| One might see several deceptive things traveling | | | | The islands are woven together with bridges and |
| in North West Washington. | | | | highways, further hidden by thick Douglas fir |
| For two days I looked like an "expectant father", | | | | terrain causing part of the deception. If you look |
| but I am a female. I shuffled from the ferry, the | | | | you'll find sand dunes, shedding madrona trees, |
| terminal, and my car, back and forth. On May 6, | | | | eagles overhead, clumps of kelp in the bay, many |
| 2005 my car sat in line jammed between a new, | | | | trails, and trees, trees, and more trees. |
| red Mercedes with black convertible top and a | | | | Even at first discovery in 1792 Whidbey and |
| 1973 beat-up International, windows curtained with | | | | Vancouver, master and Captain seamen were |
| personal belongings and a blue healer pup "arf-ing" | | | | deceived, so it happens to the best and the least |
| inside. This was surely a sign. I should just turn | | | | of us. |
| around and head back. | | | | FOURTH DECEIT |
| Like many aboard I was headed to Juneau, to a | | | | Don't be fooled by National Parks Lifetime |
| "new job" and along with two hundred others, | | | | membership packages. You can't get by the |
| inconvenienced by the MV Colombia's "new" | | | | Ranger station without paying a $5.00 entry and |
| engine breakdown. A lot of us were having | | | | parking fee even if you have one. You might get |
| breakdowns on board experiencing many kinds of | | | | it back if you drive in, use the john, and drive out |
| fever; "cabin", "ferry", and "terminal" (I mean, | | | | again. Keep the car running and be nice to the |
| ferry terminal.). | | | | attendant. |
| FIRST DECEIT | | | | There are interpretive trails to explore, an |
| Scuttlebutt started, "We'll get back to you in four | | | | observation deck, and lots of historical information |
| hours." Information bounced from person to | | | | about the Samish Indian Nation, Skagits, Haidah |
| person, by the time I got it, it had really changed. | | | | raids, Cranberry Lake, Rosario Beach, and more. |
| The terminal PA system didn't work and no one | | | | The awesome bridge with eight-knot currents |
| had answers as to what was going on. | | | | flowing under it is 182 feet high spanning the gulf |
| During one "false alarm" that we were actually | | | | between Fidalgo and Whidbey. Canoe Island |
| going to set sail a security officer was attacked | | | | supports the middle. Summer time crowds are |
| by his own K-9. The officer found it necessary to | | | | thick according to Park statistics with over two |
| provoke the animal. The dog had sniffed the | | | | million visitors yearly, but spring is just right. There |
| same bags, one too many times and lost his | | | | is parking on the bridge for sightseeing and |
| focus. Our ID's were checked at least eight times | | | | photos. |
| everywhere we walked. Those most upset | | | | I learned that around 1848 Isaac Ebey claimed |
| clamored to discuss the issue with local news | | | | land in present day Coupeville, one of the oldest |
| reporters. The hoopla spanned the news wire, as | | | | towns in the State. Ebey was killed and beheaded |
| far as I knew, all the way to Colorado. Could | | | | by the Haidah in 1857. I wondered if he was an |
| have been further, but I have family there, so | | | | ancestor of our present day Ebay. That Ebey led |
| that's as far as I really cared. | | | | early pioneers, now this Ebay is pioneering. |
| SECOND DECEIT | | | | Nebulous, I know, sorry. |
| Four hours after the first announcement another | | | | Mutzi and I shot that day. We weren't surprised |
| one filtered in. "We still have an oil leak in one of | | | | the MV Colombia still sat at the terminal. Three |
| the sixteen pistons. The Coast Guard won't let us | | | | more times before boarding our ID's came out. |
| leave." The Colombia did set off, out to sea, | | | | My car again was parked lost between a big, |
| followed by a Coast Guard cutter, gone for eight | | | | honkin' Louisiana truck and a California SUV pulling |
| hours, returned, and announced, "We're not going | | | | a U-Haul; half-full. The other half sat on the |
| anywhere." | | | | pavement as a hunt for a propane leak continued. |
| "Hoopty", the vehicle behind my car, I learned | | | | I hated to think what could have happened if we |
| was the International's name. [Naming a car isn't | | | | were on Queen Charlotte Sound when that was |
| unusual. I had one named "Betsy" once.] Robert its | | | | discovered, or not discovered, so we were all |
| owner and Zip, the blue healer were Oregon | | | | lucky we were on solid ground...still. |
| mountain folk. A sewing machine sat in the back | | | | FIFTH DECEIT |
| of Hoopty. Robert and his brother sewed leather | | | | Dan, a recent graduate and land surveyor was on |
| duds, so he was expanding this newly organized | | | | his way to Anchorage for his new job. He slid a |
| business. Although, the job he was going to in | | | | beer my way down the bar that night and |
| Juneau was likely to set sail, as fishing boats do, | | | | reveled in Louisiana party stories. Getting by the |
| before he arrived. Robert was worried, if that | | | | K-9 unit in Bellingham, due to the distracted dog, |
| boat sailed, he'd be out of job and have to live | | | | caught up with him in Ketchikan. Young, |
| inside Hoopty. Well, that's what happened. Later | | | | devil-may-care, and just plain careless with his |
| he took another ferry to Anchorage and headed | | | | stash, was arrested, jailed, and never made it to |
| to the Yukon with less space in Hoopty, because | | | | Anchorage. |
| Zip had grown. | | | | SIXTH DECEIT |
| We stayed the first night, housed on the | | | | As for my job, it was fine, loved it really. I had |
| Colombia, offered free meals and bunked | | | | two of them. The trouble was the income didn't |
| wherever. Many louder grumblers were now | | | | support the economy, my financial threshold was |
| safely tucked away in reserved cabins opened, | | | | over the limit and I ended up, in a "Hoopty" |
| finally, in the late evening. It was a long first day. | | | | situation, so I turned around three months into it. |
| THIRD DECEIT | | | | No matter what we see, hear, or are told by |
| I became an island hopper, but where was the | | | | others, things are not always as they may seem. |
| island? The next morning, my companion, Mutzi | | | | Don't be deceived. |
| and I headed out to Whidbey Island over | | | | For more information on Deception Pass go here: |
| Deception Pass about forty miles south of the | | | | Deception Pass State Park Information: call (360) |
| Bellingham ferry terminal. I stayed off Highway 5 | | | | 675-2417 |
| taking Chuckanut road. Just to show how upset I | | | | Washington State Department of Parks help line |
| was at Burlington I hopped on Hwy 5 at exit 231 | | | | at 800-233-0321 |
| just to go to Exit 230 and hit State Road 20. | | | | A great book for history of this area of |
| Eighteen miles west from there I saw Deception | | | | Washington get the book "History of Skagit and |
| Pass. It is deceiving. I drove right by Deception | | | | Snohomish Counties," Interstate Publishing |
| Park not seeing it and continued to the end of | | | | Company, 2000. |
| Whidbey Island. | | | | |