San Juan Islands

Location:  Roche Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington

We have been exploring the San Juan Islands for the last few weeks along with spending some time with Ben in Seattle and visiting boatyards to get quotes for the installation of a diesel-fired hydronic heating system.

View from the stern, looking SW:  at anchor, Blind Bay, Shaw Island

View from the stern, looking SW:  at anchor, Blind Bay, Shaw Island

View from the bow, looking NW:  at anchor, Blind Bay, Shaw Island

At the end of the last blog, we had just anchored up in Blind Bay on the north side of Shaw Island. The next morning, the sun was out and the skies were clear.  We watched three otters play on and around a sailboat and float anchored to the east of us.  We aired up the dinghy, launched it and motored in to the town dock near the ferry landing.  Our plan was to have lunch at the General Store but it was closed for the season, so we hiked along the island roads instead.  We saw several deer and a bald eagle, picked a few blackberries and headed back to the boat.  We heaved anchor just after lunch and head west to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

Seabiscuit at "D" breakwater dock, Friday Harbor.

Float plane landing, Friday Harbor.

Friday Harbor is a popular destination within the San Juan Islands and is a busy harbor.  They have a 500-slip marina, a ferry landing, a float plane dock and plenty of working vessels.  The town has a year-round population of about 2300 and has a good selection of stores, restaurants and bars.  After getting settled in at the guest dock, we wandered around town and had seafood for supper.  The next morning we pulled out our stock of winter clothes and stored our summer gear.  Most of our winter stuff has been stowed under the bunks and in the mid-ship hold since we left Maine over 4 years ago.  We found stuff we didn't remember having and traded our summer sandals for shoes more suited to the cold and wet.  That afternoon we walked over to the U.S. Customs office to talk to them about the various "frequent boater" programs they have for expedited entry into the U.S. The Customs officer there was very friendly and helpful and, since they deal a lot with boaters coming and going between the U.S. and Canada, she knew most of the in-and-outs of the different programs.  Since both Dave and I have Global Entry cards (GOES - part of the US trusted traveler program), we were able to sign up for Boater Registration numbers.  This means that we can call and clear Customs over the phone instead of having to land and check in at a US Customs dock every time we return from Canada.

The next morning, Oct. 11, we left Friday Harbor and cruised to Sidney, BC, on the east side of Vancouver Island.  Our route took us by Spieden Island which is privately owned and was once known as "Safari Island".  The island was stocked with exotic game and was a destination for big game hunters.  The hunting resort shut-down not long after it was opened but some of the animals still remain including Corsican Mouflons, Indian spotted deer and Japanese Sika Deer.  You can see the animals grazing on the south side of the island as you cruise by.

We are also members of the CANPASS system, which gives us expedited clearance from the U.S. into Canada.  Once we crossed the Canada/U.S. border between San Juan and Vancouver Islands, we called Canada Customs and got clearance over the phone.  Our goal in Sidney was to meet with a boatyard to get a quote on the heating system, bottom paint job, saloon upgrades and several other maintenance items.  As mentioned, we plan to install a hydronic diesel-fired boiler heating system this winter.  We have a reverse-cycle heating system on board, but it isn't adequate for the late-fall, winter, early-spring cruising of the inside passage to Alaska we plan to do over the next couple of years.

Puddy borrowing a jacket to keep warm.

 

We met with the yard, did a walk-thru of the scope of work, walked into Sidney for supper and spent the night at Van Isle Marina.  We left early Wednesday morning and headed south to Port Angeles.  We stopped at the guest dock at the marina there and did a walk-thru with a local yard then headed east to Port Townsend for the night.  There was a storm moving in and we wanted to make some miles to get to better shelter before it closed in.  We tied up at the Port Townsend marina just as it was getting dark and walked into town for supper.

Lighthouse between Port Angeles and Port Townsend

Thursday morning we left the marina just after sunrise and headed to Seattle for the weekend.  We stayed at Bell Harbor Marina right in the heart of downtown.  The weather was moving in and they were predicting heavy rain and wind up to 60 mph, the worst they have seen in the last ten years.  Because of this, two yachts clubs had cancelled their weekend reservations at the marina and we were able to get a slip that gave us good protection from the wind and sea.  

Seattle skyline.

Seabiscuit at Bell Harbor Marina.

Ben, Dave's son, flew in to Seattle on Friday for a work trip.  He took care of business and then met us at the boat Friday evening.  We walked along the waterfront and had seafood for supper then stopped at a local blues bar to listen to some music before heading back to the boat.  It rained most of Saturday morning, but cleared up mid-afternoon.  We walked up to Pike's Place Market and wandered around then went to a local brew pub for some beers.  Ben met us there and we walked over to a local pizza place for supper.  The worst of the storm was scheduled to arrive around 7:00 p.m. so we called it an early night and headed back to the boat.  It turned out to be a fairly calm night.  The storm rotation took it further west than they had predicted and Seattle and the surrounding areas escaped the worst of it.

Ben, B and Dave at a Seattle brew pub.

We met Ben for breakfast Sunday morning.  He had work obligations for the rest of the day so we picked up a few groceries and headed back to the boat.  We met Ben for supper later that evening and then said our goodbyes.  He was headed back to Austin the next morning.

Monday morning we left Seattle and cruised to Langley on the east side of Whidbey Island.  We tied up at the dock around noon and walked into town for lunch at the local bistro.  Langley is a pretty little town with lots of history; they call themselves "The Village by the Sea".  We walked around town to stretch our legs and see the sights.  They have a small, volunteer-run movie theater in town The Clyde Theater - Langley so we decided to have a "date night" and go out to the movies.  They were showing "Hell or High Water", a modern day western based in west Texas.  Good plot and good acting and we both enjoyed it.  Rotten Tomatoes - Hell or High Water

B setting up the bow line as we come into Langley

View of the waterfront from the Langley Resort

Historic Buildings, downtown Langley

Next stop, La Conner, on the Swinomish Channel.  The Swinomish Channel is a narrow channel that connects the Seattle/Everett area (Skagit Bay) to the Bellingham/Anacortes area (Padilla Bay).  About 11 miles long, the channel is narrow, shallow and the currents can be strong so it is important to follow the channel markers and time your voyage based on the tides and currents.  We timed our arrival for high slack tide and didn't have any issues.  For another view on navigating the channel, check out this article Navigating the Swinomish Channel.   La Conner is another small interesting town with a lot of character.  We tied up at the marina and wandered along the waterfront into town for supper.

Oyster catchers at the south end of the Swinomish Channel, near Goat Island.

Log booms on the Swinomish Channel.

House at "Hole in the Wall", just before you take the dog-leg turn to the north
to enter the Swinomish Channel

Seabiscuit docked at the La Conner Marina

Looking west as we cruise the northern half of the Swinomish Channel.

On Thursday morning, Oct. 20, we cruised from La Conner to Bellingham to meet with another boatyard.  We spent three nights there exploring the town.  We wandered downtown, checked out a few local restaurants and took a nature walk along the waterfront to nearby Fairhaven.

View of Mount Baker

Nature trail along the Bellingham waterfront

Saturday, Oct. 22, we left Bellingham and cruised to Anacortes.  About a month ago, when we were cruising the Columbia River, our fresh water pump failed.  Our old fresh water pump was leaking and  Dave had replaced it with an updated version.  The new pump ran fine for ten days and then failed.  It was running continuously and wouldn't shut down.  We tried to do some troubleshooting and decided that the pressure switch was bad.  Dave put the pressure switch from the old pump onto the new pump but that didn't solve the problem.  We ordered new pressure switches for both pumps and had them shipped to Anacortes.  Because of Hurricane Matthew on the East Coast, the switches were back ordered and took longer than expected to ship.  We finally got notice that the parts had shipped and were due to arrive in Anacortes on Monday.  For the last month, while waiting for the parts to arrive, we have been manually switching the pump on and off at the local power control.  So, for example, when one of us showered, the other stood near the pump to turn it on to make sure there was water pressure for the shower and to turn it off to ensure that the system wasn't over pressured.  

View looking west from the top of Cap Sante,
overlooking Cap Sante Marina and north Fidalgo Island.

Deer in the woods, Cap Sante.

Double rainbow, looking east from our slip.  The boat at the end of the dock
is a Northern Marine Expedition Yacht, about 85 feet long.

Over the weekend, we took some hikes, went to the Saturday Farmer's market, tried our luck at the nearby casino and ate at a few local restaurants.  Monday morning we walked down to the post office to pick up the pump parts.  Dave installed them and... no joy, the pump was still running continuously and wouldn't shut-off.  Plan B - install a new pump.  It's 24V so nothing in stock locally but we found one on-line with 2-day shipping.  We extended our stay at the marina for a few more days and sat back to wait on the new pump to arrive.  It came in on Thursday morning; Dave installed it and voila, it worked.  

We left Anacortes Friday morning.  It was a beautiful, sunny day so we decided to stop at Fisherman Bay, on the west side of Lopez Island, and anchor out.  We were past due on the replacement of our hull zincs.  Anchoring out in calm weather and clear water gave us the opportunity to replace them.  Earlier this summer, Dave had purchased cold-water diving gear so that he could do the work himself and this was our first opportunity to give it a try.  

The old hull zincs, about 10 - 15% remaining, compared with a new one.

Dave inspecting the zincs on the port side.

Dave - zinc replacement finished.  Calm and clear, the water temperature was 51F.

Sunset, Fisherman Bay, Lopez Island.

We left Fisherman Bay Saturday morning and cruised to Roche Harbor.  Roche Harbor is an old limestone mining company town on the northwest corner of San Juan Island.  The old company town buildings and the surrounding area have been transformed into a resort area with formal gardens, an historic hotel, swimming pool and spa.  Hiking trails and pathways around the resort include informative signs about the history of the area.  We have been enjoying to peaceful surroundings and the sunny weather and have taken several nature walks since we arrived.

Roche Harbor Limestone Mining Operations:

Lime Kiln

Description of the Lime Kilns

Generator Plant

Description of the Generator Plants

Limestone Quarry Site

Sculpture Gardens:  http://sjisculpturepark.com/
The sculpture gardens have a nice variety of work, most available for purchase.

Whimsical

Red Fox

Dragonfly

B and Dave

The Mausoleum:  Mausoleum Website

On the trail to the Mausoleum you can walk through an old cemetery in the forest.

Description of the Mausoleum.

The McMillan Family Mausoleum

We plan to depart Roche Harbor tomorrow morning, November 1st, and travel to Victoria Harbor on the south end of Vancouver Island.

Enjoying late season blackberries.

The end of the bash

Location:  At anchor, Blind Bay, Shaw Island, Washington

We have finally finished the bash up the Pacific coast and are now tucked inside the San Juan Islands in Washington State. We rounded Cape Flattery, at the northwest tip of the Washington State mainland, on October 3rd and entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca. No more ocean swells and no more river bar crossings to deal with until we head back south in a couple of years.

Cape Flattery

Lighthouse on Tatoosh Island at the entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca

At the end of the last blog, we were in Umatilla just downriver from the McNary Lock on the Columbia River.  On the morning of September 15th, we pulled into the lock to continue our journey upstream.  Another recreational boat, Joe on "No Name" joined us in the lock.  We locked thru with no issues and made our way up to Kennewick (33 nm, 5.5 hours).

Approaching the McNary Lock.

The McNary Lock gates closing behind us.

Joe on "No Name" securing his lines to the lock bollard. 

The open bascule bridge and the gate at the upstream end of the lock.

Landscape between Umatilla and Kennewick.

Landscape between Umatilla and Kennewick.

The two sisters rock formation.

While in Kennewick, we rented a car and toured the Yakima Valley.  The Yakima Valley is a large agricultural area teeming with vineyards and orchards.  We visited a few wineries, wandered around downtown Toppenish - famous for its murals Toppenish Murals, and did some hiking.

Boat houses at Port of Kennewick.  As you can see in the reflections,
the water was extremely calm.

Merlot grapes ready for harvest.

Halloween Pranks Mural, Toppenish.

Description of Halloween Pranks mural, Toppenish.

Winter Camp Mural, Toppenish.

Description of Winter Camp Mural, Toppenish.

Hiking Cowitch Canyon,  Yakima, WA.

Stream in Cowitch Canyon, Yakima.

We had planned to leave Kennewick and head up the Snake River to Clarkston, WA / Lewiston, ID.  On Monday the 19th, I called ahead to make sure there would be dock space available at the stops along the river.  The first two stops, Lyons Ferry and Boyer Park, both had room but when I called the Port of Clarkston, they had four or five cruise ships arriving the weekend we planned to be there so they didn't have dock space available.  The other two marinas in the Clarkston / Lewiston area weren't deep enough for us to get into.  Based on this, we decided to turn around and head back down the Columbia River and to save the Snake River for another time.

We left Kennewick and headed downstream, thru the McNary Lock, to Arlington on Tuesday, September 20th (73 nm, 9.9 hours).

Sunset, Kennewick.

Entering the McNary Lock, heading downstream.

Barge tied up and loading grain, Roosevelt, WA, across the river from Arlington, OR.

Swifts gathered on the bow, Arlington, OR.

On September 21st, we left Arlington and cruised to The Dalles (45 nm, 7.7 hours), thru two locks, the John Day and The Dalles.  My friend, Carla, was driving to Clarkston from California, so she met us in The Dalles for supper at the Baldwin Saloon and then spent the night on the boat.

The guillotine gate of the John Day lock opening to let us out the downstream side.

Barge being loaded with logs as we waited to lock down The Dalles Lock.

A sea lion sitting on the porch of a boat house, The Dalles.
He was 190 miles from the ocean and had to come up
one lock to get here.

Cruise ship docked at The Dalles

Seabiscuit at The Dalles transient dock.

Carla and B.

On September 22nd, we traveled to Cascade Locks (36 nm, 4.9 hours).  On the 23rd, we traveled to Portland (35 nm, 4.8 hours).  While in Portland for the weekend, we rented a car and drove to Kennewick.  We had ordered some boat parts and had them shipped there.  Our plan was to pick them up when we came back down from the Snake River, but, since we decided not to cruise up the Snake, the easiest way to get them was to drive back up there.  We stopped at a winery on the Washington side of the Columbia River, toured the Sacajawea State Park and spend a day in Walla Walla.

Looking over the Columbia River from the Washington Side, near Wishram, WA.

Jacob Williams Winery, near Wishram, WA.

Overlooking the Columbia River, near the McNary Dam.

Agricultural land near Walla Walla.

We left Portland on September 28th and cruised to Astoria (81 nm, 10.1 hours).

Sunrise, Portland, OR

Large ship heading up river, between Astoria and Portland, OR.

Canadian geese, low tide, Astoria, OR.

Cruise ship at the dock in Astoria the day we arrived.

Cruise ship at the dock in Astoria the following day.

We left Astoria on Friday, September 30th and crossed the Columbia River bar back into the Pacific Ocean.  Our first destination was Grays Harbor and the town of Westport (63 nm, 8.7 hours).  On Saturday, October 1st we moved up the coast to La Push, on the Quilayete River (70 nm, 9.5 hours).  The weather was worse than we expected that day, with the wind and waves from the southwest, making for a lumpy ride.  The Quilayete River entrance bar was closed most of the day so we made plans to continue on to Neah Bay, about 50 miles further up the coast.  We continued to check the bar conditions and about 3:30 that afternoon, the wind changed direction and started to come from the southeast.  The Coast Guard re-opened the entrance bar about 4:00 p.m. and we were able to cross into the harbor safely when we arrived about 4:30 p.m.  The setting at La Push is beautiful with Little James Island near the river entrance and rock spires to both the north and the south.  While there we spotted bald eagles and a sea otter. We stayed an extra day in La Push in order to let the seas calm some and I was able to take my kayak for a paddle up the river.

James Island and the beach at La Push.

James Island as we exited La Push the morning of Oct. 3

Kayaking up the Quilayute River

Seabiscuit at the dock, La Push marina.

 

We left La Push on the morning of October 3rd and cruised to Port Angeles (91 nm, 11.8 hours).  We had planned to stop at Neah Bay, just inside the entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  We were making good time and there was a gale warning out for a storm moving down the west side of Vancouver Island, so we decided to continue on to Port Angeles which would but us well east of the weather and the ocean swells that it would create.  We arrived in Port Angeles just after dark.

Looking north over the downtown area of Port Angeles, WA.

Alaskan oil tanker at anchor in Port Angeles Bay.

October 5th, we cruised up into the San Juan Islands and the Port of Anacortes (44 nm, 6.8 hours).  We spent the last few days there, doing boat chores and exploring the town.

Statue in honor of the families of fishermen, Seafarer's Park, Anacortes, WA.

Bier on the Pier Festival, Anacortes

 

This morning we cruised to Blind Bay on the northern side of Shaw Island (16 nm, 2.7 hours) and dropped anchor.  It is a beautiful, quiet, peaceful setting.  We've covered a lot of miles over the last few months.  Now we plan to do some leisurely cruising and exploring of the San Juan Islands and the nearby Canadian Gulf Islands.

Shaw Island on the west side of Blind Bay

Shaw Island on the south side of Blind Bay.