Deception Pass, day 5, Cornet Bay

October, 2017

Around the corner to Cornet Bay.

On the afternoon of the fifth day of this camping trip, I drove to the parking lot at the south end of the Deception Pass bridge, literally just a few yards south of the spot where the bridge attaches to Whidbey Island.  I then set off on foot to see if the trail from that parking lot led to a nice view of Cornet Bay, east of the bridge.  It did!

The photo below is the start of the trail.  You go down those few steps, then turn right, go under the bridge (stopping to take a photo), and follow a very nice, mostly level, wide, trail through the woods to Cornet Bay.  You can see the water of Deception Pass pretty much the entire time, tho the trees block clear photographs of it.  Still, on a day like today, it was a delightful walk.

 

Honest … stay on the trail and do not go near the edge!

The sign above mentions Goose Rock Summit.  I looked that up online later to find that it is the highest point on Whidbey Island.  From Goose Rock Summit, on a clear day you can see extraordinary views of the San Juan Islands, all of Whidbey Island, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula, and much more.  I put it on the list for my next trip here.

The trail goes under the bridge.

Looking towards Pass Island while standing under the bridge on Whidbey Island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost around the last corner before reaching Cornet Bay, the trees opened up for a view to the east, and of Mt. Baker in the distance.

 

Bull kelp (Nereocytis luetkeana), a type of brown algae, is found everywhere in the salt waters of the Pacific Northwest and is common from southern California to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.  It’s usually a sign of shallow water so modern day boaters ordinarily avoid such areas.  Its “roots” (although they are not really roots) have many finger-like projections that hold the plant to rocks on the bottom.  The “stem” between the roots and the bulb can grow up to 100 feet long.  Flat fronds or blades grow out of the top of the bulb and can grow up to 14 feet long, all of which provide a canopy that protects fish and other ocean dwellers.

In protected waters, such as Puget Sound, each plant grows from a spore to maturity in one year or slightly more than a year, then each plant dies after producing spores for the next generation.  Offshore bull kelp, on the other hand, can live several years.

Kelp extracts are used as a thickener in products such as salad dressing, ice cream, hand lotion, and paint.  Bull kelp is nutritious and is used to make sushi, bull kelp salad, and soup.  When the “stem” is dried, strips of it can be used to make fishing line.  Wrap the upper fronds or blades around food before putting the food over a campfire and the food will be fully cooked long before the blades (or the food inside) will burn.  The bulb can be used as a cup for storage or for drinking.  At times when there is no beach available for a safe haulout, long distance kayakers tie to bull kelp plants when they need a rest.  Those kayakers even sleep in their kayaks that way, when they can’t find a safe beach.

 

And then Ben Ure Island came into view.  On the far side and to the right of Ben Ure Island was Cornet Bay where I had often been on my boat, either at the large state park dock there or at the private marina in the bay.  Cornet Bay is so nicely protected by Ben Ure Island from the turbulence of Deception Pass.

There are three homes on Ben Ure Island … two are private and those are what I was seeing here.  On the far end of the island is the third cabin that can be rented, though you’ll need a boat to get to it.

 

Madrona trees are common around the salt water in the Pacific Northwest.

Mt. Baker, a beloved landmark hereabouts.

 

Funny, I never noticed the face on the mountain before.  The mountain seems very much at peace.