Comcast Neighborhoods – North Whidbey

Comcast’s Sabrina Register brings us a day filled with everything from history to food in this tour of North Whidbey.
Courtesy: Comcast

History, Agriculture, Food and Fun on North Whidbey

Sabrina Register’s first stop is Deception Pass State Park.  Showing us the scenery, she notes that, “The views alone beckon visitors.” From there she hops down to Coupeville, and explains that the town boasts “plenty of cute B & B’s.”

First Food, Then History

After teasing viewers with the cinnamon rolls at Coupeville’s Knead and Feed waterfront restaurant (now “Little Red Hen Bakery“), she heads up Front Street to the Island County Historical Society Museum. There, Rick Castellano, executive director for the museum, explains how Captain Thomas Coupe, the man for whom the town was named, found the area to be, “heaven on earth.”

The history tour continues at Fort Casey State Park and Admiralty Head Lighthouse where we learn about the fort’s role as part of the “triangle of fire” protecting Puget Sound and Admiralty Head Lighthouse, the area’s first lighthouse.

Lavender and More History

Register then takes us to Lavender Wind Farm, where owner Sarah Richards explains that the Mediterranean like climate is the secret to helping the lavender grow.  Richards also gives us a quick lavender lesson, explaining its uses not only as a fragrance but also in cooking and medicine.

Next, she heads to Oak Harbor and the city’s Pacific Northwest Naval Air Museum. Wil Schellenberger, president of the PBY Memorial Foundation, explains to her the plane’s history as an amphibious plane that was the first aircraft to be stationed at the Naval Air Station Seaplane base in Oak Harbor.

Whidbey’s Famous Mussels

And finally, she wraps her visit with foodies in mind, heading to Penn Cove Shellfish, the home of Coupeville’s mighty mussels, which have become a specialty at restaurants all over the country. Operations manager Tim Jones tells her the secret is the nutrient-rich water flowing into Penn Cove, which helps the mussels grow more quickly and with less grit.

Register calls the island a place “full of rich, diverse experiences.”  But, she adds, “Pulling yourself away from the scenery in order to seek adventure might prove to be a challenge.”