DAY 6- Horseback Riding & Boat Rides...

I'm still on Whigby Island and ended up taking a bit of a different adventure for the day.  I had never been horseback riding.  I found out that there would be a family that was going out for a ride here at Wildwood Farm B&B, some for the first time too; and I thought why not?  Plus, there's a bit of a price break for more than two.  It sounded like an opportunity for me.  So after my usual morning walk with Otis and another amazing breakfast.  The highlight of this breakfast was cubed fresh watermelon with fresh mint, and feta cheese.  Yummy! I changed into my blue jeans and tennis shoes.

Photos- The pasture areas at Wildwood Bed & Breakfast.
 

I went up to the main barn after taking a few more photos of the farm.  I was a bit nervous but Lisa the instruction was very nice and inviting.  But I wasn't nearly as nervous looking as Oscar the young boy in the family that I joined.  Thank goodness they had a bit of stair step to get up onto the horse or I would've spent the whole hour trying to figure THAT out.  I had a calm horse called Vision.  Vision wasn't as tall as some that I had seen and I was glad of that.  It's always good to have a shorter distance to fall.

Photo- Oscar, one of my horse riding companion, looking a bit nervous.

Photo- Lily, Oscar's older sister, looking confident and ready.

Photo- Lily leading out her horse.

Photo- Lisa, the trainer, giving instructions to Jeanna as to proper sitting on horse. 
Note- the helpful stair step to get up on the horse.

Photo- Myself on Vision the horse.  Is that a goofy smile or what?

Lisa, the trainer held the two horses of the younger riders while Mom (Jeanna) and myself followed behind.  Jeanna's horse kept on wanting to stop to eat the fresh grass on the way along.  I was laughing because Jeanna would try to get her horse to go but it was SO much more interested in eating the salad.  I was saying," Salad bar break!"  We went along the road and up through the pasture areas towards a race track area.  We did a loop around the track then back through the pastures and up to the Happy Trail that went through the woods.  It really was a wonderful experience and I wasn't as bad as I thought I would be.  They were English saddles with out the horn on the saddle and you were supposed to sit more up right than in a western saddle I guess.  I didn't have any problems with sitting straighter and I was surprised how comfortable it was.

Photo- People fishing off the dock as I was waiting for my turn on Walt's boat tour.

Photo- Walt, Mr. Skipper for the day and looking totally at ease in his boat.

Photo- Deceptively calm looking water but with eddies and tidal pools
just under the surface under the Deception Pass Bridge.

Photo- Deception Pass Bridge as seen from across from a National Forest area path I hiked.

Later on, I met some of the wedding party.  Walt, Jean's new husband, was giving tours on his boat out by Deception Pass.  It was a bit chilly and overcast but it was still fun to be out over the water.  We went under the huge expansion bridge that spans the pass.  I asked Walt why it was called Deception Pass and he stopped the boat under the bridge and pointed out the water.  It looked deceptively calm but underneath you could see tidal pools going each and every direction.  I bet the sailors in the olden days hated coming through here.  Next he took us over to some logs that were tied together where sea otters like to hang out.  The logs are cut down, tied together and then sent out on the bays where they are eventually sent some where to be processed.  The sea otters take advantage of these little floating log islands to "sun" themselves.

Photo- Sea Otters "sunning" themselves.