in the sound are Seattle and Tacoma, on E side, others include Olympia, Everett, and Bremerton; all are major shipping and fishing ports. Bainbridge Isl., opposite (W) from Seattle; Vashon Isl., SW of Seattle. Anderson, McNeil, Fox and Hartstene in S. Kitsap Peninsula separates Hood Canal from rest of Puget Sound. Olympic Peninsula, with Olympic Mts., is to W; Cascade Range to E and S. Discovered in 1787, the sound was explored and named by Eng. Capt. George Vancouver for his aide, Peter Puget, in 1792.

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Compiler

Peter Richards