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#1
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A summer day in the islands
A slice of last summer. :-)
The sun will be back! *** Orcas Island's West Sound Somewhere near the midpoint of an extended summer excursion through the San Juan Islands, it would not be unusual to yearn for something of a break from the traditional peak season boating conditions. The tourist towns, the posh resorts, the State Park moorages, and other stereotypical destinations are unquestionably a lot of fun, but all the boats, people, hustle buck, and congestion can eventually become exhausting. After a boatload of drunks just a couple of slips away hoots, hollers, and screams until 0230 (or the six-decked floating city hogging most of a woodsy cove runs all three generators, all night), somewhere peaceful and quiet seems particularly desirable. Does any place remain in the San Juans that isn't overwhelmed during the height of the summer cruising season? Some picturesque nook where boaters are welcome, but relatively few accept the invitation on any given day? A genuinely nautical destination where the docks aren't swamped with gawking sightseers from East Plowville every time a new tour bus arrives? Some place where your boat probably won't be in peril of being rammed at the dock by somebody frantically trying to "hit all the high points" during their annual boat ride? Yes, there is. For the second time in the last few years, we sought refuge from the teeming San Juan hordes in Orcas Island's West Sound. West Sound is a scenic cruising ground, with an almost uninterrupted vista of forested hills surrounding the bay. The area is somewhat protected, except from strong southerlies. Names of islands and landmarks here commemorate some of the last inter-tribal raids by Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest. Haida Point commemorates a roving sea nation that dispatched war canoes to gather provisions and slaves from surrounding, more docile, fishing and gathering nations. "Skull", "Massacre", and "Victim" Islands denote relatively recent inter-tribal violence in this serene and soothing bay. We have rowed ashore and explored some of the small, fish camp islands in West Sound. Most are now generally overgrown, with former trails and clearings reclaimed by brush and windfall. As one motors up West Sound on a sunny, summer afternoon, it is easy to visualize that the area would have been a preferred village site for Native Americans. The hamlet surrounding Orcas Ferry Landing is near the entrance to West Sound, but unlike Deer Harbor to the west or East Sound to the east, there is no major tourist resort and no town of any size in West Sound. A perfect destination for a secluded break. We have previously docked at the Orcas Island Yacht Club reciprocal dock, near 48.37.88 N and 122.57.59 W, where members of clubs with reciprocal privileges are welcome. We were not affiliated with such a club during our 2004 cruise. We took a spot on the transient dock at West Sound Marina, near 48.37.75 N and 122.57.51 W. The approach to West Sound Marina is tricky, but should be successfully accomplished by all but the careless or clueless. The closer one approaches the visitors' float, the tighter the channel becomes. Picnic Island is immediately south of the marina, and arriving boats must stay very close to the float to avoid a protruding, rocky ledge. A properly scaled chart, a working depth sounder, a conscious plan, and a sharp eye will all be useful here. (As we departed the marina on a low tide, Jan reported seeing a large rock just underwater and about five feet off the port beam. We were passing boats rafted less than ten feet to starboard, so extremely deep draft or beamy vessels will want to exercise extra caution entering or departing here at low water.) On a warm afternoon, in late August, when the marinas and resorts on the more highly traveled routes in the San Juans would be turning people away, we were the only boat on the visitors' float at West Sound Marina. The Orcas Island Yacht Club float had but a single boat as well. A few early evening arrivals would eventually join us, but we had the dock to ourselves most of the afternoon. West Sound Marina is a full service location. Many island residents maintain their boats here on a permanent basis, and West Sound is equipped with a Travel Lift capable of hauling out the majority of pleasure vessels. Skilled boatwrights are on hand to address anything from a quick repair to a major overhaul. Marine supplies, charts, and snacks are for sale in a surprisingly well-stocked marina office, and gasoline and diesel are both available on the fuel dock. When landing at West Sound Marina, one is well aware that they are in a legitimate, working, maritime location rather than a Disneyfied simulation. The marina and the surroundings are "postcard" picturesque. Once moored and checked in, West Sound is a perfect location to bask on deck with a good book, a cold beverage, and a grandstand view of impressive sunsets. The late August air is slovenly and plump- as rich with scent as baking bread. Just ashore, the berries and grasses are ripe in every direction, Summer's work is accomplished, so she takes a few well-deserved breaths and begins to contemplate retirement. It is an easy, peaceful time of few troubles. We could have passed the entire afternoon and evening lounging, napping, reading, writing, and watching otters frolic in the shallows. Jan decided we really needed an ice cream cone, so we decided to unfold the bikes and pedal just under 12 short miles to East Sound. East Sound is a wonderful, hip, tourist community that welcomes boaters- but not boats. There is an eel grass bed that allegedly extends about halfway back to Seattle, and the town (wisely) prohibits anchoring activity that could damage the fragile ecological resource. The compact town dock is closed to boaters after dark. Bicyclists are considered environmentally friendly in East Sound, so we hoped that none of the disapproving locals would notice the "Mariner" model name and allow us to sneak in somewhat incognito. What the Goulds won't do for ice cream on a hot summer day! We pedaled up and down a series of endless hills between West Sound and East Sound. One of us got some directions confused, (but she will remain anonymous), and we took the long route down the main road between the Orcas ferry and East Sound. Our little folding bikes allow us to appreciate far more of the island scenery, economy, and highlights when we land on a large place like Orcas. As we peddled through the center of the island, we passed scores of idyllic farmsteads- new mown meadows surrounded by bright white fences. We saw houses, barns, and tree lined vistas that would have been impossible to view from the water. Boating and biking are a combination that is hard to beat when exploring an area. A tourist shop or two interrupted our bike ride, but we ultimately arrived in East Sound. Jan bought the Sunday paper, and we savored some sweet, cold, ice cream. After a 12-mile bike ride, we considered the calories "free". The outbound ride to the ice cream shop seemed more alluring than the prospect of the return ride to the marina, and 24 total miles of hills are a bit of a push for a pair of no-longer-youthful amateur cyclists. We caught the Orcas Island Shuttle back to West Sound, ($5 each and another $1 for each bike). The Shuttle runs a regular route around Orcas several times a day between mid-June and mid-September. A $10 pass will allow a boater to board or disembark the shuttle at Lieber Haven, Olga, Moran, Rosario, Cascade, Ship Bay, the Orcas Airport, East Sound, Deer Harbor, West Sound, and the Orcas Ferry dock. The shuttle is an excellent way to view Orcas Island if bikes are not available, or (as we found); when late in the day the hills seem to be getting steeper and more frequent. One can use West Sound as a base to explore Orcas, but the character of the place really seems more ideally suited to kicking back on deck, and savoring the tranquility. The West Sound Inn is reputed to be a very good restaurant, and is a five-minute walk from the marina- we would have dined there but found it closed on Sunday. The more we experience our NW waters, the longer our list becomes of places we want to visit and things we hope to do in the future. We have added the West Sound Inn to our list of things to do when next in West Sound. We sipped some sweet wine on the aft deck. Otters splashed and rolled in waters rippled red and black as the sun slid off the cosmic canvas in the west. It was easy to forget that the noisy drunks and the Grand Coulee powerhouse gensets were still in the general vicinity, (they could have been a world away). We will be back to West Sound within a year or two; the next time we feel temporarily "burned out" by the summer crowds in the San Juans. |
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#3
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Boating, like ripping a bodice, is the fulfillment of a fantasy. The
intensity of the anticipation has an effect on the ultimate experience. Mixing in a pinch of spice here and there fuels the imagination. :-) Thanks for the compliment. Too bad I can't share the photos, it's a beautiful place. |
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#4
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Harry wrote:
Nice write-up, chuckster...watch that prose, though...it is heading towards purple. ******** Thanks. I deliberately crowd the schmaltzy side of the channel at various points. This type of item is a lot more like writing a greeting card than penning Moby Dick. :-) |
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#6
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wrote in message oups.com... A slice of last summer. :-) The sun will be back! *** Orcas Island's West Sound Somewhere near the midpoint of an extended summer excursion through the San Juan Islands, it would not be unusual to yearn for something of a break from the traditional peak season boating conditions. The tourist towns, the posh resorts, the State Park moorages, and other stereotypical destinations are unquestionably a lot of fun, but all the boats, people, hustle buck, and congestion can eventually become exhausting. After a boatload of drunks just a couple of slips away hoots, hollers, and screams until 0230 (or the six-decked floating city hogging most of a woodsy cove runs all three generators, all night), somewhere peaceful and quiet seems particularly desirable. Does any place remain in the San Juans that isn't overwhelmed during the height of the summer cruising season? Some picturesque nook where boaters are welcome, but relatively few accept the invitation on any given day? A genuinely nautical destination where the docks aren't swamped with gawking sightseers from East Plowville every time a new tour bus arrives? Some place where your boat probably won't be in peril of being rammed at the dock by somebody frantically trying to "hit all the high points" during their annual boat ride? Yes, there is. For the second time in the last few years, we sought refuge from the teeming San Juan hordes in Orcas Island's West Sound. West Sound is a scenic cruising ground, with an almost uninterrupted vista of forested hills surrounding the bay. The area is somewhat protected, except from strong southerlies. Names of islands and landmarks here commemorate some of the last inter-tribal raids by Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest. Haida Point commemorates a roving sea nation that dispatched war canoes to gather provisions and slaves from surrounding, more docile, fishing and gathering nations. "Skull", "Massacre", and "Victim" Islands denote relatively recent inter-tribal violence in this serene and soothing bay. We have rowed ashore and explored some of the small, fish camp islands in West Sound. Most are now generally overgrown, with former trails and clearings reclaimed by brush and windfall. As one motors up West Sound on a sunny, summer afternoon, it is easy to visualize that the area would have been a preferred village site for Native Americans. The hamlet surrounding Orcas Ferry Landing is near the entrance to West Sound, but unlike Deer Harbor to the west or East Sound to the east, there is no major tourist resort and no town of any size in West Sound. A perfect destination for a secluded break. We have previously docked at the Orcas Island Yacht Club reciprocal dock, near 48.37.88 N and 122.57.59 W, where members of clubs with reciprocal privileges are welcome. We were not affiliated with such a club during our 2004 cruise. We took a spot on the transient dock at West Sound Marina, near 48.37.75 N and 122.57.51 W. The approach to West Sound Marina is tricky, but should be successfully accomplished by all but the careless or clueless. The closer one approaches the visitors' float, the tighter the channel becomes. Picnic Island is immediately south of the marina, and arriving boats must stay very close to the float to avoid a protruding, rocky ledge. A properly scaled chart, a working depth sounder, a conscious plan, and a sharp eye will all be useful here. (As we departed the marina on a low tide, Jan reported seeing a large rock just underwater and about five feet off the port beam. We were passing boats rafted less than ten feet to starboard, so extremely deep draft or beamy vessels will want to exercise extra caution entering or departing here at low water.) On a warm afternoon, in late August, when the marinas and resorts on the more highly traveled routes in the San Juans would be turning people away, we were the only boat on the visitors' float at West Sound Marina. The Orcas Island Yacht Club float had but a single boat as well. A few early evening arrivals would eventually join us, but we had the dock to ourselves most of the afternoon. West Sound Marina is a full service location. Many island residents maintain their boats here on a permanent basis, and West Sound is equipped with a Travel Lift capable of hauling out the majority of pleasure vessels. Skilled boatwrights are on hand to address anything from a quick repair to a major overhaul. Marine supplies, charts, and snacks are for sale in a surprisingly well-stocked marina office, and gasoline and diesel are both available on the fuel dock. When landing at West Sound Marina, one is well aware that they are in a legitimate, working, maritime location rather than a Disneyfied simulation. The marina and the surroundings are "postcard" picturesque. Once moored and checked in, West Sound is a perfect location to bask on deck with a good book, a cold beverage, and a grandstand view of impressive sunsets. The late August air is slovenly and plump- as rich with scent as baking bread. Just ashore, the berries and grasses are ripe in every direction, Summer's work is accomplished, so she takes a few well-deserved breaths and begins to contemplate retirement. It is an easy, peaceful time of few troubles. We could have passed the entire afternoon and evening lounging, napping, reading, writing, and watching otters frolic in the shallows. Jan decided we really needed an ice cream cone, so we decided to unfold the bikes and pedal just under 12 short miles to East Sound. East Sound is a wonderful, hip, tourist community that welcomes boaters- but not boats. There is an eel grass bed that allegedly extends about halfway back to Seattle, and the town (wisely) prohibits anchoring activity that could damage the fragile ecological resource. The compact town dock is closed to boaters after dark. Bicyclists are considered environmentally friendly in East Sound, so we hoped that none of the disapproving locals would notice the "Mariner" model name and allow us to sneak in somewhat incognito. What the Goulds won't do for ice cream on a hot summer day! We pedaled up and down a series of endless hills between West Sound and East Sound. One of us got some directions confused, (but she will remain anonymous), and we took the long route down the main road between the Orcas ferry and East Sound. Our little folding bikes allow us to appreciate far more of the island scenery, economy, and highlights when we land on a large place like Orcas. As we peddled through the center of the island, we passed scores of idyllic farmsteads- new mown meadows surrounded by bright white fences. We saw houses, barns, and tree lined vistas that would have been impossible to view from the water. Boating and biking are a combination that is hard to beat when exploring an area. A tourist shop or two interrupted our bike ride, but we ultimately arrived in East Sound. Jan bought the Sunday paper, and we savored some sweet, cold, ice cream. After a 12-mile bike ride, we considered the calories "free". The outbound ride to the ice cream shop seemed more alluring than the prospect of the return ride to the marina, and 24 total miles of hills are a bit of a push for a pair of no-longer-youthful amateur cyclists. We caught the Orcas Island Shuttle back to West Sound, ($5 each and another $1 for each bike). The Shuttle runs a regular route around Orcas several times a day between mid-June and mid-September. A $10 pass will allow a boater to board or disembark the shuttle at Lieber Haven, Olga, Moran, Rosario, Cascade, Ship Bay, the Orcas Airport, East Sound, Deer Harbor, West Sound, and the Orcas Ferry dock. The shuttle is an excellent way to view Orcas Island if bikes are not available, or (as we found); when late in the day the hills seem to be getting steeper and more frequent. One can use West Sound as a base to explore Orcas, but the character of the place really seems more ideally suited to kicking back on deck, and savoring the tranquility. The West Sound Inn is reputed to be a very good restaurant, and is a five-minute walk from the marina- we would have dined there but found it closed on Sunday. The more we experience our NW waters, the longer our list becomes of places we want to visit and things we hope to do in the future. We have added the West Sound Inn to our list of things to do when next in West Sound. We sipped some sweet wine on the aft deck. Otters splashed and rolled in waters rippled red and black as the sun slid off the cosmic canvas in the west. It was easy to forget that the noisy drunks and the Grand Coulee powerhouse gensets were still in the general vicinity, (they could have been a world away). We will be back to West Sound within a year or two; the next time we feel temporarily "burned out" by the summer crowds in the San Juans. Nice story Chuck...thanks. |
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#7
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John H wrote:
Definitely makes me want to have a boat on Puget Sound! Nice story, Chuck. Now, go here http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jherring1/my_photos and figure out how to get some of those pictures posted. ******************************* That site seems to allow me to download photos from you, but not add photos to your album. Not a bad policy, can you imagine some of the embarrasing photos people would tag onto other's websites? "BBW meets 5 strategic squirts of whipped cream and a couple of marachino cherries"? I think not. Send me your actual email address by private email and I'll send you a photofile. Same with anybody else who would like to see the pictures. |
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