5/23/2015

Wild Roses

2015 Boating Season, continued (by Toni)

Sea Glass

The Islands in the San Juan are made up of many Marine Parks with camping, picnicking, water available, pit toilets, hiking, fishing, beach combing, tide pools, and mooring buoys for boats. Most have great anchorage. All have an interesting history. The Islands we have visited are just that. Kept well preserved and beautiful for everyone to enjoy and only reachable by boat. The wild flowers are beautiful, the eagles are a wonder to watch and we are always looking for whales, but so far haven't seen any on this trip.

Eagles on top of Lighthouse

After leaving Sucia, and its beautiful sunsets, we cruised around Patos Island. Patos is the northern outpost of the San Juan Islands with views of Canada. There is a beautiful lighthouse which was established in 1893. Helene Glidden was a child when her father was the lighthouse keeper. Her book, The Light On The Island, is based on her childhood adventures and the early history of the San Juans. I have read her book and many more about the San Juan Islands and the history and legends are fascinating.

After navigating around the Island, we headed to Stuart Island and anchored in Reid Harbor. This Island is the closest to Canada and most boaters stop there before heading across Haro Strait separating the United States from Canada. This is one of several islands which have private residents. So hiking is only on the trails. Trails lead to the Island school, which is still in use, and the Turn Point Light Station. Here we replenished our water in the boat so we could take showers.

Wild Honeysuckle

Canadian Geese

Russ getting water

Stuart Island

This morning we are in Roche Harbor Marina on San Juan Island. Today is fueling, laundry, groceries, and preparing for our cruise to Canada. Our boat looks very small compared to most boats here.

Roche Harbor has quite a history. Its historic hotel, which in the 1850's housed the Hudson Trading Post and which later hosted President Teddy Roosevelt and William Taft, beautiful gardens,  a restaurant, church, and mausoleum tell a story of the McMillin family and their lime quarries. Every evening the marina has a flag-lowering ceremony which holds special meaning when Canadians and Americans join together in friendship to honor their countries.

''Traveler'' is the small boat!!

My hope would be for you to some day take the ferry from Seattle over to the San Juan Islands and enjoy the beautiful scenery, history, birds and whale watching it provides. I know you would love it as much as we do.

We look forward to our cruise through Canada and will send a blog soon.

Happy Cruising from Russ and Toni