Explorations of Jackie & Joe: San Juan Islands with the Wrights

May 11-13, 2012

Thursday night after Wrights arrived in Seattle we went up to Capitol Hill for some Pike Street Fish (fried calamari, oysters, fish and fries) and then went to opening night of Seattle Beer Week at Elysian Brew Pub. The split shot espresso milk stout was exceptional.

Friday

We stopped at Jack in the Box for a quick breakfast on the road. Jackie convinced all to eat there so Chance wouldn’t bother the ladies in the back seat.

We made it to Anacortes by 9:40am, but we were the #16 voucher hoping for a spot on the 10:30am ferry to Orcas. We missed the ferry. Instead of spending lunch and a few hours in Anacortes waiting on the next Orcas ferry at 3 something, we decided to take a sooner ferry to Lopez Island. We could spend 1-2 hours there before catching a ferry from Lopez to Orcas while still beating the later afternoon Anacortes-Orcas ferry to the terminal by 5 minutes. Can you guess which car waiting on the ferry is ours?

The view of Mount Baker from the Anacortes ferry terminal.

Kayak mounted on Xterra.

Ferry ride to Lopez Island.

Olympic Mountains.

Mount Baker again.

Seaplane.

View of Spencer Spit State Park, our destination on Lopez Island, from the ferry boat.

Clams, mussels and geoduck season.

Spencer Spit State Park.

A replica of the original log cabin built by the Spencer family for guests in the early 1900s.

Always classy Emily J

Chance enjoying roaming free.

Beach.

Jason skipping rocks.

We drove into Lopez Village to find something to eat. We had lunch at Love Dog Café on the porch under a trellis of lavender. I had an amazing salmon burger.

Time for ferry ride #2 of the day to Orcas Island.

Mount Baker.

Olympic Mountains.

Aww cute kayak Xterra. No problems getting on this ferry.

I took a lot of photos on the ferry.

We drove from the Orcas ferry terminal, through Eastsound, to Moran State Park. We setup camp at the South End Campground on Cascade Lake.

We then drove up Mount Constitution to the Observation Tower.
Nice Joe.

Lummi Island and Bellingham on the shoreline with Mount Baker beyond.

Clark Island in the foreground.

I like towers.

Clark Island, Lummi Island & Ferndale.

Sucia Island.

View at clearing further down Mount Constitution.

Deerasses as Emily calls the deer on Orcas Island.

Hiking to Cascade Falls.

Emily slipped and fell going back down a steep embankment along the creek bed. She was laughing so I snapped a picture as I began to recognize the words ‘Help’ amidst the laughing. She was stuck in a plank move and couldn’t get up on her own without getting wet. Oops J

Our campsite view on Cascade Lake as the sunset.

Camp.

Dinner cooked over the fire.

Saturday

The Wrights getting in their kayak. USS Fatass sails again.

Orcas Island north shore. The waters were so calm.

More of Emily & Jason.

So in sync!

Paddling closer to Doughty Point.

Lunch break at Doughty Point.

We saw a seal! 6 different occurrences so we claimed we saw 6 over lunch.

Goofy group picture when Emily couldn’t make it in time.

Group kayak picture.

More paddling.

No whale sightings, but sunbathing seals! Maybe there really were 6 different seals at lunch.

Doesn’t get much better than this.

Seas were a little rough heading back.

We were further from shore. The Wrights had a shorter front to their kayak. Many waves came crashing over the front onto Emily. After Emily squealing 5 times, Jackie put on her skirt to avoid the same freezing wet feeling Emily was. The Wrights pulled into Point Doughty again to empty water out of the boat and for Emily to wring out her clothes. Thankfully our second skirt fit around her kayak hole so she was able to wear it the rest of the paddle.

Getting around Point Doughty in the rough seas was a battle. We all had to paddle as hard as we could to keep from getting sucked back to the point by the currents. I hope we don’t experience seas like that anytime soon.

After kayaking we head into Eastsound as the Farmer’s Market was wrapping up.

The guys picked up some fresh clams and a bottle of wine from a local grocery in Eastsound to have as an afternoon snack back at the campsite.

Ice Cream overlooking East Sound.

We went to check out Rosario Resort, the historic mansion home of Robert Moran. Moran was a prominent shipbuilder and mayor of Seattle during the Great Fire of 1889 and the rebuilding efforts. He retired on Orcas Island for his health for a less stressful life. The mansion is now a museum, giving visitors a step back in time. While we were there in the Music Room was a musical history concert on the 1,972 pipe Aeolian organ.

After that we went back to the campsite for a snack and showers. Roughing it does not mean we can’t eat good food: clams

Somehow Jason convinced Joe to go for a swim in Cascade Lake before their showers.

It was cold.

‘Why do I always believe you when you say it’s not that cold’

Chance laying down at camp while the boys shower and the girls finish off the clams and bottle of wine.

We drove over to Doe Bay Café for dinner. They had a wait and many reservations, but the hostess was kind enough to seat us outside on the patio as the sunset.

Drinks! Cheers! Lazyboy in Everett down the street from house makes a great Belgian ale.

Oysters on a half shell caught locally from Buck Bay less than a mile away served with orange-champagne mignonette granita.

Emily was convinced to have any oyster.

Emily needed a wine chaser.

It was a good thing we were sitting outside. Emily was enjoying her wine and convincing this little girl to ride the deer statue.

Emily’s got the giggles….hehe

There was a misfire in the kitchen so they brought out 2 of our entrees as a bonus for us all to try.
This was my agnolotti with foraged meal of mushrooms, nettles (stinging nettles) and other greens.