Guemes Channel traffic

Combine sunshine, spring fever (now summer) and the magnetic attraction of Northwest waters and you’ve got a recipe for heavy traffic on Fidalgo Island’s Guemes Channel. Local residents are accustomed to seeing state ferries and the Guemes ferry in local waters. They also see plenty of tanker and barge traffic moving back and forth from the two refineries on March’s Point. Much of the added seasonal traffic volume comes from sailboats, power boats and charter services. It’s exciting to watch this traffic, and you can do so from any number of vantage points, including the popular Cap Sante viewpoint. Then there’s Randy’s Pier 51 Restaurant off 4th Street, and Charlie’s near the state ferry terminal at Ship’s Harbor. If it’s fresh air you want, there are great observation spots on Port of Anacortes docks and also on the beach at the Guemes Ferry Terminal. The best vantage point of all? From the deck of a boat on the water. Don’t forget your sunblock.