Wednesday, August 31, 2011
2011 Anacortes
It is difficult to believe that we have been here in Anacortes for a month now. How the time does fly!!!
The days are getting shorter and the evenings are getting cooler as the sun sets earlier.
On August 20th we had our last group "Crab Night" dinner. Once again the fresh caught crabs were wonderful!!
On Monday some of the group was heading to
other adventures. The first to depart was Lee and his two friends, Miss Lily and Guinness. They were heading to Oregon.
Tuesday, and again Chris and Jan, along with Molly Jean and Chase were headed East.
Wednesday and it was time for Tony and Lorraine to pack up and also head East.
Somehow when we have to say farewell it is sad, although we know that we will all be together again soon again along the RV trail!!
The blackberries are finally coming into season here in Anacortes. There are so many bushes along the rail-trail!!! It took much longer for them to ripen this summer as the weather has been so much cooler than in years past! However, they are very sweet and juicy!! Have to say that they make some of the best cobbler!!!!!!
John and I are getting ready to hit the road also, we will leave Anacortes on Thursday, September and we plan on heading north to Canada to see the sights.
Not sure if we will have Internet in Canada to work on the blog, but will update it as soon as I can. Hope the weather stays good.
That is all for now. Check back later to see where our travels will take us.
Candy and Johnny
Monday, August 22, 2011
Deception Pass
Friday, August 19th and John and I headed out to Deception
Pass State Park. Deception Pass is a strait separating Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island, in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Washington. It connects Skagit Bay, part of Puget Sound, with the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Deception Pass area has been home to var
ious Coast Salish tribes for thousands of years. The first Europeans to see Deception Pass were members of the 1790 expedition of Manuel Quimper on the Princess Real.
The Spanish gave it the name "Boca de Flon". A group of sailors led by Joseph Whidbey, part of the Vancouver Expedition, found and mapped Deception Pass on June 7, 1792. George Vancouver gave it the name "Deception" because it had misled him into thinking Whidbey Island was a peninsula. The "deception" was heightened due to Whidbey's failure to find the strait at first. In May 1792, Vancouver was anchored near yhe southern end of Whidbey Island. He sent Joseph Whidbey to explore the waters east of Whidbey Island, now known as Saratoga Passage, using small 
boats. Whidbey reached the northern end of Saratoga Passage and explored eastward into Skagit Bay, which is shallow and difficult to navigate. He returned south to rejoin Vancouver without having found Deception Pass. It appeared that Skagit Bay was a dead-end and that Whidbey Island and Fidalgo Island were a long peninsula attached to the mainland. In June the expedition sailed north along the west coast of Whidbey Island. Vancouver sent Joseph Whidbey to explore inlets leading to the east. The first inlet turned out to be a "very narrow and intricate channel, which...abounded with rocks above and beneath the surface of the water". This channel led to Skagit Bay, thus separating Whidbey Island from the mainland. Vancouver apparently felt he and Joseph had been deceived by the tricky strait. Vancouver wrote of Whidbey's efforts: "This determined [the shore they had been exploring] to be an island, which, in consequence of Mr. Whidbey's circumnavigation, I distinguished by the name of Whidbey's Island: and this northern pass, leading into [Skagit Bay], Deception Passage". Deception Pass is a dramatic seascape where the tidal flow and whirlpools beneath the twin bridges connecting Fidalgo Island to Whidbey Island move quickly. During low tides, the swift current can lead to standing waves, large whirlpools, and roiling eddies. This swift current can be viewed from the twin bridges' pedestrian walkways or from the trail leading below the larger south bridge from the parking lot on the Whidbey Island side.
Deception Pass is today surrounded by Deception Pass State Park, the most-visited parkin Washington with over 2 million visitors each year. The park was officially established in 1923, when the original 1600 acres of a military reserve was transferred to Washington State Parks.
The bridge span is 976 feet long, height from water to roadway is approximately 180 feet (depending on the tide). Until the completion of the bridge on July 31, 1935, travellers and businessmen would use an inter-island ferry to commute between Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands.
When we arrived there was fog rolling in and under the bridge. What a beautiful sight!
That is all for today,
Candy and Johnny
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Lunch along the wharf, BC
Here are the photos of our group having lunch along the wharf on Vancouver Island, BC.
Candy
Candy
Vancouver Island,British Columbia
On Thursday, August 18th 10 of us loaded into two cars and headed to the Washington State Ferry. We headed North to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada for the day. When the ferry left the dock it was a little foggy, however on the the ferry ride, the sky cleared and we were off to a glorious day! It is difficult to describe North America's largest Pacific Island because its character is so diverse. Whereas the city of Victoria is "genteel" and "cultivated", "rugged" and "remote" more accurately describes some of the more northern fishing and logging communities on Vancouver Island.
After disembarking the ferry, we headed south to the city of Victoria. It is truly cherished, and is one of the few cities left in North America in which height restrictions are maintained to preserve the value (and the seaview) of its older buildings. As a result, the city remains "small-town friendly".
Victoria has a personality as strong as its namesake, the longest reigning English monarch.
Western Canada's oldest city (first known as Camosack), was originally settled in 1843 as Fort Victoria, a regional outpost of the Hudson's Bay Company. Its harbour was home to one of the wold's largest whaling and sealing fleets and a major port of entry to British North America. In 1858, the Cariboo Gold Rush transformed Victoria from a small colonial
outpost into a port city.
The Oregon Treaty of 1846 settled the boundary dispute between the US and Britain, and Fort Victoria's strategic location was realized. Victoria had a boom town ment
ality during the 1860's. At this time, the town had no less than 85 licensed drinking establishments. The city did not neglect the arts either: the Victoria Theatre was created by converting some empty fur warehouses. Victoria today is known as the "City of Gardens". There are flowers planted everywhere. Our first stop was at the Wharf and lunch! Along with a wonderful meal of fish and chips, we discovered a lively and colourful floating village. There are 33 homes of varying designs and vintages. The homes have no motors and have to be towed in order to be moved to another location. All homes are owner-occupied and may not be rented. They have telephones, satellite TV and high speed Internet and all the amenities found in a land-based home, except garages and lawns. The steel pilings holding the docks in place are drilled into the rock bed below the docks. There are many different types of flotation including:
enviro-closed-cell foam blocks covered in welded 100mm polyurethane, plywood boxes covered in fiberglass and blown foam, pontoons, barge (former use), logs (traditional), barrels (for trim) and boat hulls. In bad weather the float homes move on the waves but they are very stable. With Victoria's wonderful climate they live there year round. Not counting dogs and cats on the dock, they are surrounded by local wildlife - harbour seals, heron, river otters along with the star fish, crabs and sea anemones in the water.
From lunch we headed to the center of town to walk the streets and the arts and crafts along the wharf in town. The city has retained a large number of its historic building, in particular its two most famous landmarks, the British Parliament Buildings (finished in 1897 and
home of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia) and the Empress Hotel
( opened in 1908).
We stopped and did some shopping, however we found it rather expensive! We did find
several local pubs to sample the local fare.
It was a great day and we finally headed back to the ferry. Another great time with good friends.
That is all for today. Remember that we love to hear from you also.
Candy and Johnny
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Coupeville, Washington
Another week gone by and so much to do!! Once 
again on Friday night we went to the concert at the Marina here in Anacortes. The group that played this week was "Cherry Cherry". They played Neil Diamond songs. It was a beautiful evening once again to sit out side along the marina with friends, share a little wine and listen to great music. There were about 2,000 people in attendance. We can tell that the summer is coming to an end as the sun is setting earlier and earlier each week.
This past weekend was also the Arts and Crafts Festival at Coupeville in Whidbey Island. Whidbey Island , the longest island in the lower 48 states is calm and removed from the big city pace. The views of Western Washington's towering peaks and shimmering seas are pristine and unobstructed.
Coupeville is a step back into 19th century Island living. It is proud of its finely preserved Victorian homes; original blockhouses built as defense against the 1850's Indian uprisings; and historic
Front Street with wonderful restaurants and fascinating shops, and one of the only remaining original wharfs in the Pacific Northwest. Coupeville was founded in 1852 and is the government seat of Island County and lies in the heart of Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve, established by Congress in 1978 as the first reserve in the nation with the mandate to preserve the 1850's rural character of its 25 square miles, including farmlands, beaches, parks, trails and 91 nationally registered historic structures.
Docked at the wharf were two Tall Sailing Ships. I can't imagine climbing the rigging and setting the sails!!
The tide was out and under the dock I found a large group of star fish along with a crab that had come to shore to see what was going on that day.
The Arts and Craft Festival was filled with many vendors, some of which had been at the Anacortes Arts Festival the previous week. It was very crowded again this weekend. John and went early in the morning so walked around and left before is became difficult to move or see much. It was once again a wonderful way to spend a Saturday.
Saturday night we had a wonderful dinner of fresh Halibut that one of our friends, Ken, had caught. He
had gone to Alaska for the week fishing with another friend and brought back a wonderful catch. Ken's
wife, Rhonda, baked the fish and it was out of this world!!! Everyone brought side dishes to share and a good time was had by all.
Tuesday night we had "date night" and 6 couples went to the movies and dinner after. We saw the movie "Horrible Bosses" I don't rec
ommend the movie unless you like to listen to lots of swearing.
Well, that is all for this week from the Pacific Northwest. Hope all is well with everyone.
Love to all,
Candy and Johnny
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