For six weeks I called Whidbey Island home and became familiar with the slower way of life on the island. Here I was a part of the community on the island and found I really like this place.

Ebbey’s Landing National Historical Reserve:

The past meets present in a working rural landscape and community. This is what the National Parks Service says about this place, and it is where I became very familiar with for five weeks. In 1978 it was created as a 17,572-acre reserve integrates historic farms, a seaside town (Coupeville) native and pioneer land use traditions and ecologically significant areas.

Here I got my first lesson in sustainable agriculture and a history lesson in why mega-mansions are bad business for land so rich with productive soil. Also spending a good part of my time on the campus of Pacific Rim Institute of Environmental Sciences is located in the heart of this reserve as part of Ebey’s Prairie.

Coupeville:

The town has a small town historical charm with an agricultural community that is thriving with all the ties to the historical significance of Ebey’s Landing Reserve. It is the second oldest towns in Washington State with buildings dating from the 1850s and 1870s.

First time I was introduced to Coupeville was to attend a root beer float party at the Compass Rose B&B. The house was an old Victorian-era home that when I took a tour, it was walking through an antique store or a museum. Everything inside was original to the era. I kept thinking how amazing this would be to live here! The kitchen had the largest collection of copper pans and utensils I had ever seen! Imagine cleaning all those!

The second time I had to go down to the famous wharf everyone talks about. This wharf was built in 1905 and the weathered boards could tell tales of a time long ago when it was the main transportation stop in the turn of the century.

With a group of friends and headed for the shops. The main street had cute little shops to explore. I was disappointed with Kingfisher Books and the antique shop were closed. I really wanted to go inside. Ice cream soothed my disappointment really fast!

Check out:
The Salty Mug-Coffee, pastries, soups and chowders. Inexpensive.
Coupe’s Last Stand– Need a hot dog, polish, brats, and veggie dogs with all the fixings.
Lavender Wind-the shop with items made from the lavender grown on the farm

Oak Harbor:

Cue Top Gun, Highway to the Danger Zone! 
As I have said before, the military seems to find me or is it the other way around? Sleeping in the old officers’ barracks at Camp Casey, you would expect some military activity to happen. For a total of two weeks worth of days, Whidbey Island Naval Station would do practice flying maneuvers over the area. I should be used to this by now with commercial air traffic flying over at all hours of the day in Seattle, but these jets are much more sonic loud then a Boeing bird. I can see why residents on the island complain about the noise. Yet it is part of living within an area with active military bases. I will never forget when one flew a little to close to the ground for comfort when touring Kettle’s Edge Farm. Coming close to one of those military birds is scary when you think of it. You think it may crash! Over the five weeks I started to tune them out, and by the last night at Camp Casey, I could sleep through the noise.

Camp Casey Conference Center:

Camp Casey Conference Center was once a part of Fort Casey where the enlisted and officer barracks are located. There are a few beautiful historical officer houses build in the style known as “military Victorian” that can be rented for the weekend at either Fort Casey Inn or directly from Seattle Pacific University which owns the property next to Fort Casey State Park.

For Au Sable, the five weeks were spent living in the BOQ building between Captain’s house and another officers house near the beach. The rooms assigned had two navy issued beds with a mattress and chest of drawers. Military style! Some of the rooms had bunks where four people were assigned. I was lucky not to have three other people crammed into a room!

Deception Pass:

Took a small hiking adventure up to Goose Rock in the Deception State Park. This 0.5-mile hike to a vista with breathtaking views of the Pacific Sound and Northern Whidbey Island.

From atop of the summit you can see the San Juan Islands, Cranberry Lake and NAS Whidbey.

The island in the background is up for sale! If you have a cool 5.6 million dollars laying around it can be yours!

I have been over this bridge about a dozen times and the view never gets old. The summer heat and the sunny weather made it even more enchanting for some of the people in the group who are not from Washington.

After spending six weeks on Whidbey, it was hard to leave back to Seattle. I will be coming back in the future, and who knows, may move here.