Traveling: Whidbey Island, WA (Part II)

Bald Eagle, Late Afternoon : Fort Casey State Park : Coupeville, WA

Since I arrived in the afternoon on Thursday, I limited my explorations on the island to the town of Langley, where I was staying, and Freeland, just north of Langley. The next morning, however, I got up really early and decided to drive the entire length of the island and explore Whidbey as best I could. These are just a handful of the 120 pictures I took that day. To see more than the six or so I'm posting today, check out the slideshow at the end of this entry. The photo above is a bald eagle I captured toward the end of the afternoon when I was out visiting Fort Casey and seeing Admiralty Head Lighthouse.

Adirondack chairs and wreath : Whidbey Island, WA

Some information about Whidbey Island: It is one of nine islands that comprise Island County, Washington. Of the nine, it is the largest and most populous with nearly 60,000 residents. The islands lie in Puget Sound between the Olympic Peninsula and what is known as the I-5 Corridor. At its longest, the island is 62 miles in length and, at its widest, 12 miles wide. Its narrowest width is 2 miles. Whidbey Island is the fifth longest and largest island in the contiguous United States and the largest in Washington State.

Early morning light : Oak Harbor, WA

The northern end of the island is dominated by a U.S. naval air station and most of the residents in Oak Harbor are either active military or civilian defense employees. On the south end of the island, most of the residents are employed in tourism commerce, agriculture, and the arts. Access to the south end of the island is by ferry from Mukilteo.

Deception Pass : Deception Pass State Park

Driving north out of Oak Harbor, you come to Deception Pass State Park. Cross a bridge and you're back on the mainland and on your way to Anacortes, which is where you can catch a ferry to Victoria, B.C.

Admiralty Head Lighthouse : Fort Casey State Park : Coupeville, WA

The island also includes a lighthouse at Fort Casey State Park just outside Coupeville--about halfway between Langley and Oak Harbor. Admiralty Head Lighthouse was constructed in 1860 and was a wooden structure. Later, the U.S. Army took over the area and the original structure was demolished. A new building (the one above) was built in 1903. The lighthouse operated until 1922 and is now a non-profit interpretative center for a group known as Lighthouse Environmental Programs.

Pilings, logs, and driftwood as art : Whidbey Island, WA
(Click images to enlarge.)

There you have it. Just a smattering of information about Whidbey Island. Later that evening, I took the boat over to Mukilteo for dinner at Ivar's fish shack. The sunset was spectacular! You can see pictures of that in the slideshow. (Click on the slideshow graphic and it will open in a new window with larger photos.)

Tomorrow will feature Small Town Christmas: Langley

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 12/08

Traveling: Whidbey Island, WA

6:22 a.m. Departure : BWI

I've been lagging behind in responding to comments in last week's blog entries. My apologies for that, but my thanks to everyone who continues to stop by and read. My excuse? I was traveling and didn't have internet access for nearly four days! Last week, I spent five days in Washington State. My visit took me to Whidbey Island, Mukilteo, Seattle, and Ocean Shores. In all, I booked nearly 600 miles in ground and water travel, 6,000 air miles, and saw a beautiful part of the country. For the next few days, I'll be posting pictures from my trip.

Flying over the Golden Gate : San Francisco, CA
(Click image to enlarge)

Today's photos feature shots from the airplane, in airports, and on Whidbey Island. I'll stick to the captions on the first two, but note that my outbound flight commenced at Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI) and included a layover at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), hence the first two pictures. My final destination was Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), known as SEA-TAC.

Airport Art : SEA-TAC

The third photo is a piece of art in SEA-TAC in the United Airlines baggage claim area. The entire piece is constructed of reflector circles! SEA-TAC airport is full of some really fun art. Unfortunately, I didn't get the name of the artist on this one.

Towering firs : Langley, WA

My purpose for being in the Seattle area was to check out a business opportunity on Whidbey Island. One of the beauties of the Pacific Northwest are the abundance of coniferous trees. These ones are on the property of a friend who owns a home in Langley, WA.

Sunset : Freeland, WA

Finally, the first night I was on Whidbey Island, I drove up to Freeland. I had to pull off the road to take this picture of a lovely sunset. (Note to Virginia and Maya: No, I did not shoot while driving! Too dangerous on windy, twisty coast/island roads.)

Tomorrow: More about Whidbey Island, a bald eagle, and a lighthouse.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 12/08