Orcas Island
Getting There
Orcas Island is part of the San Juan Islands which are situated between the state of Washington and Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. You have to take a ferry to get onto Orcas Island. I scheduled our ferry ride from Anacortes , WA , about a month or so before this trip using the WSDOT website. I had read somewhere that reservations are always best, just to make sure you have your place on the ferry. This was good information for me because we were taking our teardrop on the ferry as well. With COVID still hanging around we have decided to camp rather than stay in a hotel while on the island. Orcas Island has been on my bucket list for a long while, so I’m super stoked to be heading there.
The morning we were to catch the ferry to Orcas we arrived in Anancortes early enough to drive around the downtown area and see some of the sites. We stopped in at the Calico Cupboard Cafe & Bakery for some tasty baked goods to enjoy on the ferry ride over to Orcas.
Smoky view from Anancortes Ferry Terminal
The ferry ride to Orcas was uneventful and the views were not to be had. About five days prior to this trip we had experienced the worst wildfires in Washington, Oregon, and California history. The smoke from so many fires had blanketed the entire west coast and the Puget Sound was not spared. Even though this thick layer of smoke has altered our views as well as our plans for hikes on Orcas, we are getting used to rolling with the changes that come.
Once on Orcas Island it was about a 25 minute drive to Moran State Park where we had a reserved campsite. The site was decent, close enough to the bathrooms with hot showers and a short walk across the street to Crescent Lake. We set up camp and headed off to drive the island.
Eastsound
My goodness, Eastsound, what a cute cute cute town. Seriously! Off of Orcas Road you pull onto Main Street and this itty bitty town looks like a postcard, even through the smoke, it was stunning. The Episcopal Church along the water’s edge with it’s white picket fence and well groomed grounds looks just as beautiful as any pictures I’ve ever seen of the small hamlets of the East Coast. Continuing down Main Street we pass by shops, restaurants, book stores, and along the side streets are more places to explore. There’s an Orcas Food Co-op, stop here, buy something local, you won’t be sorry.
Eastsound
Driving the Island
The first few days of our trip on Orcas the wildfire smoke was still too thick to really take any of the hikes we had planned to Turtleback Mountain or Mt. Constitution. We decided instead to drive the Island and pass through the farm lands as well as the Deer Harbor side. Speaking of deer, I’m not joking when I say we must have laid eyes on at least 200 deer on this trip. We even had the privilege to set our eyes on a Piebald deer. All the deer on this Island are not afraid of you or your car, so beware. I believe the abundant population of deer is why the speed limit never surpasses 40mph anywhere on this island. I don’t know this for a fact, I’m just guessing.
Outer Island Excursions
Our third day on Orcas we decided the smoke didn't look as thick as the days passed so we headed to Outer Island Excursions on the North Beach side of the Island. Today was the day I was going to check kayaking in the ocean off my ever changing bucket list. Both Steve and I were nervous to kayak the ocean since we have no real experience, so we paid for a guided tour. What a great experience this was. The water was calm and clear. At times I felt I could see further down in the water than I could see into the sky. The tour took us to Point Doughty Natural Area Preserve where we came ashore. This area is only accessible from the water and it was nice to have some time to explore. After spending a short time on the point we paddled back to our original starting point.
Sailing Day
The following day was our sailing day and our last day on Orcas. For this day I had arranged to have All Aboard Sailing pick us up on Orcas and spend the day out on a sailboat, another bucket list item of mine. I scheduled the sail boat as a private tour because of COVID and now, after the fact, I realize that I much prefer private excursions than groups. All Aboard Sailing was top notch. David & Barbara Howitt were professional, knowledgeable, and we felt safe the entire trip. They took us on a route around Orcas Island and some of the surrounding islands as well. The smoke was still affecting the views and the large sea mammals were nowhere to be found, probably because it was just too damn smoky for them. But……….we did see five bald eagles, many harbor seals, tons of sea birds, jellyfish, and brightly colored starfish. My favorite part of this sailing trip was when the boat would sail almost silently through the water, that calmness that surrounds you on the water was glorious to me. By far, this sailing day was the jewel of this trip.
We have agreed that we will be heading back to the San Juan Islands again.
Thanks to All Aboard Sailing for the wildlife pics.
