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Monthly Archives: August 2016

Double Rainbow as we tie up Yes Please at Deer Harbor Marina.

Double Rainbow as we tie up Yes Please at Deer Harbor Marina.

Deer Harbor Marina is a delightful destination located in the smallest and western-most bay on Orcas Island. I had often seen boats coming in and out of Deer Harbor, but had never stopped to see what was there. Boy, was I missing out.

Heading South from Patos Island on a rather stormy day, we decided to poke our head in at Deer Harbor and see if they had room. The Marina Staff went out of their way to find a spot for us and met us at the slip as we backed in to help with the lines. Deer Harbor is an older Marina, but is maintained beautifully and offers outstanding amenities for visiting boaters.

Deer Harbor Marina

Deer Harbor Marina

The Hotel across the street is no longer associated with the Marina (so no pool any more) and the Restaurant has been closed and turned over to the Marina for remodeling. I suspect it will be a great place to eat once finished as the little cafe out on the dock makes some of the best burgers I’ve ever tasted. Mmmmm!

The weekend-only restaurant at Deer Harbor Cottages is worth the hike down the road, offering excellent food in a very historic old building.

We spent a great couple of days at Deer Harbor and I was continually impressed by the Marina Staff. They will take great care of you, take pride in their work and we will definitely be back again.

Patos Island Lighthouse, in service since 1983

Patos Island Lighthouse, in service since 1983

Patos Island, in Washington State, hosts a 207 acre marine park and a lighthouse that marks the northern entrance to Boundary Pass between Canada and the United States. The lighthouse has been in service since 1893 and the island itself is the most remote island in the San Juan islands.

Active Cove, which is named for the tidal currents that race between Patos and Little Patos islands contains two mooring buoys and a few camp sites which are managed by Washington State Parks. The island itself is Federal land, managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The small cove is open to the West, which can subject boats to rollers from passing ships and waves from the Straits of Georgia.

Acitve Cove on Patos Island

Acitve Cove on Patos Island

Catching a mooring ball in Active Cove requires a bit of luck, since there are only two, along with the right timing. Once secured to a buoy, you will often see boats cruising by, taking a peek to see if there is room in the cove. It is possible to anchor in the cove, but it is shallow and very tight, making it far more suitable for a day stop than overnight.

If you do get the chance to visit Patos Island, you definitely should. It is stunningly beautiful and about as remote as you can get. Yes Please arrived early, dropped her hook for a few hours until a mooring ball was free, then moved to the ball for a worry free overnight stay.

Yes Please at Patos Island

Yes Please at Patos Island

We hiked around the island and out to the magnificent lighthouse on Alden Point. With only two boats in the cove, you really do feel like you are all alone on a beautiful, deserted island. I have definitely found my new favorite place to visit in the San Juan Island’s! I highly encourage boaters to take the time to check out Patos Island. You will not be disappointed!

Jim Wester's beautiful, hand built boat.

Jim Wester’s beautiful, hand built boat.

Early in the evening, as the wind was picking up and the weather deteriorating, we saw a very old row boat shoot through the tiny gap on the East Side of Little Patos. I was amazed that anyone would row to Patos, especially given the sea state and wind, so went ashore to congratulate them with a frosty cold beer. It turns out that Tate Wester and his girlfriend had rowed over from Waldron Island (where he grew up) in a beautiful wood boat that was hand built by his father (blacksmith Jim Wester, North Bay Forge) twenty years before. Check out the photo of the boat. Is is incredibly well built, tight as a drum without a drop of water inside, despite a three foot chop and a 7 mile journey from Waldron.

The kids appreciated my last cold beer and spent a wet night ashore, with plans to row over the Sucia Island the next day (a three mile journey). We wished them well in the morning after offering to tow then, but they declined the offer and we headed south into building seas for another adventure.

Grand Banks Eastbay 39, Yes Please moored in Active Cove.

Grand Banks Eastbay 39, Yes Please moored in Active Cove.

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