Posted by Sandi
One of the great aspects of living in an outdoor destination like Orcas Island is that people of all ages love to visit. There are so many fun things to do here that even teens who are normally glued to the virtual world of their smartphones and other gadgets find enough real life adventure to stay entertained.
In mid August my father-in-law and 16-year-old niece trekked out from back east to see us. Bob and I took the opportunity to unplug and enjoy a vacation in our own backyard. We packed a month’s worth of activities into a week, ate fresh-caught seafood almost every night and were reminded all over again why we chose to live in this far out northwest paradise. Our family photo album tells the story – click a photo to start the slideshow:
-
- The adventure begins by arriving on a seaplane painted like an orca whale.
-
- Day 1 starts with a boat ride to see whales. This J-pod male was cruising with his mates off Stuart Island.
-
- We saw the most whales we’d ever seen at one time – including three lively calves.
-
- On our cruise home we stopped to fish for the night’s dinner: pink salmon.
-
- The one that got away!
-
- Mid August is blackberry season. Each afternoon we picked fresh berries to enjoy on our ice cream. Yum!
-
- Throughout the week we caught delicious Dungeness Crab to enjoy fresh out of the pot, in crab cakes and crab salad wraps.
-
- Plus we feasted on the “lobster of the northwest”: Spot Shrimp, locally called Prawns.
-
- Lots of them!
-
- Our terrestrial activities included a hike up Turtleback Mountain.
-
- This scenic overlook on Turtleback Mountain made the perfect place for a picnic lunch.
-
- The Saturday Farmer’s Market was an ideal place to pick up island-made souvenirs for the folks back home.
-
- Meg piloted the dinghy to nearby Crane Island where we borrowed two kayaks.
-
- Our kayaking adventures included scenic Mountain Lake. It was as peaceful as I’d always imagined.
-
- After beaching the kayaks for snack time, we took a brisk dip in Mountain Lake. Brrr!
-
- Every night we were treated to a spectacular summer sunset. This one took first place.
-
- A last paddle on President Channel completes the perfect vacation.
If this type of adventurous lifestyle appeals to you, I’d love to help you make it a reality. I specialize in helping people in all phases of life move to Orcas Island. Contact me and let’s begin!
