Sailing, kayaking & camping San Juans

Thursday-Sunday May 16-19, 2013

I was so excited for our 6th wedding anniversary mini-vacation to begin: sailing, kayaking & camping on a remote San Juan Island in the Puget Sound accessible only by boat! Sucia here we come!

We took Friday off since it would take over 5 hours to sail on one of Joe’s coworkers, Darren’s boat to get to Sucia Island. Thursday night we drove up to Anacortes to spend the night at Darren’s before an early morning on the water.

We went down to the Anacortes Cap Sante Marina.

Jorge planned to ferry over to Orcas Island, spend the night and then kayak over to Sucia Island to join us for our remote vacation. This left 4 of our us with 3 kayaks: 2 singles and our big old tandem. How are we getting our kayaks to the remote Sucia Island when we are riding on the sailboat there you ask? This is how!




We grabbed dinner and drinks at the Brown Lantern in Anacortes. Darren’s house overlooks the Anacortes and the waters to the north. Joe and I slept on the futon in the large glass room overlooking the water. Since we were camping on the island, I got up early that morning to shower. As usual I felt Joe nudge me that it was time to get up. I got fully ready and then went to go wake Joe up. It was still pitch black out with many stars in the sky. It turns up I got up to take a 4am shower! At least I got to view the stars until I fell back to sleep for a bit.

Andy met us at the marina. Joe sat in our kayak that we towed behind the sailboat. He paddled along keeping it from hitting the other boats or docks in the marina. Once we were out we had him board the sailboat and get ready to begin our journey among the San Juan Islands.

Learning to sail from Darren (far right)
Near Saddlebag Island there is a buoy where this large seal lays out. Now that’s a big seal. 




Our tandem kayak towing behind the sailboat was tracking back and forth the whole time. 

Joe running the crank 

Andy navigating the sailboat 

We were getting a little cold and wet above the cabin. 

About 2 hours into our 5 hour sail, Andy was coming out of the cabin and noticed lots of oil coming from the back-up engine room! Darren couldn’t find where it was coming from. There was no telling how much oil was enough left so we could not run the engine safely. Jorge had already started his paddle over to Sucia Island from Orcas Island. It was time to make the conservative judgement call and head back to port and meet up together on Orcas Island.

We came back around the large seal on the buoy again.
Bald eagle spotted in the trees on Guemes Island. 

We got back to the marina and coasted the boat into the slip with the sails down and a whole of luck guiding the boat down the docks. We loaded the 3 kayaks atop Darren’s suburban and head back to his place to pick up a few more camping essentials since he’s plans of sleeping on the sailboat had been foiled. We got to the Anacortes ferry terminal an hour before and still didn’t make the ferry! We waited in the parking lot for hours to go to Orcas. It was a good thing we had a cooler full of beers and the makings for sandwiches.

We finally made it to Orcas Island around sunset. We got ourselves a campsite at West Beach Resort which has direct water access. They also have cabins with firepits and patios right on the beach. The hot tub was full and partying in full swing. Sunset at West Beach Resort


Jorge decided to stay the night on Sucia Island since the best current conditions weren’t until morning. In the morning, we got a surprisingly text from Jorge. He had gotten food poisoning over night and was paddling back while the water looked smooth! While we waited on Jorge, we went to an estate sale at the Ocras Island Pottery, a cooperative of about 24 potters. Joe happily picked up a souvenir container to keep salt in on the kitchen counter.

We drove over to the north side of Eastsound to await Jorge’s arrival.
Once we figured out the spot in the distance had to be Jorge, Andy decided he wanted to paddle out to him. The man had a bad case of this could be the last time he gets to paddle before moving back to Columbus. 

It took Andy 30 minutes to even get ready to paddle. Jorge made it back by then. 

Discussing Jorge’s tracking pattern and paddle choice. 

Jorge sure looks happy to be back on an island with hot food! 
While Jorge, Darren, Joe & I head into Eastsound for a bite to eat at the grocery store, Andy paddled from the north shore of Eastsound to West Beach Resort where we would all go paddle together.

Time to paddle!
Beautiful mossy Cliffside 

Admiring the houses on the shoreline 








Our view from the kayak 

Seal! 

Purple starfish! 

We also saw some bald eagles but the point and shoot camera in the waterproof container doesn’t take the greatest pictures as you can see from the others posted from on the paddle part of the trip. The sun is starting to peak through and I see some blue skies! 
We were close to the southwestern corner of Orcas Island and Jorge said we were able equal distance from the resort we were staying at and Eastsound. We decided to trust him and continue paddling instead of turning around to go back to the resort. As we hit the southern tip, the currents became stronger and we became tired quick. We took a quick pitstop at O’Connell Island. There a smart local kid out on a boat with his dad informed us that Deer Harbor was the closest marina. We were way too far to even make it to the Orcas ferry terminal, much less Eastsound. We decided to paddle over to the Deer Harbor Marina and get a cab back to the resort to get the suburban to take our kayaks back to camp.

Deer Harbor Marina
Back at camp we ate triscuits and some awesome cheese Darren brought and roasted hot dogs for dinner over the campfire. Jorge ate 9 hot dogs! I think he got his stomach back in full condition!

Jorge brought some great tequila from Mexico. It was so good.

In the morning we packed up camp and tried to get on an early ferry ride back to Anacortes. Yet again we were only a few cars short of making the first ferry. Here’s to another few hours of waiting around for the next one. We ate ice cream from Lopez Island.

There was a bunny under the Orcas Island Ferry Terminal sign just like every other time we’ve been here
We walked over to a neighboring marina to the ferry terminal to ogle some boats. 


These sailboats moored outside the marina rock pretty hard when a ferry goes in and out of the terminal. 

Finally on board the ferry! I’m watching you mister! 

Leaving Orcas Island 

Joe is worn out! 

Today is a beautiful day for a ferry ride. Too bad we didn’t have time to kayak today. 


We started planning our next kayak trip. Saddlebag? Guemes? Cypress? I’m already ready to head back to the San Juan Islands!

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.

Joe’s halibut and potatoes.

Jason’s cod.

Emily’s pizza with red onion marmalade and gruyere.

The night would not have been complete without Emily riding the deer herself.

She finally stopped laughing for a normal picture.

For dessert we had cheesecake with rhubarb sauce topping.

Finger licking good meal.

The last flickers of sunset colors on Cascade Lake back at the campsite.

It was harder to keep the fire going tonight.

Roasted marshmellows between chocolate chip cookies, Split Shot Milk Stout and cigars…

Sunday

The morning view from the campsite.

We packed up camp and headed toward the Orcas ferry terminal to get in line for the ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

We had breakfast at the Orcas Hotel.

Our table view. A hummingbird stopped by as well as a bunny.

Mmm bisquits and gravy.

Ferry ride #3 bound to Friday Harbor.

Checking texts to know how the 2 newest boys to the clan were doing.

We decided we wanted to own this island.

Approaching Friday Harbor.

Cattle Point.

Olympic Mountains and Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Wildflowers and shoreline.

Lime Kiln.

Kelp.

Friday Harbor.

Old Ford.

Jason & I became dorks and discussed what kind of work we do. Rain gardens, stormwater management, LEED inn, etc. I’ll spare you the lengthy details.

Cask and Schooner.

Departing Friday Harbor for the mainland.

Ferry ride #4 to Anacortes with a stop at Lopez Island.

Coin toss during Lopez Island unloading/loading.