More on the tall ship trip...Encampment 2009

After our evening trip around the islands, we awoke to a beautiful morning in a very crowded Roche Harbor (San Juan Island), for the annual "Encampment" - a reenactment of the "Pig War". Normally there would be only a few boats for the event, according to a local, but this year there were dozens of boats in the harbor, there to see the tall ships (not a normal part of the event). Lady Washington pulled up beside us in the morning - that's her behind Gary - then we maneuvered into the harbor between all the boats and shot off cannons at English Camp. We really enjoyed the entire experience.


There was lots of cannon fire that day - from the sea and then on land as well! Also, they were giving free tours of the tall ships, so Suanne and Jasper (who came over by ferry) took an extended tour of both ships.

P.S. If Lady Washington looks familiar, that might be because she was used in the Star Trek movie "Generations" and also as the Interceptor in the Pirates of the Carribean movies!

Tall Ship overnight trip

Suanne stayed with us for several days, and while she was here, she discovered that the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain were in port here in Anacortes - and there just happened to be 2 spots left for overnight passage to San Juan Island Roche Harbor. So Gary and I took the opportunity and had a fantastic experience! We cruised through the passages around the islands, enjoyed homemade lasagna and asparagus prepared by the ship's excellent cook (maybe not the ideal dish if you have rough seas, I imagine - but it was very calm); then we were blessed with an absolutely gorgeous sunset. That's captain JB in the shot behind me. We spent the night in bunks on the Hawaiian Chieftain (not nearly as uncomfortable as you might expect - but low clearance so watch your head - and certainly not accomodations of a cruise ship - but I would gladly spend a few months on this ship).

Deception Pass State Park

We have been enjoying "riding the tides" through Deception Pass. If timed just right, you can launch from the west beach in the state park, and the tide will suck you right through and under the bridge, then spit you back out. Our first visit to the bridge was a bit foggy but still the bridge is impressive, foggy or clear. (It's actually two bridges, which meet on "Pass Island" in the middle.)

Suanne (Gary's sister) and Mary took the kayak from west beach through the pass and under the bridge (cool way to see the pass) - we had a nice paddle. However, despite the weather report saying zero percent chance of precipitation and no thunderstorms, we had thunder and lightning - which picked up the pace of our paddling on the way back to the beach.

Here's a view of the bridge from the north point of west beach, near our launch point, and Gary in the Zodiak under the bridge.

Anacortes, WA July - August 2009

We are currently staying at Pioneer Trails RV Resort in Anacortes, on Fidalgo Island. The weather has been very nice - warm during the day (70's to 80's) and cool at night. We had a bit of rain just before the heat wave which hit the Seattle area, and it was warm and muggy for a few days here, but nowhere near the 100+ in Seattle. Just inland from here is much warmer, but the island stays very nice. Gary picked up a whole lot of firewood for our month here! We have a nice spot backing up to the woods, and a nice wooded path to walk Rexie, along with an off-leash dog park. There is so much to do around here, I don't think we can fit it all in a month!

Here's Gary in his boat buzzing around Cranberry Lake on Whidbey Island and Mary with the "Maiden of Deception Pass" (a few miles from us, at Rosario Beach in Deception Pass State Park).

Ray and Kay stayed a couple nights with us when we went to the Shipwreck Festival in Anacortes.