#160 Sep 2017 Island Explorations

The name Deception Pass conjures mysterious and rocky images. Indeed the pass between Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands is narrow and bound by high cliffs.

In 1792 Captain George Vancouver explored this area and thought it was a peninsula. Upon finding this intricate channel he felt he had been deceived, hence the name Deception Passage.

By the 1890s Fidalgo Island had a bridge to the mainland. This is the current bridge.

From the 1890s Whidbey Islanders lobbied for a bridge to Fidalgo Island. By 1924 an erratic ferry service was available. After years of broken promises and two vetoes, construction of the bridge began in 1934. It was completed in 1935 and now roughly 15,000 cars cross the bridge each day.

From Anacortes we took the ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

Cormorants were preening to dry their wings. They have less preen oil than other birds, so their feathers can get soaked rather than shedding water like a duck’s.

Finally one bird was ready to fly.

On a beautiful, sunny day we arrived in Friday Harbor.

 We promptly took local transit to Roche Harbor on the northwest tip of the island.

In 1846 the Treaty of Oregon set the boundary between Britain and the US as the 49^th parallel.

From 1859 to 1872 the British and U.S. occupied San Juan Island both laying claim to the Islands due to unclear wording of the treaty.

San Juan Island was peacefully occupied by troops from both countries. British troops built lime kilns to process the vast lime deposits on the island.

A black tail deer kept on eye on us as we waited for the bus back to Friday Harbor.

From the top floor of a restaurant we enjoyed the view over Friday Harbor.

 

Sue and Bob headed home two days before us so we wandered around Anacortes again. This ferry was in dry dock and we had an opportunity to view a ferry from below.

The next day I took one more photo of Mt. Baker at sunrise before we headed home.

#159 Sep 2017 Back to the Ocean

In Canada, between Vancouver Island and the Mainland there are many small islands collectively called the Gulf Islands. Just to the south in Washington, similar islands are called the San Juan Islands. 

Same geography, different countries.

We have done very little exploring in Washington and arranged to meet Sue and Bob in Anacortes on Fidalgo Island.

They introduced us to historic downtown.

Anyone walking down the street in Anacortes is bound to be greeted by a figure or two – whether other people are around or not.

Anacortes artist Bill Mitchell has spent over three decades creating more than 150 murals placed throughout town.  They primarily feature local residents of varied backgrounds. 

Some stage and screen stars also adorn the walls.

Some of the "murals" are even more realistic.

Cap Sante provides a beautiful view overlooking the area.

 

Massive arbutus or madrona trees top the outcropping.

 

When the tree matures the orange-red bark naturally peels away in thin sheets.

In the fall the berries dry up and have hooked barbs that latch onto larger animals for migration.

Since the 1850s the lumber trade has been a major maritime industry in Anacortes.

Logging is still part of the local economy.

 

Refineries now cover much of the land previously logged.

The refined products are shipped by rail,

Or piped out to be loaded onto ocean going ships.

 

We stayed in the Swinomish Casino RV Park with an oceanside view of the sunrise.

A great blue heron and myself were the only ones outside watching a boat cruise past, backlit by Mt. Baker.

It was worth getting up at 6 AM to see more herons searching for the best spot to patiently wait for their next bite.

When I turned back to the RV I found an unexpected sunrise.

 

Each unit looked so different that I had to identify our RV by the map on the side.