The Pacific Madrone is native is Washington and Oregon where it is common near the coast. It is a rugged tree and prefers an inhospitable environment. This one was seen near the Deception Pass Bridge.

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The small island in the distance is Strawberry Island which played a role in smuggling activity in the early days. The area was infamous for smuggling illegal Chinese immigrants for labor. A local resident, Ure and his partner Lawrence "Pirate" Kelly were quite profitable at their smuggling business and played hide-and-seek with the United States Customs Department for years. Ure's operation at Deception Pass in the late 1880s consisted of Ure and his Native-American wife. Tradition has it that his wife would camp on Strawberry Island (which was visible from the open sea) and signal him with a fire on the island's summit to alert him to whether or not it was safe to bring his illegal cargo ashore.

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This bridge is one of the most photographed bridges in Washington State. It was built in 1935 as part of a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) project. This section spans 975 feet between Pass Island (where I am standing) and Whidbey Island.

Among the first Europeans to visit this area was an expedition led by Captain George Vancouver in June, 1792. Vancouver named the pass "Deception" because he initially thought Whidbey Island was a peninsula.

During low tide, swift currents, huge whirlpools and roiling eddies make this pass hazardous for travel by boat.

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We paused on Pass Island to take photos of some of our group with Deception Pass Bridge in the background.

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Gail was busy taking photographs of her students and organizing the day. I snatched a shot of her as we paused for photographs on Pass Island.

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