jet boat tour deception pass

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Deception Pass Boat Tours

by Rakan AlDuaij

Learn about Deception Pass, the Bridge and surrounding area on this amazing Deception Pass Tour aboard the “Island Whaler.” Enjoy the thrill of the fast jet boat through Deception Pass and the knowledge and history you will learn!

Hop aboard and have a seat!  The skipper will greet you and the knowledgeable tour guide will begin….

When leaving the dock out in front of you just over the hill you can see Mt. Erie. Mt. Erie is the tallest point on Fidalgo Island and you can drive right to the top where the two towers are. On a clear day you can see all the San Juans, up Saratoga Passage and into Canada.  Once you clear Houpis point you can see Mt. Baker.  Mt. Baker is the third tallest mountain in Washington just over 10,000 feet.  It has snow on it year round and is an active volcano, a Strata volcano. Every once in a while you can see plumes of steam venting from the back side.

Then as you round the corner you can start to see the bridge and Ben Ure Island.  A man named Ben Ure (you guessed it) lived here in the late 1800s and he was a smuggler/slash pirate. He used to smuggle goods through Deception Pass and stash them on Ben Ure. But there were these people like boarder patrol back in the day they were known as regulators. They would obviously try to prevent you from bringing goods in to the United States illegally, so to combat this, his wife who was a native American would sit on the west end of Strawberry Island (just to the right of Ben Ure Island).  From the west end of Strawberry Island, you have a direct line of sight through Deception Pass out into the south end of Rosario Strait. So if these regulators were not around Ben Ure’s wife would start a fire, but if they were around she would snuff it out and Ben Ure would know that it is not safe to pass through and he would throw all his goods overboard. Now he would not just smuggle in goods he could plunder off of other ships. He would also smuggle in rum, opium, and illegal immigrants to work on the railroads. He would keep them in burlap sacks so they could not get away, and he’d throw them overboard too. Due to the currents in Deception Pass, they would all get pushed 14 miles west all the way to San Juan Island where they would all congregate into one specific cove that has now been deemed Dead Mans Cove. That is not all that would wash up on the shores. There was a fruit farmer that lived on Whidbey Island back in Ben Urs’s day, and he was walking down West Beach and found a bunch of cans of what he assumed was mineral paint. Well, he ended up painting his house with the substance and some years later found out that it was $4,000 worth of opium.

Deception Pass bridge was constructed in 1935, took about a year to build at a cost of only $315,000, it actually cost more to repaint the bridge in 1983 than it did to build it. She sits 186 feet above the water and is more than a quarter mile long. More than 6,000 people showed up to opening day and 700 cars crossed it in the first hour. Today, we get about 20,000 cars across daily.

Soon after the tour begins you will see a large bald eagles nest high up in an evergreen tree. It is kind of hard to tell how big Bald Eagles are when they are sitting way up there , but perched they sit 21” tall and have a wingspan of eight feet. The female, who is slightly larger than the male, can weigh as much at 12 pounds. Eagles have extraordinary vision and if they could read, they could read newsprint from the treetops— about 150 feet up!  When an eagle decides to clamp onto something such as a fish with his talons, he can push down with about 1,000 pounds per square inch of force. Once he has latched onto it, he lacks the muscles to release it again until he lands. Some times you see them hit the water and try to pick up a fish that is too heavy for them. They flap and flap and end up having to sit down in the water, but they don’t really float like a duck would. They sink up to their necks and have to swim back to shore.  Bald eagles are kind of funny creatures. They mate for life and they come back to these same nests year after year. They repair the damage that happened while they were gone and build them larger each time they come back. They will build them so big that the branches below can’t support the weight and will just shear right off the tree. The largest nest ever recorded is down in Florida and it is nine feet wide and 20 feet deep.

Now better than Eagles, Deception Pass is home to a nesting pair of Paragon Falcons. Falcons don’t make nests they lay their eggs right on the ledge of these cliffs. They are medium sized Falcons, having a wingspan of about a foot and a half, but more interesting than that, they are the fastest animals in the world. They have been clocked at over 280mph. They were used in World War II to take down pigeon carriers, and are being introduced into large cities to help take care of their pigeon problems.

The tour boat will get very close to the cliff and shut down momentarily so you can see a cave. The cave actually used to be a prison mining camp back in 1910 and ran until 1914. It housed 40 prisoners, and as you can imagine, it only took one guard to keep everyone here, due that it was kind of take your chances in the drink or hike up this cliff pretty quick. The prison was run by the state and was said that they were looking for gold and magnesium, they never found any but what they did have was a large byproduct of rock, obviously  You will be able to see the foundation and a bunch of rebar sticking out where a rock crusher used to be.  It is about 100 feet deep all the way up to the cliff.  They would roll barges up to this cliff and load all this crushed rock on to the barges and ship it down to Seattle. If you have ever heard that Seattle was built on sawdust, this is where some of the rock came from to rebuild the waterfront. It closed down in 1914, and all the wood was salvaged in the mid 20’s to help build that park.

The madronas trees are beautiful from the water.  These are the Pacific Madrone or Madrona. Native pretty much up and down the Pacific coast of North America, and have a big tap root that is good for digging in to the cliffs around here—they are actually an evergreen tree oddly enough. Up in Canada they call them Arbutus and the Native Americans called them people trees, due to how soft the bark is and how it can be peeled away reveling a fleshy tone underneath. Down in Mexico they call them tourist trees because they peel just like the tourists do.

The next part of the tour takes you through Canoe Pass  Canoe Pass was named by the Coastal Salish People because it was a easier to come through Canoe Pass rather than Deception Pass, fewer whirl pools and less turbulent. The water can flush through Canoe Pass extremely quickly at about nine and a half knots (1.15mph). On a really big tide, it works out to be about 900 million gallons of water passing through in a minute. We get lots of extreme kayakers that come to test their talents in the quick moving water of Canoe Pass. Every once in a while you can catch scuba divers out here. They dive down on one side, get shot through, and picked up on the other. Over in Deception Pass there are these large caves where octopus live. We do have the largest octopus in the world here in the San Juans—The Great Pacific Octopus. The largest one ever recorded was caught off the coast of Vancouver Island. He actually lived in an old vintage VW Bus down there and he was 34 feet across and weighed more than 600 Pounds. You can actually go visit him. He is up in the Vancouver aquarium and his name is Oscar.

Back in 1866 about 1,000 acres around Deception Pass was bought up by the federal government. They thought that it would be of key military importance due that it is kind of the ‘back door’ into Puget Sound. The only part that they ended up fortifying was just before World War I and that was West Point. They placed a large search light out there and a big piece of the foundation still remands today.  Directly off to the left of West Point is a big rock that you see on West Beach. That is Gun Point. They placed a cannon out there. It was never fired and was all taken down after WWI concluded. All the land was sold to the state in the mid 20’s and was made into a state park about five years later. It now boasts over 4,000 acres in Island and Skagit County.

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Deception Pass Boat Tour

Deception Pass is by far my favorite state park in Washington. We have been multiple times and each time we visit are amazed by the beauty of the area. Instead of hiking again we decided to tour by boat and took a Jet boat tour with Deception Pass Tours .

Deception Pass Tours Deception Pass Tours offers jet boat tours of Deception Pass State Park as well as whale watching tours and animal viewing tours. We did the jet boat tour which is about an hour long and gives you some fantastic tours of the park and the bridge. Tickets are very reasonably priced at just $35-40. The boat is open air so be prepared for Washington weather. We took blankets and rain jackets just in case, but they also had parkas available on board. The windows block most of the wind and we did not get wet at all. There is a restroom on board if the need arises.

Safety first! We got a very brief runover of safety info and an introduction, then we were on our way. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. The first thing we did was go under the iconic Deception Pass Bridge. This green beauty was an engineering feat. You’ll get plenty of time to see it and multiple viewing angles.

Viewing the state park from the water is an exceptional experience, especially after hiking the cliffs and seeing them from this perspective. During our ride we also saw harbor porpoises and harbor seals. The seals were quite funny fighting over a salmon one had caught.

The most interesting part of the tour was hearing old stories of the area full of pirates, smugglers, and old mining prisons. I hadn’t heard any of these true stories before.

View other tours offered by Deception Pass Tours and booking info HERE . View info on the Deception Pass Boat Tour HERE .

Finding the fun everywhere life takes us! Love, Olivia Michelle

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Moscow Boat Tour

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Description

See all the gems of historical and cultural center of the capital in short time and without traffic jams or tiresome walking.

Depending on the itinerary and duration of the Moscow River boat trip, the tour can be 3 or 5 hours.

Highlights of the tour

• St Basil’s Cathedral;
• Stalin skyscraper on Kotelnicheskaya (Tinkers) embankment;
• The Kremlin;
• “House on the Embankment” Stalin skyscraper;
• Monument to Peter I;
• The Central House of Artists;
• Christ the Savior Cathedral;
• Gorky Park;
• Moscow State University;
• Russian Academy of Sciences;
• Luzhniki stadium;
• Novodevichy Monastery;
• Kiev railway station;
• Europe Square;
• Moscow City Hall;
• Government House;
• Expocentre Exhibition Complex;
• and other famous sights.

You will learn about the different epochs of the city from the foundation in 1147 till Soviet times of 20 th  century.

Moscow River

Moskva river has the form of a snake and is the main waterway of Moscow, consisting of a cascade of reservoirs. Within the city, Moskva river is 80 km long, 120 m - 200 m wide and up to 14 m deep. The narrowest part of the river is the Kremlin area in the city center, and the most extensive is around the Luzhniki Stadium in the south. 

Bridges in Moscow

Undoubtedly, bridges and embankments are among the most scenic spots and main attractions of Moscow. Plus, they are so romantic.

• Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge –  Great Stone Bridge –  is the main bridge of Moscow . The first stone bridge was constructed here in the 17th century.
• Patriarshy Bridge  is one of the youngest pedestrian bridges, built in 2004. The bridge connects the iconic Christ the Saviour Cathedral with funky Bersenevskaya embankment, extremely popular place among locals for its trendy art galleries, cafes and panoramic views. Patriarshy Bridge used to be a shooting location for ex-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's New Year speech to the nation.
• Borodinsky Bridge,  erected in honor of the 100th anniversary of the glorious victory in the Battle of Borodino (which every Russian kid knows about), a fierce legendary battle during the Russo-French war of 1812.
• Bagration Bridge  one of the  pedestrian bridges with most picturesque views of the Moskva River with its numerous upper-level observation platforms. The bridge was erected to celebrate the 850th anniversary of Moscow city in 1997.
• Krymsky Bridge  used to be in Top 5 Europe’s longest bridges some 100 years ago. The bridge got its name after the ancient Krymsky ford which Crimean Tartars used to invade Moscow in the 16 th  century.

Embankments of Moscow

Moscow river boats 37 embankments, the most popular being Kremlevskaya, Sofiyskaya, Pushkinskaya, Vorobyovskaya and Kolomenskaya.

You can get the most spectacular views of the Kremlin from  Kremlevskaya and Sofiyskaya embankments.

• Pushkinkaya embankment  is the most romantic in Moscow. It meanders along Gorky Park and Neskuchnyi garden and is rich for all kinds of entertainment as well as cozy nooks, including Olivkovy beach, the famous Zeleny theater as well as a pier for river cruisers.
• Vorobyevskaya embankment  is part of Sparrow Hills nature reserve. This place opens a beautiful panorama of the river and city from the observation deck and is considered to be the place for taking serious decisions in life.
• Embankment in Kolomenskoye  Museum-Reserve has a special charm due to its peculiar geographical relief. The boat trip around Kolomenskoye would be the most peaceful in your life.
• Taras Shevchenko embankment  is popular among photographers for its modern Moscow City skyscrapers. Highly recommended for your night boat trip.
• Embankments of Moscow are the pride of the capital. A distinctive feature of each of the promenades is its architecture and beautiful views. In addition, almost all the embankments of Moscow have a rich history and a lot of notable buildings.

Different epochs

Taking a walk along the Moskva River by boat, you will witness the architecture of Moscow from different eras and styles. Archaeological studies indicate that already in the XI century there stood a fortified settlement on Borovitsky hill, which is now called the Kremlin. Little fortress could not accommodate all the residents of the rapidly growing city, and the Grand Duke ordered the construction of a new Kremlin, larger than the former.

Boat trip around Kolomenskoe Park

Moscow river boat trip starts from the pier Klenovy (Maple) Boulevard and provides reat views of Nicholas Perervinsky monastery.

Nicholas Perervinsky monastery was founded at the time of the Battle of Kulikov (1380). The monastery, got its name from the surrounding area – “Pererva”, which can be translated like “tear off” and because of the location –  here it abruptly changed its course, turning to Kolomna, standing on the opposite bank.

Nowadays Kolomenskoye is State Art, Historical, Architectural and Natural Landscape Museum-Reserve, which doors are open to everyone who wants to get in touch with the ancient history of Russia.

Take a break from the big city hustle in the shady parks and gardens of the Kolomenskoe Museum-Reserve. Don’t miss a wonderful Church of the Ascension and Tsar Alexey’s Palace in Kolomenskoye!

Monasteries and temples

• Novospassky Monastery
• Founded in the 13th century on the site where now is located the Danilovsky monastery. After a few decades, in 1330, Ivan Kalita moved the monastery onto the Borovitskii hill of the Kremlin. However, in the 15th century, Spassky Monastery again moved, this time to a more spacious place on Krasnoholmskaya waterfront.
• Church of St. Nicholas in Zayaitskom
• Erected in the middle of the XVIII century in baroque style. The building survived after the 1812 fire, but the utensils were destoyed. Parishioners collected donations and restored the temple on their own. In Soviet times, it was closed and re-opened only in 1992.
• Cathedral of Christ the Savior
• The church was originally erected in honor of the victory over Napoleon and was being under construction for long 44 years. Notoriously demolished in 1937 to be a giant swimming pool under open sky. The current building was constructed in 1990s. It is the tallest and one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world.
• The temple was built in 1679-82, during the reign of Tsar Fedor Alekseevich, in late Muscovite Baroque style and can be characterized as bonfire temple. Each gable is a symbol of a heavenly fire.
• Novodevichy Convent
• The most famous concent and monastery in Moscow, presumably founded in 1524. Novodevichy’s status has always been high among other monasteries, it was in this monastery where the women of the royal blood, the wives of Tsars and local rulers of Moscow were kept in prison as nuns.
• St. Andrew’s church  (male acts as Compound Patriarch of Moscow)
• St. Andrew’s church stands right on the slopes of the Sparrow Hills, on the way down to the Moskva River, on the territory of the Nature Reserve “Sparrow Hills”. The monastery is small in size but is very cozy. It’s situated in a quiet courtyard surrounded by temples, fruit trees and flowers.

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow river cruise.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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RADISSON Boats - Moscow River Boat Tours

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• Moscow River Boat Tours

I got a nice luxury boat. It has good restaurant inside too. Boat tour is around 1.5 hours. The... read more

I would recommend the Moscow Sightseeing River Cruise. Definitely great value for a two hour... read more

RADISSON Boats

Seriously now, how it is even possible to have a girl in the tickets issuing white building , in the Gorky Park Pier, who is exceptional RUDE and she doesn't know even a simple word of English and she seem that she doesn't care to sell any tickets to tourists ?! We left the ticket office because she couldn't answer to anything and because she was really aggressive because we don't speak Russian!!! Despite the fact that we were really kind and smiling, trying to speak to her. We found completely unacceptable the fact that they work with tourists but they demand from them to know Russian! Even though, a kind and gently mannered person will find a way to explain something. Unfortunately the specific ...lady was a savage-like one, coming from the mountains and never having met other people again. What a shame.

Dear Efstathios D! Thank you for your feedback! First of all we are so sorry about this situation! Next time we are highly recommend to purchas tickets online/ Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

Starting out for an 8:00 p.m. cruise on a poor or rather dull August 1st day, we had to wait for a later boarding at about 20:15! We were shepherded upstairs to the upper deck, which was thankfully enclosed with glass windows, with seats facing both forward and backwards or better… fore and aft facing! As we reached the top deck (about 7 steps, but steep) we walked about 6 meters and had to jog to the right, in order not to disturb a mic boom and speaker setup, denoting our impending entertainment for the evening! 2 chairs, padded, adorned with 2 very well used 6-string guitars… plus a load of other equipment, including 5' high speakers and amps, etc. My party (4 of us) including my wife, her half-sister with her husband, whom we had only known about 14 months, after belatedly finding out about each other, who were visiting us from a European country for a few days! Super people! My wife had arranged this trip at the tentative request of her half-brother-in-law. The boat was nothing special as far as comfort was concerned, but we had front seats! I was a little worried about volume from the massive speakers! No worry needed! We left, with perhaps one third full of passengers only and the 2 chairs were almost immediately occupied by 2 men, pleasant looking, both nicely dressed, who picked up the guitars and the first, Dmitry, began to narrate our passage along the Moscow River. Shortly afterwards, the narration comfortable allowed the introduction of the first song, with basic chords being played by Dmitry with Alexei playing, expert accompaniment to Dmitry's vocals. He thoroughly enjoyed his role, as did Dmitry. For 21/2 hours, we plied the river, with an ever deepening dusk, bringing forth romantic Russian songs by well-known Russian composers, making the river trip a really enjoyable experience, particularly as both my wife and I are both fans of this type of music along with our newly-found family. The engine noises could hardly be heard, the cabin was pleasantly warm, but not hot, and tea and coffee was served an hour before landing. Docking happened at about 22:20 with no rush and we alighted at the same point that we had boarded… a very enjoyable evening all told! Thank you Moscow River Tours or Art_Stolitsa!

Dear granmar! Thank you for your feedback! We will be happy to see you again. Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

It’s very bad that when we enter the boat they told us go upstairs! Then a russian guiding started to talk from the starting point! No respect to other nationalities or tourists languages! At least do something in international languages! My money went for nothing Understand nothing in this beautiful country’s History!!!!!!

Dear Mrmretta! Thank you for your feedback! It is helps us to be better. We will start our English speaking guided cruise soon. Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

Loud music. No service. Look like that they did not want to sell anything. Taste less food. Exhaust in the resturant. No safety informasjon. Cheap tour Cheap food. Crappy service. Try some other place.

Dear Tore S! Thank you for your review. It helps us become better. Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

Today we decided to do a river cruise to orientate us to Moscow. With no knowledge of Russian we purchased an audio guide. We walked 9kms in very hot weather to get to the departure point and asked several people for directions. Number one frustration is that muscovites don't get tourism or customer service and look straight thru you. We finally found the wharf and with several boats departing we got the same 'look straight through you' until finally we had to shame someone into finding our boat the Cahta Mapnr, which then departed 35 mins later then the booking agent advised. We went to the top deck which had no cover and tried to find some shade.And you guessed it the audio didn't work. The staff had no idea how to handle a disgruntled passenger and i got nowhere asking for a refund. Go back to the booking agent they said to which i replied ' how would they know i didnt get what i paid for. I have worked in tourism for most of my working life so know a bit about the industry. You have a wonderful product but you must train your operators! There was one young man,Bec, who tried valiantly to placate me and he will go far. I admit I lost my cool after being ignored by so many and frying in the hot sun and not being able to identify the magnificent buildings..

Dear Julie B! Thank you for your feedback! First of all we are so sorry about this situation! Next time we are highly recommend to purchas tickets online. Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

No tour info in English. Mostly Russians on this boat. We were the only non-Russian tourists. If you don't buy the ticket online, they charge more than double the price at the pier. (If you are looking at a tablet or computer screen you will see this info, but not on a phone screen.) As a result many customers were complaining and arguing with the ticket sellers. The boat was playing LOUD unbearably awful music. Website stated that music would be played and we were expecting Russian folk tunes with balalaikas. Instead, we got really bad rock with English lyrics. The cruise was 2+ hours and it would have been impossible to enjoy with the noise. It was so bad that we asked for our money back before the boat departed. They said they could not provide a refund because the tickets had been torn already. After we caused a minor insurrection --luckily we had a Russian friend with us -- the captain turned off the music. (He said he didn't like it either but he was required to play it.) There are numerous river tour companies in Moscow and most seem to be in the same price range. I recommend asking them if the boats have outdoor shaded places where you will not be subjected to loud music.

Dear JanetOO! Thank you for your feedback! On our website we have all information in English. Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

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“The Moscow Deception” by Karen Robards

Posted By: Administrator September 10, 2018

THE MOSCOW DECEPTION

By Karen Robards

Karen Robards and great reads go hand-in-hand. This latest release, book two in The Guardian series, becomes yet another “must read” for those who are truly engaged by Robards’ writing and the action-packed world of international spy thrillers.

Bianca St. Ives is extremely smart. She uses her wealth of gifts to remain the highly talented con-woman and thief she’s become. It’s not often that someone this smart finds themselves in trouble, but the unveiling of a secret from her past has led Bianca to become more than stunned. When a thief is off their game, that’s when the predators come calling, which is exactly what’s happening to Bianca now. She has become the prime target of a group of assassins that will do anything to bring her down.

Engaging her brain and trying to overcome the surprise of her life, she attempts to come up with a plan to stay alive. But just as this all comes to pass, Bianca must also deal with her own father and a job he’s involved in.

Father and daughter, while trying to evade a posse of trigger-happy killers, go on the hunt to recover a treasure that was stolen by the Russians during WWII. These priceless artifacts that once belonged to royalty by the name of King Priam, must be unearthed and returned to Germany. Why would Bianca throw herself into a heist of such mammoth proportions when her own life is on the line? Because information comes along with this treasure; intel that may just be the only thing that will stop Bianca’s pursuers from claiming victory.

Karen Robards never fails. Author of over forty books, she has earned the awards and accolades she’s achieved. This is one lady who never seems to run out of thrilling ideas and characters, so make sure not to miss this fast-paced series.

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Deception Pass Tour

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Captain Brett is a U.S. Coast Guard certified captain and would like to share this exciting and picturesque setting with you, while exploring the shores and waters of the surrounding area. Take a unique ride on a seated open deck boat and enjoy a 360° unobstructed view as we pass through the waters of Deception Pass. Also, look for wildlife such as bald eagles, seals, porpoises and maybe an occasional whale. We may not have Nessee or Champ, but we have the world’s largest Pacific Octopus. Learn the tales of characters who navigated these waters and the splendor of this National Historic Landmark.

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*Prices, times and vessel subject to change without notice. All tickets are sold based on availability for specific departure time, are non-refundable and may not be exchanged.

Departures: April – September

Daily: 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm

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From Past to Present

Before this landmark was built, travelers had to cross on an unscheduled ferry. To summon the ferry, passengers would simply hit a mallet against a metal lumberjack saw which sounded the “BOING” to the operator. This indicated they were ready to cross, and the first woman ferry boat captain in Washington would pick them up.

Today, riding through the pass is much easier, tickets can be purchased for Deception Pass Tours at the ticket booth in the parking lot at the south end of the bridge.

Learn more about the ferry and the first female ferry captain on your tour!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be smuggled into the US in a burlap bag? In the early 1900’s there were plenty of people who got to have that experience courtesy of Ben Ure. Find out what he did with his cargo when he was outrunning the law on your Deception Pass Tour aboard the Island Whaler.

The prison rock quarry operated from 1910 through 1914, and its nearby barracks housed some 40 prisoners, members of an honors program out of Walla Walla prison.

The prison population was made up of all kinds of prisoners, even murderers. Guards stood at the quarry as the prisoners cut the rock into gravel and loaded onto barges located at the base of the cliff top and the Pass waters. The quarried rock was taken by barge to the Seattle waterfront. The rock was a lot better than the sawdust Seattle was originally built on!

Water Under the Bridge

At peak current at over 8 knots (9.5 mph) almost 900 million gallons of water pour through Deception Pass. That’s 50 times more flow that all the rivers in the Puget Sound. You can see why there is a 4.5 foot height difference in the water level from one side of the pass to the other!

But don’t worry, the boat is equipped with latest safety equipment. Captain Brett and crew will ensure safe passage and an entertaining time for all!

The Boat: The Island Whaler

The Island Whaler is a New Zealand designed jet drive catamaran. The catamaran style and foil assist ensures a soft and stable ride in any conditions. The open deck seating will give you the best 360° viewing opportunity and interaction with the surrounding elements.

Deception Pass Bridge

The bridge, one of the scenic wonders of the Pacific Northwest, is actually two spans, one over Canoe Pass to the north, and another over Deception Pass to the south. Construction began in August 1934, and the completed bridge was dedicated at noon on July 31, 1935. The Wallace Bridge and Structural Co. of Seattle, Washington provided 460 tons of steel for the 511-foot Canoe Pass arch and 1130 tons for the 976-foot Deception Pass span. The cost of construction was $482,000.

In September 1982, the bridge was declared a National Historic Landmark. It cost more to paint the spans in 1983 than it did to build them in 1935. They were painted again in 1997.

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Take a unique ride on a seated open deck boat and enjoy a 360° unobstructed view as we pass through the waters of Deception Pass on a one-hour tour.

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