03 | Cruising the San Juan Islands

After years of dreaming and preparing, we were finally ready to move aboard and set sail on an open-ended adventure. All of our possessions had either been moved aboard, donated, sold, or stored with relatives. We backed out of our slip for the last time, ducked under the familiar bridges, and headed out of the busy Duwamish waterway. Our destination for this momentous day was a mere three miles away, but it didn't need to be any farther. The tethers to our sedentary lives had been cut, and we were finally underway. We soaked in the tranquil evening at Blake Island, cooking a celebratory steak dinner, because not only was this the long-awaited beginning of our cruise, it also happened to be my birthday. The next morning we headed north, leaving behind the hazy Seattle skyline and all the familiar waters on our way to Port Townsend. Our real goal was the San Juan Islands, an archipelago of more than a hundred islands along the border between Washington and British Columbia. We planned to spend a number of weeks in the islands, enjoying the spectacular cruising ground as a shakedown for the more demanding voyages to come. We awoke in Port Townsend to a dense fog, but the tides were turning, so we headed out through the tidal rips around Point Wilson and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca for the 30-mile crossing to the San Juan Islands. We entered the island group through Cattle Pass, and then up to the Wasp Passage between Orcas and Shaw Islands. This narrow passage is one of our favorite places. We sailed through it many times in the coming weeks. We settled into the groove of cruising over the next few days, slowly shaking off the stress and the fast pace of that final push to ready the boat and move aboard. The sun was warm, the breeze is gentle. Every few days a new perfect anchorage. We were really getting into the good life. Some places, like Deer Harbor, have a bit more hustle and bustle, but after filling up on ice cream, we set sail out to more remote Stewart Island for some hiking and nature. You say that like it's impressive, but not that impressive. That's okay. It's impressive for today. We only have two sails up, the main and the staysail, so I'm feeling pretty good about it. We crossed tacks a few times with the Schooner Zodiac, which is always special for me as it was the first boat I ever sailed on at the age of 13. I think it had quite a strong influence on me. The sailing in the San Juans is amazing. Steady afternoon breezes with flat water, line-of-sight navigation, and hundreds of anchorages look at as close or as far as you like. The islands are in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, and it virtually never rains in summer. It is basically a perfect cruising ground. One of our favorite places was tiny Mesa Island at the north end of the San Juans. It is one of many islands protected as a state park. There is room for one or two boats to anchor in the cozy cove. The island is sandstone bluffs covered in old growth forest. It's a beautiful place. We stayed there for days. As the summer progressed, morning fog became more common. We headed through Obstruction Pass early one morning, then out past the reef net fishing fleet off Lummi Island. But most of the time, we were under clear blue skies in lovely conditions. Because of the close proximity to home, we had regular visits to the boat from friends and family. Sometimes they would even deliver tools or parts for little boat projects. In Reed Harbor, we met another wooden Ingrid, the J.D. Crow. It was very cool to have two of these lovely boats together. We spent a few more days sailing, hiking, and exploring in this amazing archipelago. After one more perfect sunset over Patos and the Canadian islands beyond, it was time. We took our last look around at the warm and sunny islands, all the protected anchorages, and the restful nights in calm water. And we pointed the bow west, down the straits of Juan de Fuca and toward the open Pacific Ocean. Halfway down the straits, we stopped at Port Angeles. Already, the weather was cooler and wetter. We spent some time hiking in the Olympic National Park and used the local machine shop for a bit of last-minute engine work. After fueling up, we found our weather window. We were ready for the real adventure to begin. We pulled our anchor and set out westward once again towards the mighty Pacific. But more about that, next time.