Island Notes Island Notes
Category: Happenings

Whale Watching from Land

This map from the Orca Network shows many great places around Puget Sound where you can watch whales, if there are any nearby.

An orca, or killer whale, a few hundred yards from shore

The Whales of Puget Sound

The Whales of Puget Sound After spending most of the summer in the San Juan Islands, our Resident orca pods venture south into inland waters for the fall and early winter months, traveling down Admiralty Inlet chasing chum salmon runs into lower Puget Sound. BY SUSAN BERTA & HOWARD GARRETTORCA NETWORKUPDATED 2/28/21 There are many opportunities to observe the orcas … Read More

Northwest Glass Quest

Watch how the glass balls that are the sought-after prizes at Glassquest are made by the father and son-team of Mark and Marcus Ellinger.

The Love Locks of Oak Harbor

The love lock tradition has come to Oak Harbor. The engraved padlocks, fastened to chain link in the shape of a heart on the side of a downtown building called The Loft. But there’s a twist on this enduring symbol of love.
These are dedicated to the men and women who serve our country.

Oak Harbor Art Trail

Public Art is spread throughout Oak Harbor. Use this guide to find its artistic gems. Some pieces are by local artists others are nationally known.

A reproduction of a maintenance shop for a PBY Catalina airplane.

The Pacific Northwest Naval Air Museum

The PBY – Naval Air Museum tells stories through a mix of photographs, artifacts, text, military uniforms, and hands-on activities. It tells both the big stories and the small individual stories of our men and women in service.

Carl Comfort dumps a bucket of grapes into a larger gin.

Grape Harvest in the Rain

While a sommelier can tell you what tastes are in a wine, he or she cannot tell you what all really goes into a wine. That’s especially true when with the community that grows at harvest time.

World War Two era airplane and staff car.

The PBY – Naval Air Museum – The Story of Gigi

The story of the PBY-5A Catalina and how it transformed Oak Harbor into a WWII Navy Seaplane Base is a fascinating tale, and one that’s exemplified by “Gigi,” a PBY-5A Catalina that first came to Oak Harbor in 1943 and now sits on display in the city.

Yellow maple leaves on the ground and the sun shining behind them

Fall Escapes

Fall reminds us that the natural world is made up of cycles. Summer has done its deed and winter approaches.