Whidbey Island and more.....

On Wednesday, we decided to take the Mukilteo ferry to Whidbey Island for the day.  It was such an easy experience taking the ferry.  There weren't many cars going over (probably because it was mid-week and grey outside...) but there was a 1/2 mile of cars lined up to go over.  We were later informed it was a shift at Boeing heading over.

The first place we checked out was Langley.  Since it was before 11 am, most of the shops were still closed.  We checked things out and decided to head to the Whidbey Island Winery for a wine tasting.  They had some great local wines, including a Sangiovese -I had never head of this variety, let alone tried it.  We ended up buying a bottle of Rose to take with us.  It was not as sweet as other Roses we've tried, and will be a great summer wine. After the winery, we headed to north to Coupeville.  By this time, the sun was shinning and we were ready for lunch.  The lady at the winery recommended we check out Christopher's for lunch.  Nate got a grilled chicken pesto sandwich which was served with a huge green salad, and I couldn't resist trying the roasted garlic soup.  It was cream-based, which I usually avoid, but I was not disappointed.  It was so flavorful and even better when sopped up by the hot sourdough bread that came with it.  It's something we will try to recreate at home, minus the cream I'm sure it was made with.  After lunch, we wandered around Coupeville and checked out the unique shops. We made our way to the Lavender Wind Farm, which I have to say was a little disappointing.  The lavender wasn't blooming, so needless to say, it looked nothing like the pictures.  Still, the lady who runs the place, Sarah, was very nice and encouraged us to wander around the property (which is literally like wandering around her backyard, as her house sits right on the property).  There was, however, a spectacular view of the water from the farm. 

Next, we continued on our way to Fort Casey.  It was nothing short of breath-taking.  It's pretty much open for people to explore, like an adult jungle gym.  Construction on Fort Casey started in 1897, as an effort to protect the Pugent Sound.  The huge guns, with their 10 inch openings, were hidden, only coming into view long enough to fire.   There are two guns still at the fort, that you can climb right up to.  I can't imagine what it was like to fire one of those things.  Unfortunately, the guns and Fort Casey were pretty useless by 1903 with the invention of the airplane.  This also made the fort vulnerable to air strikes. 

We also visited the Admiralty Head Lighthouse.  Built in 1861, this lighthouse shepherded ships to Whidbey Island until 1922.  Visitors can climb up to the top, enjoying the view of the Sound. Very cool!

What a day!