Seabiscuit and Beyond: April 2023

Location: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington

We've been in Friday Harbor since mid-January and have been having a wonderful time. We hike almost every day and the cats, Bodhi and Bijoux, have been keeping us entertained. We were lucky enough to have family and friends visit us in March and April and enjoyed showing them around the island.

View of Mitchell Bay, Haro Strait and Vancouver Island from the top of Young Hill

We spent most of February exploring the hiking trails (San Juan Island Trails) around the island. We have hiked most of the trails and have discovered a lot of new places. Dave made a few trips to Anacortes to keep up with the Seabiscuit maintenance and B did her volunteer work at the animal shelter (Animal Protection Society Friday Harbor).

Bodhi got a new toy.

Bodhi enjoying his toy.

Bijoux got a new box.

Bijoux enjoying her old box.

Bijoux - nothing like an afternoon nap in the sun.

Dave in the garden gathering swiss chard for supper. Bodhi is helping.

Fresh swiss chard from the garden

Heather and Sarah's Visit - March 6 - 11, 2023

In early March, Heather (Dave's daughter) and her friend Sarah came to visit. They flew from Austin to Bellingham where Dave picked them up. After supper in Anacortes, they caught the ferry and arrived at the house late Monday night. Tuesday we had a lazy morning, then went to the San Juan Island Sculpture Park. From there, we wandered around Roche Harbor, had lunch at the Lime Kiln Cafe and walked to the Afterglow Mausoleum.

Sarah and Heather at the Sculpture Park

The Roche Harbor Market and Lime Kiln Cafe

The Afterglow Mausoleum

Looking up through the top of the Mausoleum

Heather and Sarah at the Afterglow Mausoleum

Tuesday afternoon we went to the Lime Kiln Point State Park for a short hike (Lime Kiln State Park Trail Map).

Heather and Sarah at Lime Kiln Point State Park

Wednesday was another beautiful spring day. We spent the morning at English Camp and walked the Bell Point Loop trail (English Camp Trail Map). After lunch, we hiked the Mt. Finlayson/Jakle Lagoon trail out on Cattle Point, walked around American Camp (American Camp and Cattle Point Trail Map) then stopped for a beer at the San Juan Island Brewery on the way home.

Heather and Dave at English Camp.

Dave, B, Heather and Sarah hiking the Jakle Lagoon Trail.

Heather and Sarah spent Thursday morning exploring downtown Friday Harbor. For our afternoon adventure, we hiked the Horse Trail loop near Mitchell Hill (Mitchell Hill Trail Map).

Buildings on the waterfront, Friday Harbor.

Heather having a coffee near the ferry landing.

Sarah and Heather in the moss covered rocks on Mitchell Hill.

Thursday night we went to the San Juan Community Theatre to see the local production of The 39 Steps which was funny and corny and entertaining.

The stage at the San Juan Community Theatre

We were lucky with the weather and had sun for most of the week but it was raining when we got up Friday morning. We went out to the Net Shed at Westcott Bay for lunch and walked around Briggs Lake for our afternoon hike. While we were at Westcott Bay, we bought two pounds of fresh clams; Sarah and Heather cooked supper - linguini with clams and chocolate lava cake for dessert - DELICIOUS!.

Fresh oysters at the Net Shed, Westcott Bay

Sarah and Heather at work in the kitchen cooking linguini with clams.

Saturday was an interesting day. Dave and the girls were scheduled on the 8:05 ferry from Friday Harbor to Anacortes so that the girls could catch an afternoon flight from Bellingham to Austin. About 5:30, Dave got a text saying that the 8:05 ferry was cancelled. He looked at the schedule and we decided they might be able to get on the 6:20 ferry if they hurried. The girls scrambled to get ready and finish packing and they sped down to the ferry landing. When they arrived, there were 70 cars lined up and only 40 spaces available on the ferry so they turned around and came back to the house. They spent the rest of the morning cancelling their return flights, rebooking flights out of Seattle on Sunday and booking a hotel near the Seattle airport. They were able to get on the 11:55 ferry and made it to Anacortes with no issues. They ate lunch, then Dave drove them down to Seattle and dropped them off at their hotel. Their flights on Sunday were on time and they made it home safely. A good example of island living and how things don't always go as planned.

Every Day Life

Some more fun times with the cats at Willow Pond:

Bijoux and Bodhi inspecting the monthly cat food delivery.

Bodhi herding the ducks (mergansers) on Willow Pond

Bijoux playing with her toy.

Swans on Willow Pond

Mary and Scott's Visit - March 21 - 23, 2023

Our friends, Mary and Scott, came to visit for a few days. Their son, Nathan, and his wife, MacKenzie, live in Seattle so they spent St. Paddy's weekend with them. From there, they took the train up to Vancouver for a two day visit, then rode the ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor to visit us. They arrived here around lunch time on Tuesday. We ate at Downriggers near the ferry landing, then went hiking, learned some history and took a scenic drive around the island. Our first stop was American Camp. We studied the history of The Pig War, wandered around the parade grounds and walked up to Robert's Redoubt.

From there we drove False Bay Road and Bailer Hill / West Side Road and admired the views of Vancouver Island across Haro Strait. We stopped at Lime Kiln Point State Park and hiked the loop trail to the whale watching site, past the lighthouse, around through the woods and along the shoreline at Dead Man's Bay. (The link provides an interesting story about how Dead Man's Bay got its name).

Scott, Mary and B at the Lime Kiln Point State Park Whale Watching area

The Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse

In order to complete our history lesson of the Pig War, our next stop was English Camp and a walk around the Bell Point Loop Trail. That was enough hiking for one day. We went back to the house for happy hour, supper and catching up and started a jigsaw puzzle.

Wednesday morning, we had our breakfast and coffee and did some work on the puzzle before heading out for our adventures of the day.

Mary, Scott and Bodhi working on the puzzle.

Our first hike was a loop around the Mitchell Hill trails from the Horse Trail parking area. From there, we went to the Sculpture Park and ate lunch at the Roche Harbor Lime Kiln Cafe. After lunch, we walked to the mausoleum.

Mary and B on the Mitchell Hill trail

Scott and Mary at the Sculpture Park

Scott found a new pet to take home

B and Mary with Large Marge at the Sculpture Park

We spent some time unlaxing at the house before going out for our afternoon hike around the Mt. Finlayson/Jakle Lagoon loop. After our hike, we went to the brewery for beer and supper and we got to watch a beautiful sunset on our drive home.

Scott, Mary, B and Dave on the Mt. Finlayson trail.

The trees along the Jakle Lagoon trail.

Mary and Scott caught the 8:05 ferry back to Anacortes on Thursday morning.

View of the Friday Harbor Marina while waiting for the ferry

Scott and Mary on the ferry to Anacortes.

Some more every day life...

While Heather and Sarah were here, the back passenger side window on the truck refused to roll up.
Heather and Dave are working to make it stay up.

Dave installing a new regulator for the back window

We had a few sunny days and things dried out enough for Dave to mow the lawn

Spring has sprung. Flowers along the Briggs Lake Loop hiking trail

B examing a geocache that we stumbled across while hiking the Ihiya Biological Reserve

Louise's Visit - April 12 - 17, 2023

Louise (B's Mom) flew from Sacramento to Bellingham on Wednesday, April 12th. Dave picked her up at the airport and they rode the ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor late that afternoon.

Thursday we went to the Pelindaba Lavender Farm. It's too early for the plants to be blooming but we wandered around the fields and smelled the lavender products in the gift shop. From there, we went to the Lime Kiln Point State park and looked for orcas (we didn't see any) and hiked around to the lighthouse. We had happy hour and supper at the brewery.

Dave and Louise at the Lavender Farm

Dave and B enjoying cold beers at the brewery

B and Louise enjoying some tall cool ones at the brewery

Friday morning, B and Louise went to the animal shelter for B's volunteer shift. We started by washing dishes and folding laundry and scrubbing cat litter boxes, then finished up socializing with the shelter cats.

Louise folding laundry at the animal shelter

Louise with a starring role in a video about Hawk.

Louise petting Baby Stripey

Louise cuddling with Moriarty - He was the pet of the week and has been adopted

We went out to Roche Harbor for lunch and spent the afternoon wandering around the Sculpture Park.

Louise ringing the bell at the Sculpture Park

Saturday morning we went to the Farmers Market, then went to Cattle Point to look at the views across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We wandered around American Camp and spent some time listening to the music and watching the dancers perform at a tribal event near the visitor center. This link will take you to an overview of the history of the Coast Salish People on San Juan Island. Saturday afternoon, we went wine tasting at the San Juan Vineyard.

Musicians at the Farmers Market

Dave, B and Louise wine tasting at the San Juan Vineyard

Sunday it rained and rained and rained so we cancelled our outings and spent the day playing pinochle and telling stories. Monday morning, Dave and Louise got on the 8:05 ferry to Anacortes. Louise flew home from Bellingham and Dave spent a few days in Anacortes with Bill, the new owner of Seabiscuit.

And last, but not least...

Seabiscuit is Sold

We accepted an offer on Seabiscuit at the end of February. Dave went over to Anacortes on Monday - Tuesday, March 20 - 21, for the survey and sea trials and all went well. The sale closed on April 7th. We had many good years and good memories on Seabiscuit and hope the new owner, Bill, enjoys her as much as we did.

Dave and Bill.
Seabiscuit is being hauled out of the water for the hull and running gear inspections

Seabiscuit in the slings while the bottom is being pressure washed

A gathering in the Seabiscuit pilot house during the sea trial
Jason, Dave, Bill, Race Turner (the mechanical surveyor) and Matt Harris (the marine surveyor)