A Pause in the San Juans

Our Route in the San Juans

We found the Strait of Juan de Fuca to be in a quiet mood when we crossed from Sequim Bay to Turn Island in the San Juans, motoring for a while until the wind came up to push us through Cattle Pass and into the San Juan channel.  Strong wind warnings were in effect for that evening so we thought it prudent to get behind some sheltering landscape.  The buoy was there for us and the ranger thanked us for taking the time to row ashore and register.

 It's nice to be back in the San Juans.  As the wind howled we were snug there in the forested bay.

Lopez Island Yacht Club Reciprocal

The following day we zipped around the corner and snagged reciprocal moorage at the San Juan Island Yacht Club.  We watered, we shopped, we walked, we bought some Canada money. Showers: $1.50 for five short minutes.  I took the opportunity to change the oil in the still-new-to-me Beta diesel engine. Friday Harbor is a great place to provision and take care of business but there certainly is a lot of activity in that harbor.  The next day off we went to re-take our favorite buoy at Turn Island.

 From Turn Island we sailed off the buoy and around to the east side of Lopez to Spencer Spit and grabbed a buoy there for a very peaceful night.   On Sunday June 11 we sailed off the buoy again after waiting til late in the day for an approach into Fisherman's Bay - had to wait for a rising tide and at least 3 ft above MLLW for Traveler's deep keel to make the entry.  Once inside we laid out plenty of rode to ride out the coming gale force winds predicted for the morrow.  We met up with Connie's artist and political activist friend Jane and husband Richard.  Getting back to the boat at early evening, we found the wind waves at about 3 feet and the wind at about 20 knots, making it difficult to regain the boat in our dinky dinghy.  "The wind she howled, our little boat she shivered, she rolled."

Connie and Jane

We had one night available for us at the Islander Resort marina as free reciprocal and we'd saved it for Tuesday so we could easily off load Connie's PA and instruments for her gig at Vita's Wildly Delicious Restaurant.  I laundered. I shopped.  Connie played music.  Bruce, so generous and kind, kept me supplied with wine and pizza and the evening went very well.  There was a good crowd and we enjoyed the evening.  Connie will be back at Vita's August 11th for a Friday wine tasting event.

Bruce Botts, owner of Vita's

Pizza Chef at work

Giant Jenga Game

Cool Breeze at Vita's

Just a note about Islander Resort marina.  Supposedly the dinghy dock fee is $20!  That's the highest landing fee I've experienced.  We forgot to pay it. While our one night reciprocal with Lopez Island Yacht Club was free, our second night would have been at the normal rate of $73. A little stiff perhaps for my liking.  Lopez is beautiful and all in all, we loved the place and the people.

Islander Resort dock store. Expensive dinghy dock behind.

From Lopez we sailed around Shaw and into West Sound to the Orcas Island Yacht Club dock for two nights of reciprocal.  We met up with another of Connie's friends, Peggy Jo Rain, who carried us to Random Howse in East Sound for an open mic session.  We heard some local talent and CB played a few songs. 

Traveler at OIYC reciprocal dock

Orcas Island Yacht Club

 Peggy Jo and Connie Jo

Cool Breeze performing at Random Howse

Now that the last front has roared through, we've got some settled weather on the way so we're preparing to leave the San Juans to make our way north into the Canada Gulf Islands.  We've got our Loonies and got our Toonies and are much looking forward to leaving the country for a while.  Stay tuned and thanks for listening.....