Vessel comings and goings at Friday Harbor, San Juan Island.Bobby and the Smith In-Laws on Stuart Island.
Dinghy Captain in Prevost Harbor, Stuart Island with "The Star" in the background.
Texas and Conch Republic (Key West) flags flapping towards the bow as we travel forward due to the stiff wind coming off the stern.
Bobby at the helm.
Bobby preparing to set out the crab pot at Jones Island.
Mother harbor seal with pup preparing to nurse on Jones Island.
Mother harbor seal with pup preparing to nurse on Jones Island.
Bobby on west side of Jones Island looking NW to Stuart Island and Canada.
At Blind Bay, Shaw Island, on the grill.
Heading down Harney Channel into the San Juan Islands on way to Shaw Island.
Heading down Harney Channel into the San Juan Islands on way to Shaw Island.
After 10 days back in La Conner for medical appointments, we are braving the cool summer temperatures and heading back to the San Juan Islands by 20 July. Throughout Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands are state marine parks (some complete islands). Some of the marine parks have docks/mooring balls for a nominal cost or with a pre-paid park pass for convenience. Ashore is a registration box - rangers check regularly to prevent boats from remaining past the allotted days. Another convenience for us is that it only takes half a day to reach the San Juan Islands and even less to hop from island to island. Quite a change from East Coast cruising.
Out with the tide through the north end of the La Conner Channel, we head west past Anacortes, across the Rosario Strait, dodging ferries and other water traffic to Blind Bay, Shaw Island. Eagles and harbor seals provide visual entertainment during the day, and once the sun sets, lighted ferries, docking at Shaw Island and across Harney Channel at Orcas Island.
Next stop - Jones Island. We pick up a mooring ball at the island marine park's north anchorage. Taking the dinghy ashore, we hike the island, and enjoy seeing more eagles and harbor seals. Even with sketchy cell phone service in the San Juan Islands, we are able to contact Jenny's parents on S/V Kocoa. They are at Prevost Harbor on Stuart Island, just a short hop away, so the next day we are on our way to find a place to anchor before the weekend crowd arrives.
Next stop - Jones Island. We pick up a mooring ball at the island marine park's north anchorage. Taking the dinghy ashore, we hike the island, and enjoy seeing more eagles and harbor seals. Even with sketchy cell phone service in the San Juan Islands, we are able to contact Jenny's parents on S/V Kocoa. They are at Prevost Harbor on Stuart Island, just a short hop away, so the next day we are on our way to find a place to anchor before the weekend crowd arrives.
Stuart Island is not served by the state ferry system, so it can only be reached by boat or place. Right off the marine park dock at Prevost Harbor are two short hiking trails. It takes an hour for Jenny to kayak around the southern end of the harbor. By Saturday, we hike inland to the the one-room school. The few students are having a bake sale to raise funds for the upcoming school year's field trips. We make lunch of it, then head to the lighthouse end of the island with views of Canada. We miss out on seeing any orcas in Boundary Pass, but observe many vessels on this high traffic waterway.
Sunday, "Star" and "Kocoa" head south to Parks Bay, Shaw Island, as the wind is rising, making the first part of the trip a bit rough. We are unable to go ashore as Parks Bay is a research area for the University of Washington, but we do have ferries and floatplanes moving in and out of Friday Harbor across from us for visual interest. By mid-morning the following day, both vessels head over to the Friday Harbor marina. Here we can do laundry and restock supplies in town. Boats flow in and out all day long. Friday Harbor is one of the largest ports in the San Juan Islands and also a Port of Entry. After a few days of frentic activity all around us, it is time for "Island Time".
