As stated on their website, Washington State Parks would have you believe;
“The name “Deception Pass” derived from Captain Vancouver’s realization that what he had mistaken for a peninsula was actually an island. He named that island “Whidbey” in honor of his assistant, Joseph Whidbey, who was at his side when Vancouver realized the mistake. The captain named the inlet at which he was anchored “Deception Pass” to commemorate the error.”
However, after a very secretive undercover investigation, I have discovered the truth! The real deception in the name Deception Pass State Park is the allowable RV lengths in the campground.
When planning a recent campout with friends, we tried to book two side by side spaces only to have the online reservation system tell us our 27ft travel trailer was too long for the space we had selected. The highlighted warning stated the space would only accept trailers up to 18ft. The first clue that deception was afoot was the fact that the space is equipped with 50 amp electrical service. Now when was the last time you saw an 18ft (or smaller) RV that required 50 amp service? Further sleuthing revealed the stated pad length was 42ft. Finally a quick check on Google Earth showed a very spacious site as viewed from above. Changing the inputted length on their website to show our RV was only a small travel trailer (a lie), we soon had our reservation in hand. Upon arriving at the site several weeks later not only did our 27ft travel trailer fit in the site, but our full size, extended cab, long bed pick up too, with room to spare!
Washington State Parks, I love ya, but can you hire somebody that knows how to use a tape measure, otherwise you’ll continue to make a liar out of me!
Dealing with deception, just another adventure in RVing!
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
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