During most of the trip we had cool but comfortable temperatures and somewhat overcast skies. We were able to see outlines of the mountains in the distance but not the clear mountain sights we might have hoped for.
Our first stop was Sucia Island where we anchored in Echo Bay, a large anchorage that could accommodate 40-50 boats.
We hosted two other couples on board for drinks and nibbles. The following morning we dinghied up to the rocky shore and hiked the well-maintained trails in the state park there.
That afternoon we cruised 16 nautical miles on calm seas through gorgeous scenery to Reid Harbor on Stuart Island. There we enjoyed docktails and appetizers with our fellow cruisers at the common dock.
This was another wonderful park for hiking. The next morning several us hiked a long trail at the end of which was a collection of Stuart Island shirts for sale. Many styles and colors were available for sale on the honor system with elaborate instructions on how to pay for them. It’s a mark of distinction for those who are hardy enough to hike the distance to get there. Another reward was seeing the historic library and schoolhouse both of which served the original island residents over the years.
There was even a basketball court where the guys were able to shoot hoops!
The next morning started with the unique experience of operating a hand-propelled pump-out conveniently located on a raft in the bay. A first for all of us, no doubt! We’ve found some other interesting pump-out vessels on this journey too!
We cruised that day to Deer Harbor taking the long way that brought us close to the Canadian border in search of orcas but to no avail!
And we continued our hiking adventures in the state parks that were on almost every island.
Our visit to Roche Harbor was probably the most unique of all our destinations. Roche Harbor appears to be a lovely historic village but in fact it’s an amazing resort with cottages, shops and a small market.
We explored the whole area that included a huge 19 acre sculpture park with over 120 sculptures.
That evening everyone got together for cocktails and a pot luck dinner. Afterwards we had the opportunity to participate in Roche Harbor’s Colors Ceremony where just before sunset each night during the summer they retire the flags of Roche Harbor, Washington state, Great Britain, Canada and the United States. It was yet another interesting experience in a week that was full of them.
Friday Harbor was our next destination and we passed through some beautiful scenery and narrow passages to arrive at a marina there. That evening we had a final celebratory dinner with everyone at an excellent restaurant called Downrigger’s.
Friday Harbor has a cute town center which we also had time to explore before leaving for the last night on board.
Many of the boats headed in different directions but we went to Anacortes where our charter company had comped us for a one night marina stay because we had had some issues with the boat early on. Fortunately they were not real serious and our two captains, Steve and Jonny, were able to manage whatever workarounds were needed.
After returning to Bellingham the following morning and saying our goodbyes, we rented a car to start the next phase of our vacation. We truly enjoyed cruising the San Juan Islands and would heartily recommend it to anyone!
Our next stop was Shelton, Washington where we visited our friends Brenda and Doug who live in a beautiful house on the point of an island on the Olympic peninsula. What a gorgeous setting! Doug had built the house which has 270 degree views of water and lush forests. We spent two days hiking with them and enjoying their beautiful part of the world. Brenda cooked delicious dinners and one night we had steamed oysters from their very own oyster beds. It was a wonderful visit!
From there we drove south to Portland, Oregon where we were originally going to stay with our friends Mark and Nancy. Mark is an old friend that I grew up with in Fairfield. Unfortunately, Nancy was recovering from Covid so we stayed at a nearby hotel in the pretty town of Lake Oswego. Mark had given us great recommendations to visit the Columbia River Gorge, Basalt Rock, the salmon fish ladders and Multnomah Falls, all of which were just amazing!
The next day Mark had us to his home for breakfast and then showed us around Portland. We visited the International Rose Test Garden with over 800 types of roses all in bloom! We had lunch at a local brew pub and hiked to a high point of the city to see more stupendous views. It was a wonderful visit and we look forward to seeing him and Nancy at the end of October for our 50th +2 high school reunion in Connecticut (delayed twice due to Covid).
We then headed back to Seattle where Jonny’s cousin Danny had invited us for dinner at his home on Bainbridge Island. There we visited with his wife Althea and their son, Jake, who was visiting from LA. Dan and Althea have created a beautiful homestead on lovely wooded Bainbridge Island and we were happy to be able to experience it after having heard so many good things about it. I even had a chance to try my hand at Pickleball on the court they had on their grounds! They served Dungeness crab which we were hoping to have on our trip but hadn’t encountered until then.
We made an early night of it since we were flying out very early the next morning. After returning our car, we stayed at an airport hotel and set the clock for 3 a.m. to make our 6 a.m. flight. What a fabulous west coast adventure! Now back to resume our Travels with Zendo down the east coast!
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