#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.