By Kristi O'Harran, Herald Columnist
Touring Deception Pass in an aluminum catamaran was a super thrill for Peyton, my 3-year-old granddaughter. But her fun came to a screeching halt when guide Cameron Goff said the bay is home to the Pacific octopus, the world's largest.
Peyton is very familiar with monster Ursula in "The Little Mermaid," who has eight black limbs. Eyes round like two buoys, she wailed "Octopus coming! Octopus coming!"
Grammie cuddled her close and distracted the babe with the sight of two bald eagles perched in a branch over the sound.
By the time we finished our tour, my family -- including her sister, Kelbi, 4; my husband, Chuck; and our daughter, Kati -- was totally enthralled with the adventure just an hour and a half from our Mill Creek home.
What a perfect day trip.
Remember the boat that recently towed the huge whale carcass away from Camano Island? That was the Island Whaler, a New Zealand designed jet-drive catamaran owned by Captain Brett Ginther. It has an open deck, seats about 30, and is so stable you don't have to wear life jackets.
You drive to a lovely inlet with docks and a bathroom at north Whidbey Island. We went on a rainy day and Goff and Ginther provided plenty of parkas to wrap around our legs. There were times when the boat goes blow-your-hair fast, and times when Ginther shuts off the engine so you can enjoy seals and Western grebe.
Goff earns his seasonal pay by sharing enthralling historic stories along the way.
We learned about Ben Ure Island, named for Ben Ure, who made his living smuggling goods between the United States and Canada.
He posted his wife at the end of Strawberry Island. She would build a fire. If "regulators," such as border patrol officers, were out and about looking for smugglers, she would snuff the fire. Her husband would dump his cargo overboard in great haste.
Ure tried to bring down rum, opium and illegal immigrants hidden in burlap sacks.
One could imagine the scoundrel from Goff's vibrant stories sneaking through whirlpools so prevalent under the bridges.
There are two bridges spanning the pass: Canoe and Deception.
Look, over there, a peregrine falcon.
Cruising past an eroded cliff that touched the water, we learned about a 1910 prison mining camp where 40 prisoners from the penitentiary at Walla Walla chopped rocks all day.
With the Kenny Loggins song "Danger Zone" blasting over the loudspeaker, we zoomed deep into the bay, then the motor was shut off. I really wanted to see an orca, but it was a harbor porpoise that breached a wave -- nevertheless, I was satisfied for the day.
We heard that Captain George Vancouver in 1792 thought Deception Pass was the mouth of a large river.
Goff pointed out Coffin Rock.
Kelbi was unimpressed to hear that the Deception Pass Bridge was dedicated in 1935 and built for $482,000.
Her mind sought more pertinent information.
"Is that a mommy or a daddy sea gull?"
Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.
