20 » OpenRoad Driver
DON’T MISS DECEPTION
Cross Deception Pass bridge by car, park on
the far side and then take a walk back for
a better look. The view from the middle of
the bridge is rugged beauty at its best: cliffs
plunging into the turbulent waters below,
trees clinging to the vertical slopes and the
Pacific Ocean spread out before you.
We headed out on the water for an hourlong tour of the Deception Pass State
Park with Deception Pass Tours ($24.95
per person). The wind in our hair and the
whiff of salt in the air, we zoomed past seals
basking on the rocks, cormorants flapping
over the water’s edge and eagles soaring
in the thermals. From the bridge Captain
Brett narrated stories of the bootleggers and
smugglers who once navigated these waters,
pointing out caves in the hillside where they
stashed their treasures. It’s an exhilarating
ride and a welcome reprieve from the long
drive.
Deception Pass Tours
5596 State Route 20, Anacortes, WA, USA, 98221
1 (888) 909-8687, deceptionpasstours.com
LANGLEY LULLABY
Our destination was the village of Langley
on the southeastern tip of Whidbey Island,
where we were booked in for a night at The
Inn at Langley, a lodge directly overlooking
the ocean. Here, ocean waves from the
Saratoga Passage splash sea salt onto the
patios and guests are lulled asleep by the
sound of the water. Pam Schell, who owns
the Inn with her husband Paul, tries to
sum up what she loves about the island.
“All of the original elements of Northwest
living are still here in this quietly rich
place,” she says, with a faraway look in her
eyes. “That means oysters on the beach,
herons on the tidal flats, blackberries in
summer, chanterelles in fall, deer grazing,
eagles circling, otters playing and salmon
returning. There is the deep peace of
watching water and the natural patience of
island life.”
Thanks to Matt Costello, a talented chef
dedicated to the 100-mile diet, the Inn