HARBORS Fall 2010 by HARBORS The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

Connecting People, Places, Adventure and Lifestyle. HARBORS www.harborsmagazine.com Fall 2010

San Juan Islands Sooke Salmon Fishing

Exploring the Many Hidden Coves and Harbors

The Great Bear Rainforest Woodinville Wine Country

A Culinary Journey

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Features

Majestic Hidden Islands

The Circle of Life

Exploring the hidden coves and harbors of the San Juans

British Columbia Salmon Fishing

The Great Bear Rainforest

Kenmore Air Destination Maps

Building Beavers

Deception Pass

Raise a Glass to Washington Wines

Slow Down and Eat

A Beautiful, Rugged and Natural Place

Cover Photograph Alan Bauer Arial photo of Pearl Island and San Juan Island from a Kenmore Air flight

South Zone / North Zone

Gordy Barnes, Seaplane Mechanic

Celebrating the 75th birthday of the Deception Pass Bridge.

More than 50 boutique producers await in Woodinville, Washington.

Culinary Adventures on South Vancouver Island

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volume 1 issue 1 HA R B OR S The Kenmore Air Destination Magazine CONTACT P.O. Box 1393 Port Townsend, WA 98368

E: info@harborsmagazine.com W: harborsmagazine.com

PUBLISHER / EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Katherine S. McKelvey GRAPHIC DESIGN Danny McEnerney EDITING Annika S. Hipple CONTRIBUTORS Allen Cox Robyn Roehm Cannon Roy Stevenson

Nancy J. Wagner Doug Wilson Annika S. Hipple

ADVERTISING SALES Don Cannon ads@harborsmagazine.com

WEB DESIGN

workin’ man creative

PHOTO CREDITS

Alan Bauer, pages 10, 36, 38 and 39 Whidbey/Camano Tourism, page 37 and 39 Doug Wilson, pages 16-21 Nancy J. Wagner, pages 22-26 San Juan Tourism, pages 11-13 Woodinville Wine Country, pages 40-43 Roger Ward, pages 44-47 HARBORS magazine is printed by Mitchell Press, Vancouver, British Columbia.

HARBORS magazine is printed on recycled paper.

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© 2010 by All Ports Media Group All rights reserved. Partial or whole reproduction is prohibited. The publisher will not be held responsible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space of the ad. No changes may be made or cancellation accepted after the publication deadline date. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of this magazine or Kenmore Air Harbor Inc..

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HAR B O R S

Welcome to our Inaugural Issue!

Harbor Lights A Note From the Publisher

Welcome to the inaugural issue of HARBORS magazine. This issue features spectacular destinations and experiences found only in the majestic waterways, islands and coastlines of Western Washington and British Columbia. HARBORS is full of quality content and exceptional photography for our readers’ enjoyment and provides a resource for planning trips around the Northwest. Due to the state of the economy we have all heard about “staycations” encouraging travelers to stay close to home. Here in the Northwest we are fortunate to have an incredibly scenic backyard which to live, work and play. Whether you are visiting the Northwest from another state or country, or are lucky enough to live in Washington or British Columbia, you are just minutes from some of the most stunning destinations in the world. Some travel by car and ferry to explore the many towns and attractions. Sometimes the journey is part of the experience; other times you may want to spend less time traveling and more time at your destination. That is when a quick flight on Kenmore Air is a great solution. Being able to see the panoramic views and geography from the air is a breathtaking way to start and end your journey. HARBORS magazine will focus on the breathtaking experiences the Northwest has to offer, so readers can plan their travels to the places that spark interest. Whether you are looking for a cozy inn, an award-winning wine, first-class cuisine, an exciting fishing expedition or a luxurious spa getaway you will find all the best possibilities in HARBORS. Adventure travel is our main focus, bringing you exciting new experiences full of activity, history and culture. Fishing, wildlife, boating, nature, dining, exploring and shopping are all part of the Northwest experience and HARBORS has it all. Enjoy the magazine, the view and your destination!

Katherine S. McKelvey Publisher

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Welcome to Kenmore Air In the 64 years since my grandfather, Robert Munro, started a one-airplane flight school and maintenance operation on the north shore of Seattle’s Lake Washington, much has changed in the world. Certainly much has changed for this company—which was headquartered in a converted chicken coop for the first decade of its life and is now a regional airline serving more than 50 destinations in Washington and British Columbia. Other things have not changed at all: Kenmore Air remains a family-owned business. My uncle, Gregg Munro, just stepped down this year from his long-time role as president to become chairman of the board. He still spends his summers where he likes to be most: in the cockpit of one of our seaplanes, flying British Columbia’s Inside Passage. My mother and Gregg’s sister, Leslie Banks, helps manage the office and takes your reservation calls. Notwithstanding the continued family tradition, Kenmore Air’s success has always rested with a group of incredibly talented and dedicated employees—some 250 strong during our summer peak. You’ve met some of these folks in your travels with us, like our amazing pilots and outstanding station agents. But others do their quiet, competent work behind the scenes, and one of the things we want to accomplish with HARBORS is to give you a chance to meet some of these remarkable individuals. In this issue, we profile mechanic Gordy Barnes, now in his 40th year of maintaining our fleet to the highest standards anywhere. Since my grandfather’s day we have been fortunate to serve some of the most beautiful and compelling destinations in the world. It’s probably no coincidence that the places to which our seaplanes and wheeled aircraft provide the best service are those island and peninsula destinations most difficult to reach by car. We started with one airplane and now we have more than 25 planes. We were only a local charter operator and now we’re a scheduled airline providing connections across North America through our partnership with Alaska Airlines. We used to stock our seatbacks only with ear plugs and now we have our own beautiful in-flight magazine! Things do indeed change. But we are still committed, first and foremost, to flying you safely and with the highest standards of customer service. That will never change. Thank you for flying with us!

Todd Banks President

Kenmore Air Destination Maps

Pages 28-31 For live web-cams of the San Juan Islands visit www.islandcam.com

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Looking east from Sucia Island Aerial view of Pearl Island just off the northwest shore of San Juan Island Roche Harbor Marina (beyond)

Exploring the hidden coves and harbors of the San Juans

Majestic Hidden Islands By Allen Cox

Three islands—Orcas, San Juan and Lopez—draw the bulk of the visitors to the San Juan Islands, which stands to reason: they offer stunning scenery, virtually all the hospitality services, ferry docks and airports. But 172 islands—not three—make up this archipelago, easily one of the world’s most scenic. Although the San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge contains 83 of them, most of which harbor wildlife breeding colonies offlimits to humans, and several other islands are protected as the San Juan Islands Wilderness, many of the offthe-ferry-route islands do welcome Homo sapiens. In these hidden San

Juans, discovery awaits us in the form of abundant wildlife, lush forests, secret coves and pristine beaches, with evidence of human habitation going back hundreds of years.

Six islands you shouldn’t miss Matia Island In a nameless cove on Matia’s eastern side, you’re likely to spot otters, harbor seals and flocks of pigeon guillemots. A trail links one end of Matia with the other, a scenic day hike that passes the scorched trunks of old-growth Douglas firs, evidence of land-clearing for camas root cultivation, an important

native food source. If you have a keen eye, you’ll spot remnants of a 19th century settler’s homestead in the form ivy and untended fruit trees. The Hermit of Matia Island was a self-proclaimed faith healer whose “patients” appealed via correspondence delivered to Orcas Island. For 30 years, the hermit would brave the crossing by rowboat to fetch the letters and supplies, but one crossing in a February storm was his last. Sucia Island With more than 550 acres and nearly 78,000 feet of shoreline, horseshoeshaped Sucia offers a complex network of harbors, beaches, headlands, trails and campsites. On the western side,

The Kenmore Air Destination Magazine

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Kayaking at sunset off Sucia Island. American Camp eagle’s nest.

Caretaker driftwood cottage on Yellow Island.

Lighthouse on Patos Island.

Shallow Bay’s bank conceals shells, short walk from the anchorage at Acbones and burned stones discarded tive Cove and rises above open fields hundreds of years ago, evidence of the abloom with camas lily in the spring— kitchens of an ancient Lummi settle- the best season for wildflower enthusiment now incorasts. The long view porated in layers north across vast of sediment. “The “172 islands make up this Georgia Strait to Lummis would archipelago, easily one of the distant Canamake cedar con- the world’s most scenic.” dian Coast Range tainers, seal them make this seem one with pitch and fill of the most isolated them with water and hot rocks to boil spots in the San Juans. The island’s shellfish,” Captain Dave Lutz of the old-growth forest provides an exceleco-cruise vessel Na’walak explained lent place to find ancient Western red as he pointed out the remnants of cedars, known as healing trees, from this cooking process visible in this un- which the Lummis stripped bark and touched archeological zone. removed entire planks, leaving the Patos Island trees intact and still alive today. West of Sucia sits Patos, with its wellStuart Island preserved square-towered lighthouse Stuart Island’s Prevost Harbor not dating from 1893. The lighthouse is a only provides well-protected anchor12

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age for the night but has a county dock, inviting a stroll on one of the most isolated farming islands in the San Juans. An idyllic walk on a country road lies between the county dock and the historic Turn Point Light. Linger with a picnic at Turn Point and watch freighters navigate the nearhairpin turn between Haro Strait and Boundary Pass on their passage to and from Vancouver. Yellow Island In the San Juan Channel between San Juan and Orcas Islands, The Nature Conservancy owns and protects an 11-acre jewel that takes on the character of an Impressionist painting when more than 50 species of wildflowers open in the spring. Yellow Island is a grassland environment with an extraordinary diversity of native

plant species, the only one of its kind in the Puget Sound lowlands. Caretakers live a rustic existence in a driftwood cabin and are usually onhand to welcome visitors and ensure that their island is not overrun with too many hiking boots at once. Stay on the trails to help preserve Yellow Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fragile ecosystem. Watmough Bay on Lopez Island A 470-foot cliff that borders this long harbor on one side redefines dramatic beauty. A trail climbs from the pebble beach at the end of the bay through the forest to the top of the cliff and presents a panorama south across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Olympics. Watch for the usual suspects that frequent vertical cliffs over water: peregrine falcons, turkey vultures and bald eagles. Also keep an eye

Getting to the Islands: www.kenmoreair.com Reserving a Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;walak cruise: www.emeraldislesailing.com Pre/post-cruise lodging: www.outlookinn.com www.deerharborinn.com More information: www.visitsanjuans.com Live island web-cams: www.islandcam.com

out for signs of human activity in the meadows near the summit: patterns of stones on the ground forming ceremonial medicine wheels, evidence that many present day humans revere this spot as sacred. The Kenmore Air Destination Magazine

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Eco-friendly Custom Cruising the Hidden Isles Unless you own a boat, the best way to explore the hidden San Juans is by charter. And, in such a pristine ecosystem, an eco-cruise is the only way to go. Na’walak, a graceful 54-foot sailing ketch fueled by solar power, a wind generator and biodiesel, sails out of Orcas Island’s Deer Harbor with Captain Dave Lutz at the helm. Na’walak, meaning “Spirit of Nature,” carries up to six passengers on half-day to one-week excursions. Passengers sleep in three classic staterooms with all the comforts of a hotel—only much cozier—and three delectable, chef-prepared meals a day keep passengers energized and in gourmet heaven. “It takes people about three days to shed their normal lives and absorb the surroundings here,” according to Lutz, a long-time islander, naturalist and crack sailor who delights in revealing the secrets of the San Juans to his guests.

In a seven-day cruise, you can expect to explore at least six islands. There’s nothing but your imagination standing between you and a cruise tailored to your lifestyle. If it’s legal, safe and eco-friendly, Captain Lutz can match your cruise to your whims, whether it’s an over-the-top romance cruise, complete with candlelit beach dinners, strolling musicians, rose petals and plenty of privacy, or a meditation cruise for yourself and a few kindred spirits.

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Guide Rob Gordy runs the trolling motor while fishing with downriggers for Sooke area salmon.

The Circle of Life

By Doug Wilson

The Strait of Juan de Fuca surges with forming rips and tide lines. Gulls wheel overhead. They splash into balls of silvery herring driven to the surface by diving birds. Their screams shatter the morning stillness. Murres and auklets pop to the surface, their bills crammed with baitfish. Rippling rivers form within the placid waters as currents pick up in the twice daily changing of the tides. Thirty-five feet below the green water’s surface blips register on the depth sounder. They spell salmon. These fish seek schools of baitfish pushed along the shoreline contours by the tide. Two lines running from downriggers trail erratically moving anchovy baits in teaser heads that roll the baits in an enticing “come hither” motion, beckoning feeding salmon. Green and blue hoochies, artificial squids laced with double hook rigs, trail behind the attracting flashers on two more lines. Here in the Pacific Northwest saltwa-

British Columbia Salmon Fishing

ter, salmon is king. Five different species of Pacific salmon cruise the waters, growing fat on their return journey to the streams and rivers of British Columbia British Columbia’s largest river, the Fraser, named after British fur trader and explorer Simon Fraser, meets the salt water at Vancouver, the province’s largest city and major seaport. Vancouver lies on Burrard inlet 25 miles across the Strait of Georgia from Vancouver Island. Salmon by the millions enter the Fraser each year en route to their spawning grounds. Some will travel hundreds of miles upriver into British Columbia’s interior. Vancouver Island, British Columbia’s largest island, is 282 miles north to south. It’s 12,000 square miles of moutains and shoreline are covered in forests of fir, cedar and hemlock. The Vancouver Island

Mountain Ranges rise up to 7,000 feet above sea level and are crested with snow year around. English explorer and navigator George Vancouver charted the region in 1792. Both the island and the province’s largest city bear his name. The city of Vancouver lies an hour-and-a-half ’s ferry ride across the Strait of Georgia. The salmon have been here for thousands of years, long before the first Spanish explorers sailed into these waters in 1774. British Captain James Cook came in 1778 and named the island in honor of George Vancouver. Vancouver served under Cook as a midshipman during the 1778 voyage searching for the Northwest Passage aboard the British ship Resolution. Native Salish people settled the fir and cedar covered shorelines long before the

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The author’s son Mike cranks the single action Shaman reel, regaining line and the tightness that signals the fish is still there.

Europeans came by ship. Salmon were the main food source from the sea and rivers. Salish tribes as well as the other tribes to the north into southeast Alaska developed their art, culture and way of life around the salmon. Salmon are more than a fish to the people of this region; they are the “circle of life.” The native cultures here celebrated the return of the salmon each year and continue to do so, to this day, by honoring the fish in ceremony. They return the bones of the first caught salmon of the season to the waters in which it traveled to reach them. The spirit of the first salmon will lead others home. Chinook, or King salmon as they are known in some areas, are the largest of the five Pacific salmon found in the eastern Pacific. They range from Alaska to California and grow in excess of 70 pounds. The

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world sport-caught record is 97.4 pounds. Fish of 125 pounds have been found in the spawning beds of their native rivers. In the southern British Columbia coast region Chinooks are known as Springs. These early fish return to their natal streams in spring and spawn in the fall. Coho, the B.C. name for Silver salmon are the number two salmon sought by sport fishermen. Returning in the late summer through fall, Coho may reach 20 pounds with the average fish being eight to 10. Northern Coho, the late-returning fish of the season, give tremendous acrobatic fights, leaping five or six feet from the water and jumping numerous times. I’ve seen northern Coho jump 16 times, only to throw the hook within inches of the boat stern. Fighters like these deserve to get away and perpetuate the species. Sockeye, Pink, and Chum salmon

Salmon are more than fish to the people of this region; they are the “circle of life.”

make up the rest of the species caught by B.C. fishermen. Sockeye are the most flavorful of the five. Pinks are the smallest at three to five pounds on average. Chums are the toughest fighters for their size, although a less sought-after type of salmon. Like Sockeye, they are a staple to commercial net fisheries.

Coho, the B.C. name for Silver salmon are the number two salmon sought by sport fishermen. Our guide, Rob Gurdy, watches the swirling current, the throbbing rod tips and his depth sounder that marks schools of bait and feeding salmon. The port rod trailing a hoochie jerks violently, bouncing several times as the fish

takes the bait and turns to streak away. Grabbing the bouncing rod, Rob reels down to take up slack and sets the hook. He then hands the rod to my son Mike, who is out for his first Tyee, a Chinook salmon over 30 pounds. The fish streaks for the surface, boiling the water as he surfaces a hundred yards behind the boat. It’s not a Tyee, but it is a good Spring, in the upper teens. The fish runs through a tiderip laced with floating bits of kelp and eelgrass. The fish charges the boat as Mike’s line goes slack. “Reel, reel, reel!” shouts Rob. “He’s running for the boat!” Mike cranks the single action Shaman reel, regaining line and the tightness that signals the fish is still there. The Chinook scorches off on another run, only 75 yards this time. “Play him easy and slow. Time is on our side.” The single action reel, commonly known as a knuckle

buster, gives the angler intimate contact with the fighting fish. When the salmon runs, Mike palms the reel. This lets the drag wear the fish down. When the fish slows or turns toward the boat, Mike reels line, immediately palming when the fish surges off. Trying to hold the reel handle will result in getting smacked by the spinning handle, thus the knuckle buster name. Finally the fish is at the net. Our guide dips the fish, a fat 17 pounder. As the spring Chinook season wanes, the Coho come in from the ocean, strong heavy bodied fish that may reach 20 pounds, although the average is eight to 14. Coho are found a little farther from shore, in the tide rips that swirl through the Strait. Here in the Sooke area trolling with downriggers is the favorite way to fish, the same as for Springs. The trolling speed is faster.

Trolling for salmon off the Sooke shoreline in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Kenmore Air Destination Magazine

HARBORS |

Mike is all smiles. The Coho is nearly as big as his first spring salmon.

We scan the waters for whirling gulls, diving into baitfish driven up to the surface by diving birds and salmon. Tidal movement dictates the fishing here. The currents sweep schools of bait fish into tidal eddies. The fish and diving birds converge on them feasting as if they were the last herring or candlefish on earth. Coho often are right on the surface, their backs cutting a swirl in the surface as they cruise in a feeding pattern. When the Coho strikes, it rips the baited line from the downrigger. Rob grabs the throbbing rod and catches up on the fish, setting the hook sharply, then hands the rod off to Mike. Shattering the surface 40 yards behind the boat, the Coho tail walks, jumping six times before sounding. Mike works the fish towards the boat. A 14-pound northern Coho; it’s a strong fish and does not come easily. Suddenly Mike’s line is shooting for the surface. The fish explodes from the green water 30 feet from the boat. Mike cranks furiously to

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Rob slips the net beneath the silvery prize and hoists it into the boat.

take the slack out. The runs are shorter now. The fish is tiring. Rob slips the net beneath the silvery prize and hoists it into the boat. Mike is all smiles. The Coho is nearly as big as his first spring salmon.

The pattern is clear. Whenever I plan to go salmon fishing in the future, Mike will be ready to go. “For Mike, as for so many Northwesterners, the salmon has become more than just a fish.” He is now part of the circle of life that the salmon creates.

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A grizzly bear sow and her three almost fully grown cubs use the stream banks to quicky get around while also searching for their next meal.

A beautiful, rugged and natural place

The Great Bear Rainforest Article and Photos by Nancy J. Wagner

The thought of seeing the grizzly bears that call British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest home was the draw for me. Add in lush forests filled with some of the world’s largest trees, crystal clear streams packed with spawning salmon, and craggy snowcapped peaks, and I figured I had the perfect remote setting to enjoy while I was at it. Not long after I reached the rainforest and stood on a cliff above a stream, the stench of rotting salmon carcasses overwhelmed me. It was obvious why grizzlies were drawn to the area. It didn’t take long before I heard splashing from farther downstream. There were so many logs in the way I couldn’t spot the bear at first. Then I set my eyes on a rich chestnut-colored grizzly jumping and splashing along the water’s banks. I watched the bear fish along the stream. It would pick up an old bloated salmon carcass floating on top of the water, take a whiff, then drop the fish back into the water. When it saw a fish swimming, it jumped into the air and

splashed down on top of the fish. This method looked more fun than useful, but the bear’s thick, luxurious coat and rounded belly told me it had caught plenty of fish all fall. When the bear reached a deeper part of the stream it started snorkeling for salmon, putting its entire head underwater. I could see its strong back legs kick as it propelled itself through the water. While I could see salmon everywhere, this bear didn’t seem to find what it was looking for. I watched the bear drag a huge dead fish up from the bottom of the stream after being underwater for some time, but it discarded that one, too. Finally, the grizzly got out of the water at a gravel bar farther downstream, shook itself off, and began sniffing along the banks again. The bear eventually walked around a bend in the stream, and I could no longer follow its progress. As I stood there in awe at seeing my first rainforest grizzly, it dawned on me why people feel so strongly that this

expanse of rainforest needs more protection than it’s currently getting. It’s a beautiful, rugged and magical place, but even more importantly, it’s home to a variety of threatened and endangered wildlife and bird species. And those species, including some of Canada’s largest grizzly bears, rely on the rainforest to keep the salmon running thick for their survival. A land filled with natural treasures The Great Bear Rainforest, located along British Columbia’s central and north coast, is one of the world’s largest coastal temperate rainforests. Coastal rainforests are unique due to their proximity to oceans and mountains as well as receiving high amounts of rainfall. This combination creates some of the most ecologically diverse regions in the world. Sadly enough, this rainforest used to stretch all the way from southeast Alaska and down the Pacific coast to northern California. More than half of it has

The Kenmore Air Destination Magazine

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A grizzly bear sow (second from left) is surrounded by her almost full-grown cubs. The cubs will again den with her in the winter before dispersing on their own the following summer. Lush forests, snowcapped mountains, clean rivers and abundant food sources make the Great Bear Rainforest the perfect habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.

been logged, clear-cut and developed, destroying habitat and endangering wildlife. The largest remaining tract lies in the region known as the Great Bear Rainforest, which sits on a thin band stretching almost 300 miles from the northern edge of Vancouver Island to Alaska’s southernmost coast encompassing 28,000 square miles of which less than 9,000 square miles are protected. Surrounded by jagged mountains and hundreds of fjords that lead to the Pacific Ocean, this moss-laden rainforest is home to some of the world’s most majestic trees—some tower over 300 feet high, measure 19 feet in diameter and are more than 1,000 years old—including Douglas, Sitka spruce, red cedars and hemlocks. A thriving understory consists of thick layers of ferns, thorny Devil’s Club and skunk cabbage. Bushes are filled with salmonberries, thimbleberries and wild rose hips. Wild lilies and orchids are also found here. More than 140 bird and animal species call the Great Bear Rainforest home, including three species of bears: grizzly, black and the rare Kermode, a white-coated version of the black bear. Wolves, moose,

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mountain lions, elk, deer and a the ideal setting—the cool water temmyriad of smaller wildlife such as peratures needed to spawn. The shaded streams and rivers of otters, martens, flying squirrels and mink live “The Great Bear Rainforest, the rainforest offer located along British the perfect spawning here, too. Eagles and Columbia’s central and grounds for six species other raptors, as well north coast, is one of the of salmon that return as a variety of owls, here each year, includbats, woodpeckers and world’s largest temperate rainforests.” ing Coho, Chinook, various songbirds fill Sockeye, Pink, Chum, the forests, while more than six million birds migrate through and Steelhead. Salmon runs provide an almost continuous supply of food durthe area each year. ing the late summer and fall, particularly for bears preparating for hibernation. The fish that keep the forest alive Meanwhile, the new salmon eggs hatch, At the heart of this mighty forest is and eventually the fingerlings head to the wild salmon, one of the most impor- the sea, continuing a cycle that’s been in tant species to be found in the rainfor- existence for the past 10,000 years. est. Without salmon, this region would Let the feast begin look vastly different, for salmon directly and indirectly benefit more than 190 Grizzly bears can be seen at any time different species of plants and animals. Bears and wolves eat their fish in the of year from spring through autumn; the safety of the forest, leaving the carcasses best viewing locations depend on what on the ground when they’re finished. food sources are available at the time. Smaller mammals and birds feast on In spring, fresh out of hibernation, grizthe remains. Then the bones break zlies head for the sedges of the estuardown, nourishing the soil and provid- ies and the grassy valley bottoms where ing important nutrients the trees and they feed on green shoots and the roots of plants such as skunk cabbage, using vegetation need to grow. As for the salmon, the rainforest provides their claws to dig up the starchy foods.

Long claws help grizzly bears dig up ground squirrels and strip salmon of their meat.

In summer the bears continue to feast on different types of greenery, adding in berries and salmon—the first smaller salmon runs occurr in late June or early July. Fall offers a great time to observe grizzly bears as they congregate to feed on spawning salmon during the major salmon runs. The protein-rich diet gives the bears their most beautiful coats of the season, as well as the fat reserves needed to get them through winter. Hibernation begins in October or November and can last until April or May. The bears typically travel into higher elevations to find dens—old tree logs or large rocks—where they hole up for the winter. For female grizzly bears, or sows, hibernation is the time they give birth to cubs, typically in January or February. The tiny cubs, weighing in at about one pound each, rely on their mother’s protein-rich milk to boost their weight to about five or six pounds when they leave the den. The cubs continue to nurse during the summer and often into their second summer. Cubs spend two or three years with their mother, denning with her each winter and becoming almost full-grown before they finally

go out on their own. During those years, their mother teaches them where to find the best food sources, as well as her unique fishing techniques, likely handed down generation after generation. Those fishing techniques vary greatly. For instance, some bears spend much of their time walking along the shores of a stream, eyeing the jumping salmon and making a mad dash into the water at the last minute. Some bears stand on logs and rocks, silently watching the fish before deciding what their next move will be. Yet other bears put in lots of time searching among shallow pools near submerged logs to find salmon that get stuck. Some bears snorkel for fish, putting their head under water and watching for fish swimming below them. As they powerfully kick their legs to move underwater, sometimes the only things you see sticking out of the water are their ears and a bit of fur on their backs. I’ve even seen grizzlies dive farther down, their back legs kicking in the air as they attempt to go deeper. Still other bears are noisy when it comes to fishing. They splash and jump at the salmon, using their full weight to jump on the fish. As with the first bear I

saw in the rainforest, sometimes you hear them coming long before you see them. When it comes to cubs, watching them learn to fish can be fascinating, providing rare opportunities to see other unique behaviors. One fall, I was fortunate enough to watch a set of first-year cubs play while their protective mother fished along the stream. The roly-poly cubs, stunningly beautiful with long mottled blondish fur, were obviously well fed and just about ready for hibernation. They looked like low-to-the-ground furry tanks, being almost as wide as they were tall. The mother led her cubs along the stream, and at one point, entered the water and started splashing around as she searched for tasty salmon. The cubs made several attempts to climb onto some huge downed trees, finally succeeding, then sat down to watch their mother. Eventually, one cub got bored, tumbled off the log, and decided to brave the water. The other cub quickly sat back down on its haunches and watched the action from the shore, obviously not interested in getting wet. Meanwhile, the mother picked up fish carcasses from the stream, sniffed each one, then dropped them back into the water. Eventually, she found a fresh fish and plunked down in the middle of the

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stream, pulling the fish apart with her small cubs I had watched earlier in the long claws. Her cub immediately be- day were making their way back along came interested, swimming over to her the stream. Bears will often work and grabbing one end of the fish in its the same stream, going downstream for a paws, pulling as hard as it could in a few hours, then working their way back upstream later in the day. game of tug-of-war. Apparently, the mothThe sow growled, but More than 140 bird and er and her two young didn’t appear overly animal species call the concerned. Great Bear Rainforest home. cubs had done that after cutting through the Finally, the cub tired forest. of the game, and afI was interested in what these two ter swimming around a bit more, both the sow and cub got out of the water. families would do when the sows became In no time at all, the wet cub found a aware of each other. Grizzly bear sows sandy pile of dirt next to a big log and are very protective of their offspring, proceeded to roll in it with great glee. but often show more tolerance for other The sow and the other cub waited for a sows with cubs. This situation seemed few seconds, then started to waddle back a bit different since the bear with two into the forest. Eventually the sand-cov- small cubs was about to encounter a sow ered cub stood up from its rolling, look- with very large, almost adult, cubs that ing rather dazed, and shook itself off. could easily kill the smaller ones. Sure enough, the two sows warily It didn’t take the cub long to figure out that its mother and sibling had moved eyed each other for a few minutes, into the forest, so it scrambled over a big both hesitating to make a move. After a bit of a standoff, the sow with the two log and scurried after them. Later that day, I watched a sow and younger cubs turned around, headed up three almost full-grown cubs fish along the bank, and walked into the forest. the same stream. These bears looked I watched the little family stop at the healthy and fat, with dark coats of thick edge of a clearing and look back at the fur. Seeing four big bears at once was other bears. Eventually the sow with three cubs quite the thrill. At one point, the whole family stopped to rest on a gravel bar lost interest, and began to make their way upstream. With the danger over, the directly across the stream from me. Suddenly the three cubs looked up sow with the two small cubs walked out at the same time, noses pointing to- of the forest and returned to the stream. ward the other side of the stream. They continued walking along its banks, To my surprise, the sow and the two the cubs waddling the whole way, and

A grizzly bear sow searches for food along the shoreline.

finally rounded a bend where I could no longer watch their journey. In the long silence that followed, broken only by the gurgling stream and the splashing salmon, I realized why it’s so important that the grizzlies, the salmon and the rainforest be preserved. I’m afraid we might look back in a few decades and discover these beautiful creatures have disappeared forever because we didn’t take care of their habitat. I don’t want to be part of a generation that says, “We could have done something to stop this, but we didn’t.” Rather, I believe we must work to preserve the rainforest and make sure that in the future we can say, “We had the opportunity to get this right … and we did.” Grizzly-viewing tours are offered by Sonora Resort on Sonora Island northeast of Campbell River, B.C., and Great Bear Nature Tours in Port Hardy, B.C. Both locations are easily accessible from May–September via Kenmore Air’s scheduled seaplane service from Seattle. Visit www.sonoraresort.com, www.greatbeartours.com and www.kenmoreair.com for more information.

The holidays are just around the corner. This year, give the friends and loved ones on your list the gifts of time and experience! Kenmore Air gift certificates and QuickTix are available at most terminals and online at KenmoreAir.com. 104_Harbors_GiftCert_QrtrHoriz.indd 1

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9/3/2010 10:29:02 AM

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“This is our Sunshine Coast” With several coastal communities including Gibsons, Sechelt and Powell River, BC’s Sunshine Coast offers visitors the very best in coastal adventure, cultural experiences and holistic rejuvenation. Accessible from Washington via Kenmore Air. Visit us today and Start a Beautiful Relationship.

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BUILDING BEAVERS By Annika S. Hipple

GORDY BARNES HAS BEEN KEEPING FLOATPLANES FLYING FOR FOUR DECADES

“The earth was warm when I started here,” Gordon “Gordy” Barnes jokes as he shows off the workshop where he’s been rebuilding floatplanes for Kenmore Air for nearly four decades. “My toolbox has been in the same place for 37 years. I’ve been standing on the same piece of floor, except it’s smoother now.” Barnes joined Kenmore Air after a stint in the Coast Guard followed by A & P school—a.k.a. airframe and powerplant certification, the license required

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by the Federal Aviation Administration for anyone who performs airplane maintenance. That was back in April 1971. Specifically, Barnes is responsible for rebuilding the aircraft known as “Kenmore Beavers.” When the planes get worn out or need updating, Barnes and his colleagues dismantle them completely and reconstruct them from the ground up, including repairing sheet metal, rewiring electrical components, installing avionics, redoing the instru-

ment panel, putting in new engines and repainting the interior. Alongside the maintenance of Kenmore Air’s own fleet of floatplanes, Barnes’s team also re-builds and repairs aircraft for private customers. A good floatplane has a long life. Old aircraft are rebuilt on a regular basis so they run smoothly and safely. Barnes takes great pride and joy in keeping planes that have seen many hours of flying in prime condition. “We’re always changing stuff, keeping them relatively young and modern, especially the avionics. Avionics have come a long way,” he explains. His favorite newfangled tool is GPS. “I don’t put that in; our avionics people do that. But I get to look at it sometimes,” he says, grinning broadly. It takes anywhere from 3,500 to 4,500 man hours to re-build a Beaver. In a given year, Barnes and his team typically re-build anywhere from one to five airplanes—but even that varies. “This last year we’ve assembled seven airplanes, but one came in a box from Australia, and we just assembled it. A couple of others were major overhauls,” Barnes says. In his years with Kenmore Air, Barnes has experienced plenty of memorable moments, including the time he and his colleagues rode a gasoline-powered pogo stick made in the days of gas rationing. “It didn’t work very well,” he admits wryly. For the most part, however, goofy stunts are kept to a minimum to avoid distractions from the important business at hand. “I don’t take myself seriously. I take my work seriously,” says Barnes. “I always look at it as getting my pilot back at night because if I do that everyone else on board is safe, too. That’s a big responsibility.” Naturally, Barnes’s decades of experience make him an invaluable part of Kenmore Air. “The Kenmore Beaver is known worldwide. It has the reputation that everyone’s measured against, and he’s the one who’s given it that reputation,” says company president Todd Banks.

Your Journey Begins

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Serving the Aviation Community Since 1928 206 -296 -7380 • www.kingcounty.gov/airport Barnes remembers one incident before the company switched to a computerized system for managing the rebuilding process: “A guy came in and asked what the software was for rebuilding the airplanes. I looked at him and said, ‘I am the software.’” Although computerization has changed some aspects of the job, the biggest development of Barnes’s career was the introduction of turbine engines in the 1980s. Turbines provide much more power per unit of weight than piston engines and turbine-powered airplanes are somewhat faster. They’re also extremely reliable and last longer. Barnes and his colleagues received specialized training when the new engines were introduced, and he says proudly, “In 22 years we’ve never had a failure of any sort.” A key reason Barnes has stayed with Kenmore Air for so long is the intimacy that comes with working for a small company. “It’s a family-owned business but it’s an extended family of people who have worked here for a long time. Young The Kenmore Air Destination Magazine

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kids too. The people are more important than what we do,” he says. Barnes is one of numerous employees who have been with the company for decades. “A couple of us, we’ve worked together our whole lives. They’re closer than my brothers.” Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Barnes moved to the Seattle area with his parents and siblings as a youth in 1951. He and his wife have two grown sons who don’t share their father’s interest in airplanes but owe more than a little to his passion and dedication. “I used to take floatplanes home to build,” he recalls. “We didn’t have health insurance then, no maternity care. My oldest son was paid for by a float I built in my garage.” For the past 36 years Barnes has lived in Kirkland, Washington, just a few miles from the Kenmore Air Harbor—close enough for him to come by even on days off if the urge strikes him, as it frequently does. On one recent day at home, he did some work on his trailer and the yard. “Then I ran out of stuff to do, so I had to come to work. It’s still kind of fun.” Self-deprecating though Barnes is, it’s clear that even after nearly 40 years, he still loves what he does. He’s beyond retirement age but still works four days a week. “The final assembly is the best part,” he says, “because you see it all come together.” Beyond that, what Barnes enjoys most is the satisfaction of customers. He recalls happy families returning from fishing trips, private customers taxiing off in their finished planes, and a pair of elderly women who were hesitant about their first floatplane flight. They came down to the Air Harbor the day before their trip, and Barnes let them sit in the plane and explained its different features. “They came back the next day and went flying,” he remembers with a smile. Ultimately, Barnes muses, Kenmore Air is “an easy place to work, maybe because it’s a little adventurous. Airplanes are ‘romantic.’” Floatplanes have a mystique beyond that of regular aircraft. “I think you have more freedom in a floatplane. And it’s unique. It’s fun to do something that not everybody does.”

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An awesome sight from the air, Deception Pass offers travelers some of the most scenic views in the Northwest.

One of Washington’s most scenic and historic areas celebrates the 75th birthday of the Deception Pass Bridge.

Deception Pass By Roy Stevenson

As you drive north on State Route 20 from Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island, you soon enter a stretch of scenic road that winds through typical Northwest forest. It’s pretty scenery, but nothing out of the ordinary for the Pacific Northwest. Then suddenly, you’re driving across Deception Pass Bridge and a stunning panoramic view hits you, literally taking your breath away. Nothing can prepare you for this magnificent scene—thick clumps of green cedars and tall bristly firs atop steep rocky fingers of land, that claw at the deep turbulent waters of the swirling waterway 182 feet below. From high up on the bridge, the dark green water below stretches away to merge with the horizon on both sides. Tiny islands in the near distance resemble tall ships, fighting the strong churning current. Gazing out to your left, beyond the mouth of the pass and Deception Island, the vast Strait of Juan de Fuca gives way to mysterious headlands, just smudges of gray and blue in the far distance. To your right, Hoypus Point and its opposing headland almost meet, then open out to a wider channel, with Skagit Island in the distance. If the weather is clear you’ll even see the mainland with its snowcapped peaks further on.

Deception Pass shows a bit of everything that Washington state tourism leaders boast about—an iconic scene of trees, water and mountains that decorates every Washington state tourist calendar and guidebook worth its salt. Driving across the bridge without stopping to admire the view is a crime that tourist police should book you for—you need more than a few seconds to appreciate this scene. A few meters before the south end of the Bridge, you

can pull into a parking lot and then walk across the bridge to fully appreciate the glorious vista. The parking lot also marks one of the entrances to some of the Deception Pass State Park hiking trails that lead to 4,134 acres of old growth forest, packed with campgrounds, freshwater lakes, birdwatching, clamming, crabbing, fishing, swimming and stunning views. The Park’s 14 miles of shoreline are perfect for experienced kayakers (intense tides make it too dif-

Looking up from Skagit Bay, the second span of the bridge nears completion and will connect Pass Island to Fidalgo Island to the north, circa 1935. The Kenmore Air Destination Magazine

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Top right:The largest of the two spans bridging Whidbey Island with Pass Island circa 1934. Bottom left: A crane lifts a heaver girder into place. Bottom Right: Deception Pass in 2010 welcomes Puget Sound boaters.

Looking south along Deception Pass Bridge.

ficult for beginners), and the area is acknowledged as one of the most beautiful cold water diving spots in the world. It’s no wonder this is the most visited and photographed state park in Washington, with over two million people exploring its trails each year. The long green bridge, completed in 1935, does not detract in the least from the gorgeous setting. With graceful curved arches supported by a lattice of massive studded steel girders resembling a sideways Eiffel Tower, the graceful bridge adds to the majestic scene, blending in with the pass. The bridge, the pass and the inhabitants of the island are historically intertwined. People have lived in the area around Deception Pass for thousands of years, with the Lower Skagit, Swinomish and Samish being the most predominant Indian tribes. They hunted, fished and harvested plants in the area, and some of their shellfish middens are still being found.

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In 1791, Spanish explorers originally land. Indeed, with logging mills sproutcharted the waters dividing Whidbey ing up on the Island, it flourished in its and Fidalgo Islands. Then, on June own modest way. In 1920, Oak Harbor 10, 1792, Captain George Vancou- boasted 411 people and Coupeville, 343 ver, aboard the HMS Discovery, sailed residents. A mosquito fleet of steamaround what he thought was a penin- boats provided the Island’s lifeline to sula. His capable ship’s master and chief Seattle. A ferry also carried cars across navigator, Joseph Whidbey, exploring Deception Pass, from Hoypus Point to Yokeko Point, starting in the shoreline in a smaller boat, circumnaviPeople have lived in the 1912. To summon the gated what would bearea around Deception ferry, one had to bang a sawblade with a malcome Whidbey Island, Pass for thousands of let, and then wait for the confirming that the years, with the Lower rocky channel separatSkagit, Swinomish, and ferry to cross the swirling ing Whidbey Island and Samish being the most waters. Fidalgo Island was not predominant Indian tribes. The idea of a bridge connecting Whidbey Isa river. After receiving Whidbey’s report, Vancouver promptly land to Fidalgo Island, and hence to the titled the channel Deception Passage, mainland, was conceived as long ago as because he had been deceived into think- the 1880s by Captain George Morse, ing the island was part of the mainland. a sea captain who had settled in Oak Vancouver then named Whidbey Island Harbor. “One day we will have a bridge across this pass,” he told his children as in honor of its discoverer. As the years passed, hardy European they sailed through it. The need for a bridge grew, but it was and U.S. settlers moved to Whidbey Is-

a long time coming. It took another 50 years, some very persistent islanders and legislators, and a public works project named the Works Progress Administration, initiated during the Great Depression, to bring the bridge to fruition. Meanwhile, the Civilian Conservation Corps built the road approaches to the bridge. In 1907, Morse, then the Oak Harbor representative to the state legislature, facilitated the passage of a bill to set aside $90,000 for the bridge. Years later, citing the bridge’s strategic military placement, the American Legion convinced legislators to pass the 1929 Bridge Bill, which was, however, vetoed by Governor Roland Hartley. Eventually though, bridge legislation passed in 1933, largely supported by the Deception Pass Bridge Association—and this time it stuck. Constructed by The Puget Sound Company and Wallace Bridge and Structural Steel Company, both Seattle based, the bridge was a considerable feat of engineering in its day and still has an impressive and dramatic presence, being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Construction did not go without its

challenging moments. When it was time to drop the center span into place, it was found to be three inches too long. The engineer, Paul Jarvis, displayed some good old American ingenuity by having the crew return the next morning before dawn, when it was 30 degrees colder and the bridge had contracted, and lowered the center span into place—it fit perfectly! The bridge is actually two separate bridges linked together in the middle on tiny, rocky Pass Island. From Whidbey to Pass Island, the Deception Pass Bridge is a massive cantilevered truss of 975 feet, and from Pass Island to Fidalgo Island the steel arch Canoe Pass Bridge is another 511 feet long. Twenty-eight feet wide to accommodate two car lanes and sidewalks on both sides, the bridge cost $482,000 to build. For spectacular views of the bridge and pass, walk across the bridge from end to end and then stroll down the trails from the car park and admire it from underneath. Here you’ll get an appreciation of the massive size of the steel beams. And the views from the beach below and to the sides are equally splendid. It was a grand day for all when the

See page 29 to locate Deception Pass on the Kenmore Air destination map. Kenmore Air flights to the San Juans frequently pass near the bridge. Kenmore Air also offers charter service to Coupeville and Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island and Anacortes on Fidalgo Island.

bridge finally opened on July 31, 1935, having taken exactly 11 months to construct. It must have been a spectacular sight as 5,000 people turned up at the opening ceremony, and 700 cars drove over the bridge, tooting their horns, with excited passengers leaning out for a view of the pass below. The bridge’s legacy was to open up Whidbey Island for recreation, commerce and settlement, and the bridge, pass and island remain today some of the Pacific Northwest’s best natural and historic attractions.

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An evening flight by hot air balloon over Woodinville Wine Country where guests are treated to a wine tasting accompanied by light appetizers. This is an event unto itself; ballooning and wine are natural companions.

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Guests enjoy a wine tasting dinner at Woodhouse Family Cellars.

Explore Woodinville Wine Country, where more than 50 boutique producers await you just minutes from downtown Seattle.

Raise a Glass to Washington Wines By Robyn Roehm Cannon

For decades, premium wines from the Pacific Northwest have been linked to one well-known estate: Chateau Ste. Michelle. For good reason—this anchor of Washington’s winemaking industry has been producing highly rated varietals since 1976 and today distributes more than 600,000 cases throughout the U.S. and abroad. Ste. Michelle was the first and remains the state’s largest, but in recent years, hundreds of exciting boutique winemakers have followed in their footsteps. Today, just up the road from the historic French-style Chateau, 54 of Washington’s 650 wineries are releasing noteworthy estate vintages in their informal tasting rooms, in a countrified setting only

20 miles northeast of Seattle that’s become known as Woodinville Wine Country. Ironically, almost none of the grapes used for the wines from this region are grown here. “Estate” generally means grapes are grown on the winery’s own land, but nearly all Woodinville wineries source their fruit from established vineyards in the Columbia Valley east of the Cascade Mountains, where long hot days and cool evenings allow the grapes to mature slowly and yield beautifully balanced wines with loads of bright fruit and character. Spending a few days in Woodinville will be a memorable adventure for the wine aficionado who also enjoys swanky lodging and spas,

scrumptious farm to table cuisine and gorgeous scenery taken in from the car or on a bike along the Burke Gilman and Sammamish River Trails, which tie many of the wineries together. There are two outstanding lodging choices in the area, and both are associated with award-winning chefs and extensive wine programs emphasizing local producers. Across the road from Chateau Ste. Michelle, you’ll find Willows Lodge, an elegant wine country inn operated by mTm Luxury Lodging. With quintessential Northwest architecture and interiors, the spacious rooms overlook lush grounds that include a formal herb garden and the Fireside Cellars patio with a fire pit—perfect for

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Chateau St. Michelle Winery

gathering around at happy hour— perhaps after a long soak in an oversized tub for two. Speaking from experience, the bathrobes here are so cozy that you may have trouble parting with yours in order to get dressed for dinner at The Barking Frog—but it’s definitely worth the effort. Chef Bobby Moore has cooked at the prestigious James Beard House and offers guests a seasonally updated menu that pairs marvelously with Washington’s Sommelier of the Year Jeffrey Dorgan’s eclectic wine list. Start dinner with Moore’s Grand Marnier Prawns— they’re so good they never go off the menu. It just gets better from there.

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Still within the Willows compound is a more formal dining experience, ideal for a special anniversary or birthday. The Herbfarm Restaurant was named by National Geographic as “The No. 1 Destination Restaurant in the World”—a heady title that owners Ron and Carrie Zimmerman work hard to defend. Sit back for nine perfect courses matched with six perfect wines and a changing theme that may require, for example, that all courses be made with wild mushrooms, or sourced from no further than 150 miles. Whatever the focus, the result is always remarkable. Eight miles down the road from Woodinville is the resort-like town of Kirkland on Lake Washington, where you’ll find the charming Heathman Hotel. Large rooms with chic decor have deluxe amenities like French press coffee. Natural wellness is the mantra of the hotel’s luxurious Penterra Spa, with the most professional therapists you’ll find anywhere. My Swedish massage and 75-minute facial rank in my top restorative spa experiences ever. Just off the hotel lobby is Trellis, where artisan farmer and executive chef Brian Scheehser takes the freshest seasonal and artisan ingredients, most often grown on his own 10-acre Woodinville plot or preserved in the hotel’s root cellar, and transforms them into memorable meals brimming with natural flavors. Special touches like his pickled tomatoes are brought to the table to savor, just a hint of the rustic and inventive style that is uniquely his. You will not be disappointed. When you’re ready to go wine touring, stop at Chateau Ste. Michelle www.domainstemichelle.com and take the 35-minute cellar and barrel-aging room tour, finished with a tasting. On a beautiful afternoon, there’s no nicer spot than the Chateau’s lawn to spread a picnic blanket and enjoy a house bottle with items from their deli.

Here are a few of my favorite small producers on the Woodinville wine trail: Novelty Hill-Januik: Grab a bottle of Mike Januik’s 2007 Novelty Hill Stillwater Creek Vineyard Sangiovese, a rustic handmade pizza from the tasting room brick oven and sit in the Zen-like contemporary garden, admiring this beautiful American Institute of Architects awarded winery. It’s a very special place. Then take home a bottle of the ’07 Reserve Red for the shelf. Efeste: Former Chateau Ste. Michelle winemaker Brennon Leighton consistently earns very high Wine Spectator scores for his gorgeous vintages that blend Old-World techniques with NewWorld fruit. Try his ’07 Big Papa Reserve Cabernet.

Stevens: Former commercial artist and English lit major Tim Stevens makes poetic wines. Try his Black Tongue Syrah and XY Reserve Cabernet and see. Page Cellars: Jim Page kept his day job as a corporate airline pilot, but makes wines of exceptional quality. Like Beaujolais Nouveau? Try his fruity Nouveau Merlot—it’s yummy, just like his Lick My Lips Syrah. Mark Ryan: Mark Ryan has one of the coolest tasting rooms around—in a renovated garage, with vintage Indian motorcycles on display. The wines are as polished and powerful as the bikes—his scores in the ‘90’s on his ’07 vintages are well earned. Sample the Crazy Mary Mourvedre, Wild Eyed Syrah, and Lonely Heart Cabernet. DeLille: This highly respected “old guard” winery produces elegant, collectable Bordeaux blends. Their beau-

tiful estate is open for special events, but you can visit their new Carriage House tasting room without an appointment. Try the Chaleur Estate Rouge, D2, Grand Ciel and Doyenne vintages. There’s much to do and see in Woodinville apart from winery visits. If you love great handcrafted beer, a tour and pub lunch at Redhook Ale Brewery is worth a stop. Or take a trip up the street to visit the Northwest’s gardening mecca, the 15-acre Molbak’s Nursery is enough stimulus for any garden hobbyist. If you want to learn more about pairing food with wine, take a half-day out and get some hands-on experience in a cooking class at Woodhouse Family Cellars. For more information visit www.woodinvillewinecountry.com.

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Culinary Adventures on South Vancouver Island Devour restaurant in Victoria.

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Slow Down and Eat Article by Allen Cox | Photos by Roger Ward

Minimizing time on the road means more hours discovering what a destination has to offer. For me, the road to the heart of a place is through the local food scene and the people who create it. On a trip to south Vancouver Island, I sketched out a three-day itinerary in pursuit of the region’s culinary heartbeat.

simpler dishes, such as morel and English pea risotto and salad tossed with greens from the chef ’s back-yard, please those who shy away from offal.

trol over where my food comes from,” Mara shared. “So I taught myself to farm.” Mara was a major force in organizing the Cittaslow, and she and

Day 2: Cowichan and Sooke

Breakfast at Villa Marco Polo is a five-course affair. Innkeeper Liam Morton whipped up a satisfying Day 1: Victoria symphony of fresh island ingredients in the form of eggs Benedict on a bed of poKenmore Air’s short flight from Se- tato-beet rösti, accompanied by smoothattle landed in Victoria’s Inner Har- ies, muffins, fresh berries and dessert. bour, and I headed directly to Devour, Much of the island’s fresh, organa 12-seat bistro known for innovative ic food comes from an agricultural uses of fresh, local ingredients. Chef area between Victoria and Nanaimo Jena Stewart creates dishes inspired called Cowichan Valley—my day’s by what’s in season that day, a theme quest. In the context of Cowichan, I’d repeated in the region’s food scene. heard reference to Cittaslow, a hybrid After a meal beginning with gnudi Italian-English term meaning “slow ricotta and finishing with homemade city.” Cowichan Bay is North Ameristrawberry-balsamic ice cream, I ca’s first official Cittaslow. I met Bruce located my home Stewart, owner of for the night— True Grain Bread, Villa Marco Polo, Cittaslow organizer a 1924 Italianate and convert from mansion that’s the corporate world one of Victoria’s of processed foods. Historic Inns. “Cittaslow is Refreshed with a about more than spot of Earl Grey, local, organic food,” I set out on my he explained. “It inVilla Marco Pollo Inn in Victoria, next culinary sovolves a passion for from the back garden. journ: George and sustainable infraLinda Szasz’s popular eatery, Stage structure—green buildings, technology, Small Plates Wine Bar. everything.” “Our food is classically based with At True Grain, I selected a cracked Hungarian roots,” Linda said. “My grain loaf to enjoy with some valley-made husband buys an entire pig from a lo- goat and cow’s milk cheeses from Hilary’s cal farmer, butchers it and uses every Artisan Cheese next door—a perfect Citpart.” taslow picnic. The porchetta di testa, made from Mara Jernigan, President of Slow a cured pig’s head, was proof of the Food Canada, also lives in Cowichan chef ’s charcuterie prowess. And Valley. “As a chef, I wanted more con-

Organic goodies at True Grain Bread in Cowichan Bay.

Sinclair Philip of Sooke Harbour House started the island’s Slow Food Convivium in 2001. I drove to Sooke to meet Sinclair Philip at Sooke Harbour House, a country inn and acclaimed restaurant that is no stranger to prestigious awards, including Canada’s Governor General’s Nation’s Table Award. Sinclair led me on a tour of the inn’s gardens and nearby organic farm. An explosion of blooms created a colorful bottom frame for the vista across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains. “Everything we grow on our property is edible,” Sinclair said. “Much of what you see will be on your plate tonight.” At dinner, I marveled at the aptly named Gastronomical Adventure—an opulent nine-course epic paired with

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Sinclair Philip, owner of Sooke Harbour House and co-founder of Slow Food Vancouver Island. Diane Bernard, the Seaweed Lady.

Seaweed is in Diane’s blood. She’s a third-generation seaweed harvester who not only educates the public on seaweed’s nutritional virtues but also gathers seaweed for culinary sale and produces a line of spa-quality, certified organic skincare products called Seaflora. local wines and, most importantly, made with organic ingredients from the grounds, or at least the island. If ever there was edible art, this was it. Sooke Harbour House’s Executive Chef Sam Benedetto allows his staff maximum expression and creativity, and it pays off. “All of my kitchen stations have the freedom to create their own menu every day,” he explained, “as long as the ingredients are local and organic. That’s why so many great chefs are attracted to Sooke Harbour House.”

Day 3: Sooke and Victoria Morning in Sooke began with Diane Bernard, the Seaweed Lady, presenting me with a pair of rubber boots; it was low tide and things might get mucky. She led me on a tour of a great seaweed-rich shelf jutting into the strait below the inn. “I consider this my garden,” Diane said. “It grows, fruits, reproduces and sloughs off—everything a land garden does.”

Mead Menu at Tugwell Creak Meadery.

Sooke Harbour House, South Vancouver Island.

| HARBORS

I said goodbye to this wonderland of garden-fresh gourmet food and wild seaweed and drove west along the coast to find Tugwell Creek Meadery where owner Bob Liptrot was pouring samples of his fermented honey beverages. Outside, the garden was abuzz, the hives nearby. Bob has kept bees since he was six and has been making mead for 35 years. The Wassail Gold is made from a documented Dutch East Indies Company recipe, ca. 1560—history in a bottle.

• Modern 123-acre industrial park and manufacturing campus • 35 minutes from SEA-TAC Int’l Airport • 30 minutes from Victoria Int’l Airport • Corporate hangar sites available • Business-ready workforce with local college for specialized training • Deepwater port for int’l shipping • A beautiful place to live and work

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PENDER ISLAND, BC, CANADA

Carrot-calendula flower soup 8/19/2010 3:43:08 PM topped with rabbit, crispy kale, pea shoots and flowers and grand fir-infused oil.

Poets Cove Harbor Magazine Fall outlines.indd 1

Kitchen staff at Sooke Harbour House harvesting scented geraniums for a sorbet recipe.

I returned to Victoria’s Inner Harbour reflecting on the extraordinary people I’d met who take creating a high quality of life quite seriously. Slow Food is much more than the simple opposite

of fast food. I recalled a comment from Sinclair: “A sense of community is fundamental in Slow Food; the food must be good, clean and fair.” Those three simple words speak volumes.

When You Go: Air: Kenmore Air, www.kenmoreair.com

Stage Small Plates Wine Bar, www.stagewinebar.com

Information: Slow Food Canada, www.slowfood.ca

Bed: Villa Marco Polo, www.villamarcopolo.com

Sooke Harbour House, www.sookeharbourhouse.com

Cittaslow Cowichan Bay, www.slowcowichan.com

Victoria’s Historic Inns, www.victoriashistoricinns.com

Drink: Tugwell Creek Honey Farm and Meadery www.tugwellcreekfarm.com

Tourism Victoria, www.tourismvictoria.com

Food: Devour, www.devour.ca

Skincare: Seaflora, www.sea-flora.com

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Across 5 Seafood you shuck 7 Harbor on eastside of San Juan Island 9 Measure of the moon 13 Whale __________. 14 Port south of Hood Canal Bridge 16 Ferry to San Juan Islands 17 Island Home of Penn Cove Mussels 19 Resort at Campbell River 23 Ferry to Victoria, BC 24 Water Birds 25 Cove on Pender Island, BC 27 Largest Seaplane Company in the USA 28 Resort on Orcas Island 30 Largest City on Vancouver Island 32 Flying watercraft 34 Airfield in Seattle Down 1 Straits of Juan de ______. 2 Bay in Queen Charlotte Strait 3 US Point off Boundary Bay, BC 4 Jeweler on Back cover 6 Fishing _________. 8 Type of Crab 10 Food buried in the sand 11 Water Transportation 12 Capital of BC 13 Largest Lake in Seattle 15 Where the Tulips grow 18 Famous BC Gardens 20 Lodge on Stuart Island, BC 21 National Forest near Port Angeles, WA 22 Ridge near Port Angeles, WA 26 Lodge on Gilford Island 29 Stop the boat 31 Lake nearest to the Space Needle 32 A bearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite food 33 Kayak tool

Complete this Reader Survey and enter to win a trip to Victoria. Trip includes Kenmore Air airfare and lodging. Drawing on December 31, 2010.

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Event Calendar for the Water Centric October 2010 Dungeness Crab Festival, Port Angeles www.crabfestival.org Savor the San Juans: A Medley of Food, Art & Culture www.visitsanjuans.com/savor

March 2011

July 2011

BC Boat & Sportsman’s Show www.squarefeetevents.ca

Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival www.cwb.org

Pacific Rim Whale Festival www.pacificrimwhalefestival.com

San Juan Island Lavender Festival www.pelindabalavender.com

Anacortes Spring Boat Show www.anacortesboatshow.com

Nanaimo Marine Festival www.bathtubbing.com

April 2011

Ballard Seafood Festival www.ballardchamber.com

Vancouver Island Outdoor Adventure Expo www.ifmevents.com

Sunshine Coast Wooden Boat Festival www.woodenboatfestival.ca

November 2010

Port Angeles Kayak Symposium www.raftandkayak.com

Fall Vancouver Island Outdoor Adventure Expo www.ifmevents.com

Brant Wildlife Festival www.brantfestival.bc.ca

Victoria One Wave Festival www.harbourliving.ca

Victoria Harbour Floating Boat Show www.boatshow@telus.net

Anacortes Arts Festival www.anacortesartsfestival.com

May 2011

Grandville Island Wooden Boat Festival www.vcn.bc.ca/vwbs

December 2010 Argosy Christmas Ships Festival www.argosycruises.com

August 2011

January 2011

NW Adventure Sports Festival www.unleashthebeastnw.com

Seattle Boat Show Qwest Field www.seattleboatshow.com

Vancouver Kayak Club Whitewater Festival www.vankayak.org

Washington Sportsman Show, Puyallup, WA www.otshows.com/shows/wss

Poulsbo Viking Festival www.vikingfestival.org

Victoria Classic Boat Festival www.classicboatfestival.ca

February 2011

June 2011

Vancouver Int’l Boat Show www.vancouverboatshow.ca

Victoria Jazz Fest International www.vicjazz.bc.ca

Wooden Boat Festival Port Townsend www.woodenboat.org

Victoria Boat and Fishing Show www.canwestshows.com

Gig Harbor Maritime Festival www.maritimegig.com

Roche Harbor Salmon Classic Invitational www.rocheharbor.com

Edmonds Waterfront Festival www.edmondswaterfrontfestival.com

Commencement Bay Maritime Festival www.maritimefest..org

September 2011

Lake Union Boats A Float Show www.boatsafloatshow.com

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Connecting People, Places, Adventure and Lifestyle. HARBORS www.harborsmagazine.com Fall 2010

San Juan Islands Sooke Salmon Fishing

Exploring the Many Hidden Coves and Harbors

The Great Bear Rainforest Woodinville Wine Country

A Culinary Journey

South Vancouver Island