June 11 Washington Island and another Boiled Fish Dinner

Love how the white cedar tree cling to the rocks at Door Bluff Headlands.  We took the Ferry over to Washington Island so we got a waterside view of Gills Bay as we headed out.

These intricate stairwells give the property owner access to the water on the Bluffs.

Just one of many buildings on the island that show the Norweigian influence of the Settlers on Washington Island

The Washington Island Stavkirke is a replica modeled after a church in Bergen, Norway

The interior of Stavkirke is AMAZING.

My favorite flower is in full bloom here.  The air smells so beautiful.

Treats at the Lavender farm

The Lavendar Farm wasn't quite in bloom yet, but the grounds are meticulous. 

Museum showing the daily life of the pioneers who first came to Washington Island

We grabbed some delicious salmon sandwiches from this local pub to eat on the boat ride back.  The locals are so kind, friendly and welcoming.  The Island population is just around 700 year round and 3500 in the summer.  

Note the cost of removing any of the smooth stones on the beach!  Evidently it was so popular to take the stones at one time that the beach was endangered so they have stopped ANY removal of the stones. 

A little break before walking through the town of Fish Creek and checking out all the local stores.  Cherries are a big crop here so there are delicious food and drink items available in almost every shop. 

The gardens are so beautiful. 

The owner of Peletier's does the Fish Boil and puts on quite a show demonstrating how it's done.  Not quite as good as Fitzgeralds because she used Cod and he used white fish, but still very good.  He was saying he does around 7 boils a night.

The Fish Boil here is a little more work to eat because of the skin and bones of the fish, but the flavor was wonderful!

Red potatoes and onions are also part of the feast.

It takes a lot of salt to increase the boiling temperature of the water.  After the salt is added the Master Boiler throws fuel oil on the fire to create a tremendous burst of flames that force the water to spill over the rim and remove the fish oils.  Dinner is then ready to serve!