Friday, September 23, 2022

Jason & Spencer Jack Take Us On Whidbey Island Tour


Incoming email from my Favorite Nephew Jason, last night, photo documenting a day trip Spencer Jack took his dad on, exploring Whidbey Island.

First the email, then the other instances of photo documentation in addition to the one above...

FUD --

Thought you'd enjoy these PNW photos from the last full day of Summer.

Spencer and I drove me the entire length of Whidbey Island starting at the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry until we reached the tropical-like sandy beaches of Mutiny Bay.  I hadn't known of Mutiny Bay until unfortunate events of late, in which a float plane apparently nose-dived into Puget Sound presumably killing all 10 on board.   Looked for plane parts, but only found seashells and lots of driftwood.  Weather was in the upper 70s, so wading in the water felt refreshing.

Stopped by the Lagoon Point community--a first for me.  Spencer and I considered buying a summer beach home in this small community--similar in size to Birch Bay, but later after finding out that a tiny cabin waterfront lot sells for over a million dollars, we have since decided to save our money for other adventures.  Like getting gas for our truck.  Gas here is currently still $4.50.

We moved north to the Coupeville ferry dock.  On public boat launch dock, we met a couple locals, who appeared to be enjoying too much of our local legal weed.  After helping them secure their boat to the dock, they invited Spencer, who can easily pass for 21, and myself to the local bar for happy hour. 

We kindly declined and moved uphill to the newly refurbished Fort Casey.  Many of the closed off areas are back open, clean, and well-lit with historical placards and directional signs.   The last time I explored many of these parts was with a favorite Uncle as a kid in the 1980s or early 1990s before much of these areas we closed off.    I wish I would have taken pictures of the reopened bunkers, but I didn't think to do such.   I will be sure to put this on my 'to-do' list for you.

Hope all is well in TX and I hope someday soon you can return to the PNW and explore one of the longest islands in the United States.


I am guessing the above is the ferry about to dock at Clinton, on Whidbey Island.


Above that looks to be Spencer Jack on, maybe, what Jason describes as the tropical-like beaches of Mutiny Bay.


 And FNJ on that same beach, I think. 


Above I am fairly certain that is Spencer Jack, at Fort Casey, on an overlook looking over the upper part of Puget Sound.

Fort Casey is the remains of an actual fort, built during the era of the Spanish-American War. It is a large complex of bunkers, tunnels, big guns, catwalks, observation towers and more. More than once I took Jason and his little brother out to Fort Casey to have fun getting scared in the dark tunnels.

If I remember correctly, and sometimes I do, the last time I was at Fort Casey was with Jason's little brother, my Favorite Nephew Joey, currently the proud papa of Hank Frank.

Joey and I took our bikes on the ferry to Port Townsend, on the Olympic Peninsula, wheeled around town, barely made the last ferry back to Whidbey.

The ferry back was a rough rock and rolling float due to a strong tide. It was well past dark when we got back to my vehicle. The ranger had put a note on my windshield saying he suspected we were returning from the ferry, past the time the gates to the park were locked. Instructed us to the ranger station from whence the ranger nicely opened the gate for us.

Gas in Washington is more than a dollar more than when I last filled my tank in Texas

Seeing these photos sure does make me a bit homesick. You really appreciate a scenic wonderland when you have not seen on in way too long....

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