- photo by Martin Lynn

This is the end of Waterspot1.

It's the end of a long chapter for us.  I have raked up my last pinecone. We were lucky to have had this unique experience, and will treasure our happy memories. 

Wild burros at Lake Pleasant.

- photo by Karen Bishop

Sharks at Aldabra Atoll, Indian Ocean

- photo by Thomas Peschak

And our Famous mountain, Mt. Baker. Another favorite for local photographers and an always beautiful presence over the whole area. It is snowy all year but we never see it all white like it is some winters.

Snow Geese, January 25

- photo by Isabella Smedley

Amsterdam

ETC GALLERY

- photos by Jerry Hammond

- photo by Richard Morse

Lummi Island ferry Watcom Chief  in Bellingham -photo by Randy Small

Sunrise from Mt. Erie, January 11

Rosario Beach, February. 

Time marches on. There were some notable  endings in Anacortes this year. After 101 years, Marine Supply and Hardware closed. It is shown here with the artist Bill Mitchell's restored car. Several of his murals are on the building, which sadly will be torn down.

​Photo taken on December 31, 2024, its last day of business.

- photo by Lynn Wilson

- photo by Denis Law

- photo by Rakan

This page is under construction

- photo by Mark Gardner

Photo by Rakan Alduaij

- photo by Rakan

Early morning over Thatcher Pass, February 

    -photo by Braedon Armstrong

Morocco, by my sister Nancy Whitsel, famous world traveler who spent two weeks touring that whole country this year.

Rosario Beach, January 11            - photo by Pam Headridge

- photo by Ed Arneson

- photo by Cedrarbrook Studio

The Lady Washington, an historic replica boat which we have seen around the islands several times, looked  pretty shabby last summer when we saw her in Anacortes. These photos are from 2021 at the Friday Harbor Marina.

- photos by Rakan

Cypress Island dusted with snow, and the Guemes Channel. February.


Looking  west to the Olympic Mountains.

- photo by Lynn Wilson

Snow Moon from Fidalgo Bay

- photo by Denis Law

November 3  brought a first-time parade for Veteran's Day to downtown, with two color guards.

- photo by Denis Law.

There was a Santa Run at Christmas. All the runners, in the spirit of the season, donned Santa suits and beards.

Waterspot2

We were glad to see someone caught a shot of her in the shipyard this winter at Port Townsend where she was hauled out for a much-needed scrape down and repainting. Port Townsend is well known as one of a few yards that specializes in building and maintaining wooden boats like this one.

- photo by Rakan

- photo by Cheryl Hallam

Secret Cove is off the beaten path but has a terrific view of the Guemes channel and all the boat traffic. The restaurant closed after a long run and the building will be sold.

- photo by Heather Argyle

Iceland, by Gunnar Freyr Gunnarson

Peaceful scene, from Samish Overlook looking north.

We follow the local events in Anacortes while we are away through a couple of sites where local photographers generously share their work. We also hear about lost pets, boating accidents, local politics and other news there. How did we manage before the internet?

Followed by the Tulips.

- photo by Denis Law

Tasmania, by Krissy Logan

- photo by Rakan

- photo by Ray Epps

- photo by David Slayer

And an entry in the Christmas boat parade in Anacortes.  

There were a couple of luminary parades this year to celebrate Earth Day and similar events.  This colorful one took place in Washington Park in the fall.

Alaska

Elsie Mae, the elephant seal who comes ashore in Skyline every spring appeared again at Tugboat Park, but no pup this time.

- photo by Dianne Norton

- photo by EZ Lorenz

Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet

Lake Wenachee SP, Washington      - photo by Brian Munoz

- photo by EJ Harris

October 2024 - May 2025

Norway

We aren't big restaurant goers, but two of the unique ones that we always liked closed this year.  Bob's Chowder House was a fun, casual dining place with great sourdough clam chowder bowls and fish sandwiches. We were regulars here  especially during our first two years when we lived in town.  This photo is from 2017.

Harbor seals sunbathing in Cap Sante Marina.

- photo by Denis Law

- photo by Lisa Ketchum

Also from February, Seafarer's Park at Cap Sante Marina. The Motega is a tender that ferries people and supplies out to the tankers that dock in Fidalgo Bay.  The statue is a tribute to local sailors who have been lost at sea.                                                                                                

- Photo by Tandem Wheels

- photo by Holly Holman

Our famous bridge at Deception Pass. 

- photos by Gary Skiff

And of course, the ferry boats.

It had great murals inside.

Carlsbad Caverns NP, New Mexico

Type your paragraph here.

And below, in February of this year, empty.

-photo by Randy Small

- photo by Tim Reagan

- photo by Pam Headridge

Crater Lake NP, Oregon

- photo by Denis Law

Above Cap Sante Marina, February.

Elk on the beach, Oregon.  photo by Sean Thomas.

So that is it for Winter in Anacortes!  Not as many photographers this year for some reason but still a good show. I look at a lot of photography so here are just a few of many other beautiful places  people posted this winter:

- photo by Tandem Wheels

- photo by Peyton Johnson

Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island. December.


Fidalgo Bay and Mt. Baker, February 18

- photo by Rakan

Lake Erie and Skagit Bay covered with fog. March.


- Photo by Rakan

Snow Geese, photo by Tandem Wheels

- photo by Barry Bower

- photo by Paul Herat

This is the end of Waterspot2.

Go to Waterspot3 to continue.


- photo by Rakan

Skyline and Burrows Pass, March

- photo by Rakan

These are known as King Tides, when the water rises far above normal. Here is our old snag in Washington Park as it usually looks in the summer, and then during a King Tide this winter.

- photo by Denis Law

Here it is packed full of all kinds of  boating stuff and maritime collectibles. I loved looking around this place, with wooden floors and hand-built cubby holes and shelves. It was a true Anacortes institution.

Winter in Anacortes

Burrows Island, March.

Christmas lights at the Tulalip Casino.

- photo by Jerry Hammond

WSF Samish arrives in Anacortes, May.  photo by Denis Law.

Swans, photo by Tandem Wheels

The Spring daffodil bloom, and the Snow Geese!

And there were glorious sunsets.

In March, two houses from somewhere arrived in Skyline by barge and were unloaded at the Cabana beach. They were moved to someplace in Skyline providing some springtime excitement. Photo of the barge in Burrows Bay by Dianne Norton.

Followed by the halloween trick-or-treat party sponsored by the downtown merchants. The town is clearly into the costume thing. 

Washington Park always loses a few big trees that are blown down over the winter. In keeping with the rule that any tree that falls must fall on the road/path/trail, this casualty did exactly that.

                                 -photo by Clara Duff

Here's a wintery snow scene of Bowman Bay, taken in February by Gary Skiff.

LaConner, the Swinomish Channel and Mt. Baker. 

- photo by Denis Law

The winter birds returned. Thousands of Snow Geese spend the winter on the fields in Skagit Valley. 

Rosario Beach. 

- photo by Denis Law

- photo by Phillip Fenner

It was a winter of memorable moon shots!

January 

Snow geese

- photo by Maralyn Powell

Thatcher Pass and Rosario Strait, April.

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

- photo by Danny Codd

The ocean side - taken from our boat in 2019.

Palm Trees in Scottsdale, Arizona.   - photo by Carol

Fidalgo Island from above.  Anchor Cove Marina is in the bottom right and Cap Sante is above it, center right.

Someone also somehow got close enough for a close-up nose shot of La Merced - the old boat on the Guemes Channel used as a breakwater at the boatyard.

Winter in Anacortes brings high tides, windstorms and very rough water.  These are waterfront  properties on Burrows Bay in Skyline. There is a price to be paid for an ocean view.

- photo by Carl Nickerson

- photo by Rebecca Peterson

-photo by Richard Harvey

Ebey's Landing, Whidbey Island March 30

- photo by Dale Johnson

Cap Sante Marina, January 22

Antarctica, by Daniel Kordan

- photo by Tandem Wheels