WHIDBEY ISLAND

also spelled Whidby, island, part of Island county, northwest Washington, U.S., in Puget Sound. Approximately 40 miles (65 km) long, it is one of the largest offshore islands in the continental United States. Its chief towns are Oak Harbor, Coupeville (a preserved historic town), and Langley. The island was named for Joseph Whidbey, who, on June 2, 1792, as a member of a surveying team, discovered Deception Pass, a swift tidal strait separating Whidbey from Fidalgo Island, to the north, proving the body of land was an island. Deception Pass Bridge, built in 1935, connects Whidbey Island with Fidalgo Island. Ferries also provide access to the island, which has developed as a recreational area. Pop. (1980) 38,968.