The Salish Sea was whispering it’s siren song to us. Beckoning. Enticing. Sweet-talking. We’d been preoccupied and had not slipped the dock lines and pointed Great Northern towards northerly destinations. Quiet anchorages were calling.
Hiking on sun dappled forest trails.
Prevost and Reid harbors on Stuart Island, and Garrison Bay on San Juan Island are locations that we’ve discovered will selflessly provide ample opportunities for deep relaxation and rumination, as well as excellent prospects for hiking, paddling and substantial exertion. Weaving generalized retrospection with the physicality of hiking and paddling has been a complimentary, balancing combination for the three of us to pursue… Prevost, Reid and Garrison are far enough away from the madding crowds to retain sentiments of seclusion and privacy and elbowroom even during busy holiday weekends.
We departed Ludlow on May 22nd, a few hours after “O dark thirty”… because the early morning currents were the most accommodating. We found the seas a bit lumpy as we maneuvered across Admiralty Inlet and passed Partridge Point and skirted around the West side of the Partridge Bank. The seas were too insignificant to turn on the stabilizers, and Leo was not impressed with the swirling boat action. He dutifully employed his pry bar snout to push his way into what he feels is a more protective position. That preferred place is usually between one of our backs and the cushion we lean against in the pilot house while motoring. But… it is not comfortable for us to let him stay there so we discourage his efforts. As we came abreast of Smith Island the seas smoothed out to something short of a mill pond. Leo was happier with that and was soon back to his usual passage napping mode.
We entered the San Juans through a turbulent Cattlemans Pass, made our up San Juan Channel, crossed a turbulent Spieden Channel, transited the Northern shore of John’s Island and entered Prevost Harbor through its traditional Western Inlet. We anchored in our favorite location towards the Eastern end of the harbor.
We puttered through the long Memorial Day weekend re-acclimating to the cruising life. That consists of waking up as the sun pesters the night until he leaves the stage, and impregnates the dawn sky with subtle shades of yellow, orange and crimson. About the time the crimson makes its presence known, Leo determines that it is time. Time to rouse the 5 fingered sapien with the handy opposable thumb. According to his morning dog clock It is well past time to be served breakfast. Quickly. Now. Oh, he’s nice about the whole waking up thing. He’s subtle. Like the use of his pry bar snout to wedge his head under an unsuspecting hand. Pets are warranted. Then… once the petting phase is in full swing he flips over and presents his chest. Paws dangling flaccidly at his sides. Scritches are the next reasonable expectation.
When he asks for too many pets, scritches and treats… it helps to have an opposable thumb’ to curb his enthusiasm…’
Then, and only then, the sapiens day starts with morning ablutions and striding forth to attend to cruising activities: Check the batteries, turn off the anchor light, review the weather reports, prepare coffee and food, go for a hike, food, nap, kayak, SUP, dinghy ride to the garden-store-restaurant-attraction, read, nap, Din Din, wine, check the weather, check anchor security, turn on the anchor light, go to bed. Oh… and in amongst all that, repair anything that needs to be realigned with its true purpose in life.
Rinse repeat. That’s cruising in a nutshell.
4 or 5 days at Prevost, a couple of days at Roche, back to Reid for a reprise, then off to Garrison Bay. The draws of Garrison: An excellent, mostly weather proof anchorage, a grocery store and restaurant a short dinghy ride away at Roche Harbor, easy and intermediate level hiking trails… and the more challenging Young Hill Trail. https://www.summitpost.org/young-hill/998381#chapter_1.
The trail has that certain bit of athletically challenging allure… unless it is the middle of summer when the pathway is hot, dry, and dusty, which adds an additional dehydrating challenge to the mix. Think mojave… As a famous German alpinist saying goes: “Immer bergauf, ziemlich steil für etwa eine meile. Unerbittlich” (Always uphill, rather steep for about a mile. Relentless). An added attraction… it is a reasonable component to add to a well thought out program designed to raise the heart rate, inhalations per minute, and moderate ones blood pressure.
Day 1, Garrison Bay: The Hill…
It all starts as all things should… with a short dinghy ride. Park the dink at a well designed, sturdy dock.
And gazing about:
It doesn’t get better than that on a late spring day, eh?
Salish Sea Cruising With Blair, Les, Leo, and Bliss 