Deception Pass is both a natural beauty and a modern marvel.
The pass earned the “Deception” name because the first group to chart the area thought Whidbey Island was a peninsula. It wasn’t until Joseph Whidbey did his due diligence and found that Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands were not peninsulas but islands. Good work Joe!
His view from the water to the sky would have been a little different than the one depicted below. The Deception Pass bridge was built in under a year from August 1934 to July 1935 at a cost of $482,000. It costs more to paint the bridge today than it did to build it.
Getting on a boat and sailing through the pass is a great way to experience all of what this area has to offer. You’re sure to see lots of great birds and likely a bald eagle or two. but if you’re a landlover, a walk down to the beach on the southwest side of the bridge is the way to go.
Back on the bridge, if you peer over the edge you’ll probably see scores of kayakers taking advantage of the rapids that form due to the tide changes.
Once onto Fidalgo Island, make your way to Mount Erie the island’s highest point for the best view in the San Juans.
