We decided to take a Friday vacation day and drive up to Anacortes, WA to see a new part of the state and take in the "Largest Free Boat Show On The West Coast." It was just over a 4-hour drive from Vancouver, WA. Anacortes is on Fidalgo Island. Not quite the "island" trip we'd like to take after this cold winter, but it was pretty fun!
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| The drive up to Anacortes from Vancouver.....wait, what is a Norfolk Southern locomotive doing on that train?? |
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| Mt. Rainier |
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| Seattle from the south |
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| CenturyLink Field (on the right) |
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| Anacortes is surrounded by the north Puget Sound and San Juan Islands on three sides, and by the Swinomish Channel and the flats of Skagit Valley to the east. The weather is milder than other areas of the PNW because it lies within the Olympic Mountain rain shadow. Fidalgo Island gets 21 inches of rain per year, only half as much as Seattle. First known as Ship Harbor, Anacortes was established with a name and a post office in 1879 in the vain hope that it would be selected as the western terminus of the transcontinental railroad. The town was officially incorporated in 1891 shortly after the railroad bust, and became a lumber and fishing center. In the 1950s oil companies built big refineries near town. Two of the five refineries in Washington are located near the town. Refining remains the area's largest industry, but the economic base now includes yacht construction/shipbuilding, tourism, and residential services for the nearby Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. |
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| The Marina seen from the dog park |
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| Small guage Anacortes rail line |
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| A picture with some locals |
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| Nordic tugboats |
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| The favorite 42' steel hull trawler....a true live-aboard...only $700K and it could be ours. |
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| A 27' Bayliner Buccaneer, sloop |
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| Our agreed upon sailboat, a 44' Jeanneau sloop |
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| 42' four bedroom four bath sloop - perfect for the Thompson men |
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| The front of the 42' steel trawler |
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| Sea Ray 330 |
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| Anacortes beaver trashcan |
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| The top of Fidalgo Island's Mount Erie at sunset (1,273 ft) |
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| Maxie walking toward the UFO |
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| We were told, "The road up is a little curvy." |
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| Heart Lake |
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| Aliens from the movie - the fourth kind |
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| Obscure Men at Work movie reference |
We stayed at the Majestic Inn and Spa right downtown - a very nice pet-friendly B&B. It was close to shops and restaurants (and of course, to the marina). We had dinner at the local brew pub known for its "locomotive breath" imperial stout.
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| Motorsailer Ketch |
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| Another Motorsailer Ketch |
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| Mt. Rainier coming home |
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| The Force is strong with this one. Maxie wasn't "technically" allowed on the restaurant's patio (per some 'health inspector' or something), but we made him look as much like a baby as possible....is anyone buying this? It is also a chilly 50 degrees outside. |
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| "Give me the food you will." |
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| Maxie sleeping in the sun on the way home - it was a long and fun weekend trip |
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| East Coast engine on the West Coast....second Norfolk Southern locomotive sighting in 2 days! |
