Seattle resident wins 20-year Clipper pass

Anna Starr will be travelling to Victoria quite a lot in the future.

The Seattle resident was named the grand prize winner of the Discover Clipper Contest this week.

She gets a pair of Clipper ferry tickets to Victoria every year for the next two decades.

Starr also receives a one-night stay in a Gold Room with afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel, one night in a deluxe room and breakfast for two in the Georgian Room at the Fairmont Olympic in Seattle. She also gets $1,000 in cash.

For six weeks, treasure hunters in Seattle and Victoria scoured their cities for elusive Golden Clipper Coins, guided by nothing more than cryptic clues posted on Facebook and Twitter.

These clues directed the searchers to a number of diverse locations in the greater Seattle and Victoria areas.

Clue locations in Seattle included the Drumheller Fountain on the University of Washington campus, Marvin’s Garden in Ballard and the Old Rainier Brewery in Georgetown.

Clue locations in the Victoria area included the Ogden Point breakwater, the Gonzales Observatory and the Empress.

“We are thrilled by the overwhelming interest and response we had to this contest,” said Janis Smith, vice-president of sales and marketing.

“It was a thrill to see so many people out there participating in the event.”

Since 1986, Clipper has provided transportation, tours and accommodation packages for more than eight million customers.