[1] Formerly a small town in the 19th century, it lies on the north side of Penn Cove across from Coupeville.San de Fuca was envisioned as the terminus of a shipping channel across Whidbey Island, which would connect to Anacortes by rail."[2] The planned canal was ultimately cancelled due to the Panic of 1893.[3] Nonetheless, San de Fuca remained a stop on steamer lines carrying passengers to and from Seattle for several decades.This Island County, Washington state location article is a stub.