October, 2024
In the last blog post, you’ll remember that I visited Ala Spit on the east side of the northern end of Whidbey Island, a morning visit at high tide, and then, later in the day, an afternoon visit at low tide.
I then drove back to my campsite. It was still a bit early for my supper so I walked over to West Beach from my campsite, just a five minute walk, really close, for a late afternoon view of the beach and the water there.
When I got there, wow, no one was there! Sure, it’s a Tuesday, and in October, but gosh it was a beautiful day. I expected lots of people here. Here’s a video of the parking lot … it tells the tale! Not one other human being in sight.
The photos below are of the evergreen trees here. They look out over the water/ocean too.
But I was more focused on the beach … and the early evening western sun.
Video below, looking west towards the setting sun, towards Japan and Russia and the Aleutian Islands.
Below is a photo of the north end of this beach from where I stood. That small bit of rock/land near the beach has no name that I know of. But the small island with trees on it just past that rock is “Deception Island”. My understanding is that Captain Vancouver thought he had been “deceived” by that island since it blocked his view to the east (to the right in this photo), blocked his view into “Deception Pass” … hence he thought, without exploring it, that there was no passage back in there to the north end of Puget Sound. He had been “deceived”! Well, no, he just hadn’t done his homework and didn’t do proper exploring and examination and gathering of information. Deception Pass, to the right in this photo, is very much accessible by boat! I’ve been through the pass in my boat a number of times … no deception involved. 🙂
I walked further up the beach … piles of wood from wind and high tides and storms. Still there’s that small rock “island” and then “Deception Island” past it, to the left in the photo below.
And, as I was looking out over the water there, it seemed there was just a tiny bit of movement, just a bit of splashing, more than would be normal with just the water movement on some rockery. It’s in the middle of the photo below. Just a dot.
In the photo below, there’s a rock to the left … then three things to the right … a bird with its long neck … then a rock below the bird, closer to me … and then there’s some critter/creature in the water yet closer to me.
Oh, it’s a harbor seal! Hi friend. 🙂
She’s messing with something (below), don’t know what.
Oops, she then turned her back and dove into the water, a quick deep dive! Even the gull on the left didn’t know what was happening.
Ah, but then … we knew, both the seagull and I knew. That seal had something in her mouth, likely food.
That seagull landed on the water, hoping for a part of the proceeds. But that seal was having none of that … it was hers!
A few moments later, the seal had a huge chunk of fish in her mouth. That seagull just kept on a-wishing.
After chewing up and swallowing the fish she’d caught, that seal leaned over, heading back underwater, and seemed to laugh out loud … ha! I caught a fish, a big fish!
The seagulls always get their share in the end … the remains, the debris. For me, this was such an amazing thing to watch … life on and in the waters here.
I then walked back south along that beach to enjoy this glorious sunset.
The sky and the clouds changed so much, so rapidly. All I could do, all I needed to do, was stand and watch.
And then I walked back to Towhee the Trailer for my supper, a good night’s sleep, and sweet dreams of seagulls and sunsets and of one glorious seal fishing for her supper at Deception Pass.
Super photos of that seal! Wow, what a wonderful thing to see. And lovely sky photos too. Thank you!
Thanks Judy. You are always welcome. 🙂
Ah, life is good, it’s Friday and Ann is here. 🙂 Interesting “deception” information. Even the people who think they know what’s what don’t always know what’s what.
Ah, excellent comment Joe. I sure wish those people would get a clue. Thanks for being here and keeping me on my course. 🙂
Love the laughing seal! I got mine!!! 🙂
What joy!! 🙂
The seal was great. But I love the beach and the trees and the sky too. As you said, I’m surprised there weren’t any other people out here. Oak Harbor is a sizable town with people who you’d think would enjoy a gorgeous autumn sunset here. I’ve been through Deception Pass too, PLENTY of rooms for boats. I’m amazed that George Vancouver didn’t explore it but I’ve always read the same as you, that he SAYS he was “deceived”, hence the name of Deception Island and the name of Deception Pass. Ha, I think he just wasn’t paying attention.
I sure expected lots of folks out there on this lovely afternoon/evening. Maybe all of them had been “deceived”!! 🙂 Not us tho, eh? Thanks Rob.
The laughing seal. Best photo!!!!
It still makes me grin and laugh. 🙂
Do they close the gates to the park maybe? Maybe that’s why people weren’t in that parking lot or on the beach? What a gorgeous view.
I wondered that too, Walt, but I checked and no the gates don’t close until 10pm or so. It sure seemed odd that no one was around. On the other hand, that was just fine with me. 🙂
Fascinating! You’re the best. 🙂
Thank you Ruth … that gave me a big smile. Sure glad you’re here. 🙂
Very cool that you caught the seal eating. We never get to see that over here in Michigan! The beach looks a lot like Whitefish point in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Straight up from the Mackinaw Bridge, across the narrow part of the UP is Whitefish point. It juts out into Lake Superior and it always has huge trees and limbs pushed up onto the beach during the storms of fall and winter. It’s a beautiful place. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitefish_Point
Oh you probably don’t have salt-water harbor seals in Michigan. Duh me! I hadn’t really thought about that. Wow, Whitefish Point is gorgeous. Everyone please check the link in Dawn’s comment. It’s absolutely safe to do. And then go search for “images” of Whitefish Point Michigan. Those are huge lakes in the midwest of the USA and Canada, they actually have tides because of the pull of the moon, even tho they are fresh water, not salt water. Thanks Dawn, cool comment. 🙂
Isn’t living around saltwater fascinating, especially in WA and BC? There’s the beauty of the ocean water, of course, but there are also so many marine fish and mammals and birds and beach creatures, and then there are the islands, and the mountains SO CLOSE. It’s such a treasure. We’ve toyed with moving east to be closer to relatives, we just can’t leave this heaven on earth. Fun photos and stories Ann. Oh, and the sunsets here. Keep on doing this as long as you can, we will too! Thank you for the time and effort it takes to produce this blog, we really appreciate it.
Janey
Janey, I don’t think I could ever move away from Puget Sound (or Canada’s protected western water) either. Like you say it’s just too gorgeous here, and special here. Trust me, I will keep on doing this as long as I can … as I did for 28 years by boat and now it has been 9 years by travel trailer … I’m just getting started! I sure hope we get to meet one of these days. I never know much ahead of time where/when I’m going camping … I usually just watch for a cancellation and then grab that spot. But if you are EVER down in the south Puget Sound area, please shoot me an email. Thanks to both of you for commenting and for riding along here with me for years now. Let’s keep on doing what we love.
Cool seal! Gorgeous island and sunset photos. You know … I used to live near there, and you did too, on land, but we also lived on the water on our boats. Really appreciate the memories, Ann, thank you.
We did, didn’t we David? Thank you for that reminder. What great memories. Thank you. I really liked that.
What amazing things you see. What a beautiful part of the world you live in. At Sunday evenings, two of my pals come over and watch your blog with me. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Henry, thank you! Oh my best to you and your pals. You have been watching/reading my blog for a lot of years now. I so very much appreciate that, and your comments always bring a smile to my face. My best to you and your pals. 🙂
I remember Deception Pass from our trip to see the Tulips a decade ago. Great pictures of the seal!
You have done so much traveling! Gosh, you should write a book, really, truly. Thanks FG. 🙂