Opposite page, clockwise from left top: The oldest wharf in Puget Sound greets boaters in Coupeville. Whale skeleton at Coupeville wharf. Whidey Island chart. Amenable Oak Harbor Marina features 50 guest slips. One of Coupeville’s Captains lights the way.
Byron Skubi, former commodore M
ost Puget Sound sailors pass by Whidbey Island, but seldom visit it. After being overshadowed by
the neighboring San Juan Islands for years, it’s time to include Whidbey Island as one of your cruising destinations. The two contrasting marinas and towns of Oak Harbor and Coupeville, only a few miles across from each other, make it well worth spending a night or two at each place. Oak Harbor, the larger of the two towns, has more hustle and bustle than its quaint counterpart, Coupeville, quietly sheltered in Penn Cove.
Oak Harbor After talking to Harbormaster
Mack Funk, it’s obvious that Oak Harbor offers a large, clean, well-run marina. It offers 50 guest slips on the breakwater, and can take boats up to 40 feet. Total berths number 400. Funk warns sailors not to cut inside the harbor’s first entrance buoy (R2); stay well to the port side. He also tells me they will be dredging the marina in mid-September. Guest moorage fees range from $12.60 for boats less than 20 feet, to $28.35 for boats 38’ to 45’.
of the Oak Harbor Yacht Club, located next to the marina, invites all yachtie visitors to the Club from Wednesdays to Sundays in the summertime (4 pm- 10 pm). Guests are welcome to their BBQ night on Wednesday evenings, and Burger night on Fridays. The yacht club also offers catering for special functions by reservation. The biggest yachting event of the year is this month’s Whidbey Island Race Week, featuring 2-3 races each day, and about 120 boats from around the Puget Sound and Canada (July 17-23). Downtown Oak Harbor boasts
plenty of intriguing boutique shops, cafes, and restaurants, and is a 20-minute hike along a walking trail around the harbor’s edge. A taxi and a free bus service that comes right to the marina will also get you there in a few minutes.
Restaurants of all flavors abound in
Oak Harbor, from the BBQ Joint to Sweet Rice Thai, San Remo Mediterranean Grill, Imperial Chinese, Seabolt’s Fish Restaurant and Zorba’s. My favorite though, is the unpretentious Bay City Bistro. With fresh Penn Cove mussels guaranteed year-round, you must try their house specialty, Hickory Bacon & Dijon Cream. The creamy, salty taste of these mussels will stay with you for a long time. The Coconut Curry mussels are a close second. Other intriguing mussel specialties include Chorizo, White Wine and Garlic, and Lavender Hefeweizen. If you’re in the mood for fine
dining, Fraser’s Gourmet Hideaway, a block up Dock Street, has a superb menu that caters to all fine food fans. Some highlights from master chef Scott
Te Shortest Distance to Far Away®
Enjoy one of life's dream destinations, year round
Discover unique lodgings and B&B’s, local cuisine, wineries, farms, coastal towns, parks, stunning art, whales, kayaking, hiking, biking and family fun! Explore Whidbey’s Scenic Isle Way; visit Deception Pass Bridge; Admiralty Head Lighthouse; Washington’s second oldest town in Ebey’s National Historic Reserve; Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens; historic Greenbank Farm and Camano Island’s Cama Beach State Park. Just 25 miles north of Seattle
– only two hours drive south of Vancouver, Canada.
Free maps, guides, lodging and event info at
WhidbeyCamano
Vital information for boaters planning to transit Deception Pass. There are tour boats for those who just want to experience this magnificent passage.
Islands.com USA: 888-747-7777 Int’l: 360-675-5412
48° NORTH, JULY 2010 PAGE 45
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90