Roche Harbor

Boat Oggling...

In Roche Harbor Marina, San Juan Island was our plan. We left on Friday to meet with Dave and Barb on Invictus, who had left the previous Wednesday to anchor at Reid Island. We took Laura's friend Candace, loaded all our supplies, cruised south in nice flat conditions and arrived in the harbor mid afternoon.

Barb and Dave were already there but not where we expected them to be. The guest docks were full so they had placed our two boats in with the big boy toys in the fifty foot slips. While Laura and Candace were impressed by their surroundings, I quickly realized we were way out in the marina with long walks to any grassy spots for the dogs.( At the guest dock it is easiest to dinghy them over to the pool and grassy park and trail area.) It was also a long walk to the store and showers. Oh well it was a scenic walk to be sure, with yachts of every description in every size and direction. This is a huge marina, people fly in from all parts of the U.S. to use their boat for season, cruising the San Juans, Gulf Islands, and farther north.

Laura and Candace

We got settled in our slip with Dave and Barb, who are always excellent company. Just coming back from this destination or that or flying off to somewhere new, they are a fun and interesting couple. We had a couple of 'refreshments, ' ate dinner, and did the obligatory dock walk to oggle the gorgeous boats. The girls swam in the pool and then went off to oggle gorgeous not boats.

Saturday we decided to stay dockside, while Dave and Barb, Laura and Candace took the bus to Friday Harbor. Dave wanted to check out a couple of marine supply stores, while the ladies just wanted to shop. We were so proud of Barb when they returned and Dave told us how she had rescued this huge Great Dane who had been left outside a store in full sun on the boiling pavement. This poor dog was beside itself, most people would have been afraid to approach it but not our fearless animal lover Barb. She went and got it a bowl of cold water to drink and then moved him into the shade to cool down and waited for his careless owner to return. She gave him heck, the dog was suffering from heatstroke and afterwards the owner was suitably repentent. Makes me mad just to think about it. Thank goodness for people with kind hearts!

Ready for dinner at McMillans Restaurant

We were booked in that night at the restaurant and we were looking forward to the best prime rib on the westcoast. We had been there last year for John's birthday and it had been excellent. Slow roasted in a salt encrusted casement, it was fabulous. We all shared some appetizers, the scallops stuffed with crab were to die for, and awaited the prime rib. It did not disappoint is all I can say. Just delicious, and we all decided that this should become an annual event. A big storm with lots of thunder and lightning kept us at our table, but we managed to hit a lull in the rain, and walked the mile of boards back to the boats.

On Sunday we just had to check out all the stores, there is a great clothing store upstairs, and a great decorating store where I had purchased some very nice acrylic glasses that looked like crystal. Barb and I bought matching candle holders with little shells in them for our boats.

For an entertaining look at Roche Harbor read Bob Friel's magazine article. We met Bob and his photographer last year. We traded Caribbean stories for awhile, Bob used to write for Caribbean Travel & Life, which I informed him used to be my bible when we lived there, so he knew he had a fan in me. They were in the slip next to us and Bob was doing an article on the place and trying to work out an angle for the piece. He really succeeded with The Other Side of the Cleat, we enjoyed watching him cruise around the marina on The Phecal Freak, a very funny writer.

Our last day was still hot and sunny, we decided to leave and head out to Whale Watch at Lime Kiln Park. Dave and Barb had not been there and wanted to see whales as badly as we did.

Barb and Dave on Invictus, just south of Lime Kiln Park...

We had to cruise more south than before but sure enough the Orcas were there. We saw some fins and tails, Mamas with babies, there were lots of boats watching as well.

After watching and photographing them we decided to head up the east side of San Juan as we were so far south on the island it seemed quicker and was new cruising ground to us. Quite scenic, nice conditions, we scooted by Friday Harbor and seemed like we were home in no time at all. Probably an hour and 45 minutes from the tail end of San Juan to Point Roberts, not bad at all.

Invictus, just past Friday Harbor on our

way home.

We arrived in port together and unloaded. What another great weekend! Hugs Dave and Barb, it was fun.

Kalena