The first character in Twin Peaks that speaks is Pete Martell. After telling his wife Catherine that he’s going fishing, he exits the Blue Pine Lodge kitchen and walks along a path. The sound of a lonesome foghorn hangs in the air just before Pete spots something unusual. The rest is history. For this article, I examine the film locations where Pete attempts to go fishing in the Pilot Episode and later appears to cast a line in Part 17 on Showtime.
The scenes were shot at at Kiana Lodge located 14976 Sandy Hook Rd NE, in Poulsbo, Washington. The approximate coordinates from the first part of this scene are 47°42’00.6″N 122°34’55.9″W.
Here’s a short video from this location on January 22, 2020 to set the mood.
GONE FISHING
Pete walks along the path outside Blue Pine Lodge on his way to go fishing.
The same spot, which now has a path covered in pavers.
I returned to the spot on February 22, 2023 only to discover the giant log had moved.
Like many scenes from the Pilot Episode, the scripted version appears different than the broadcast version. The scene begins with Giovanna (not Josie) sees Pete drive away from the Blue Pine Lodge in his pick-up truck.
INT. BLUE PINE LODGE MASTER BEDROOM – DAWN.
GIOVANNA PASQUALINI PACKARD, a beautiful woman in her thirties, wearing a silk negligee, sits at a vanity table, combing her hair, lost in a dreamy state of mind. From outside, she hears Pete’s pick-up drive off, turns to look out the bedroom’s large picture window.
CUT TO:
GIOVANNA’S POV
Looking down to the shores of Black Lake. A large logjam is visible near the sawmill dock.
CUT TO:
EXT. SAWMILL DOCK – DAWN
Pete lifts his fishing gear from the pick-up end walks out onto the dock to drop a line.
Pete stops and looks back at the giant log.
Here is a comparison of the area between 2020 and 2023.
CUT TO:
PETE
He’s about to cast out his line when his expression changes; he sees something horrible. He sets his tackle and makes his way down a wooden stairway to a landing at water level. He jumps across a gap of dark, oil-slicked water onto the edge of a cabled log-raft. He steps cautiously across the shiny, barkless logs, slowing as he approaches what it was that caught his eye …
Clearly, the crew switched to the dirt path and the giant log on the shore outside Kiana Lodge. From a production perspective, this location captured the essence of mystery presented in that first draft and was probably a more practical location to use.
SPOTTING LAURA’S BODY
This spot is timeless. Prior to my visit in January 2020, the last time I was here was during the 1996 Twin Peaks Fan Festival. Between those visits, the landscape literally changed. Trees were removed, the building’s exterior was updated (thanks to new owners), and Pete’s path was paved with brick. Yet, standing there, look at Laura Palmer’s log while gentle rain fell, I felt like no time had passed.
The camera cuts to the exterior of Blue Pine Lodge as seen from the shore. Notice the totem pole at the corner of the lodge.
It was still there in August 1996 during my first visit.
By 2020, the totem pole was relocated from the corner due to an patio addition added off the dining room.
Today the totem pole is painted and displayed in an area next to the path where Pete walked.
The original exterior, however, lives on in a painting displayed near the interior bar at Kiana Lodge.
ENTER PETE
With his gaze fixed, Pete enters the scene with fishing rod and tackle box in hand.
In August 1996, the exterior still looked very much like the Pilot Episode.
At some point, the roof was replaced. I’m so thankful I saw the building closer to the original.
Pete sets down his fishing gear and climbs over the concrete embankment.
APPROACHING LAURA
Stepping onto the shell-filled sand, Pete crosses toward the giant log.
He cautiously steps toward the body wrapped in plastic.
The scripted scene appears pretty much as broadcast. I’m saving a scene-to-location article about Laura’s body wrapped in plastic for different article.
CUT TO:
A WOMAN’S BODY
Face down, lying on the log raft, cut, bruised, broken and lifeless.
PETE
Shaking, he turns to go for help.
GONE FISHING AGAIN
In Part 17, we return to this spot with an extended scene of Pete leaving Blue Pine Lodge to go fishing. I recall how excited I was after this scene was broadcast in 2017.
It’s amazing this footage was saved for years and added to Season 3. Pete’s long walk reminded me of the sweeping at the Roadhouse scene in Part 7. Long, slow and perfect.
The Pilot footage was presented in 4:3, while Season 3 was presented in 16:9. So the Pilot footage used in Part 17 was cropped. I created the overlay image above to show the spot where Pete was first shown walking in the Pilot.
Since the timeline is altered in Part 17, “Pete” (played by someone other than the late Jack Nance) finally goes fishing. He’s seen casting a line from a pier. The funny part about this location is that it’s behind Laura’s log. You can see the top of the log through the pier.
You may also notice that the giant tree from Part 17 is now gone.
The approximate coordinates for this scene are 47°41’58.5″N 122°34’55.7″W.
According to Google Earth, the tree was present in August 2016.
By 2017, the tree was gone.
I close this article with “Pete’s” view from the pier in Part 17. I really wish I knew which crew member portrayed one of my favorite characters from the series.
