Page 8 - 2022 SWHS Spring Newsletter for website

South Whidbey Historical Society
PO Box 612
Langley WA 98260

www.SouthWhidbeyHistory.org

A Kid’s Day at Mutiny Bay in the Early 1950s

Written by Bob Boswell
My folks bought a lot overlooking
Mutiny Bay in the summer of 1951.
The family had recently spent a week at
Chet Holt’s Mutiny Bay Resort. I was 12
years old going on 13 in late summer.
It was a fantastic week. I was allowed families had kids of teen and pre-teen the rigs of choice for the trollers. Cut
to take the boat out by myself if I could age. Life revolved around “the beach” herring was the choice of the spin fisher-
start the outboard motor. It was a 4.2 hp and Robinson’s Resort. men. And if the humpies were in, it was
Champion with a recoil starter mounted A summer day started with fishing not uncommon to get your limit.
at the bottom of the powerhead. I did it. with your dad in the morning. If you had more salmon than you
When my dad became aware of a There were two options: launching knew what to do with, you might have
small development near Robinson’s Re- your boat from Robinson’s marine rail- taken it to the Harbor Custom Cannery
sort that opened up, he jumped at having way or having shore-anchored your boat in Freeland and had it canned. When fin-
his own spot on Whidbey Island. Fish- the night before. ished you might again shore anchor or
ing was in his blood, and $600 dollars This required a knowledge of the tides, be hauled up on the marine railway. And
was something he felt he could afford. an anchor with the proper length to ac- then up the hill after cleaning the fish
That fall, weekends were spent clear- count for the depth and tide, and a shore and breakfast.
ing out the brush. Come spring he built line long enough so that you could push In the afternoon, we kids would bot-
a 14 x 20 foot platform and frame struc- your boat out into deep water. tom fish. We’d anchor or drift with the
ture and mounted a 14 X 14 surplus army The line was attached to the crown of currents. Sole, flounder and a rare cod
tent. Other lots had also been purchased, the anchor such that it would not inter- were our rewards, but often we had to
tents put up and small structures built. fere with the flukes digging into the sea deal with a dogfish. Other catches were
Nothing was intended as a full-time floor. When the boat drifted as far out as skates, ratfish and a sea cucumber. When
residence. No water, no electricity and necessary, a jerk on the shore line pulled we tired of that we played on the beach.
two ruts for a road. And many of these the anchor off the bow and the tidal cur- Evenings were another set of adven-
rent set the anchor. The other end was tures. We might fish with the parents,
securely attached on shore. or sit on the resort bulkhead and fish for
In the morning you simply pulled the bullheads. About 8 p.m., the Seattle-Vic-
boat to the beach, hopped in and start- toria steamship Princess Marguerite
ed fishing as soon as the water was deep would come down the channel creating
enough. If the fish were in, it was almost large waves that the kids would play in
wall to wall boats. and create havoc for the boaters who
Two local kids operated a bait raft that were trying to take care of their boats.
supplied fresh herring to the fishermen. Finally it was back up the hill, into bed,
Dodger and herring or candlefish were eagerly awaiting a repeat the next day.
8