Other Favourites, Winter Cove, Connover Cove and Pirate's Cove

Winter Cove

Turkey Vultures

Pileated Woodpecker

Connover Cove

Pirate's Cove

Sidney Spit, Portland Island

Back to two of our favourite spots. We were the only boat at the spit. That is because we were the only ones stupid enough to anchor there with an imminent strong West wind. We went to shore and were having a great time until we noticed about fifteen knots of wind and waves blowing straight on to the beach.

With great difficulty we launched the boat and then raised anchor and fled to our favourite anchorage on Portland Island only about five miles away. We spent two nights here while the weather blew itself out. 

Song Sparrow

Our first warbler a Yellow Rumped

Deception Pass and back to the San Juans and then back to Canada

The Swinomish Channel links Annacortes, LaConnor and Deception Pass. We left LaConnor and motored down the shallow channel to Deception Pass. Here we anchored on the East side to wait for slack water. Currents in Deception Pass can reach 8-9 knots. Something we wanted to avoid. On the other side we anchored in Bowman Bay. Almost a perfect anchorage except for noise of the traffic from the nearby highway and the low flying fighter jets from the nearby naval airbase.

Next day it was back to the San Juans and some familiar anchorages and then back across the border and back into Canada at Sidney.

San Juan Channel

Sucia Island

Stuart Island

Brant

Western Grebe

Turn Point Light Station

Haro Strait with the Olympic Mts in the distance

Annacortes, LaConnor, Swinonish Channel

After a couple of days in Friday Harbour we headed towards the mainland. Annacortes has a perfect sheltered port with room for hundreds of boats. It has everything in the way of amenities for boaters as long as they still have money in their wallets.

There is a big oil refinery across the bay and the old railway right away has been converted to a walking biking trail. It is a good place to walk and look for birds and signs of spring.

There is a sheltered channel that leads to the town of LaConnor and out towards Deception Pass. We headed out on a perfectly awful morning of wind and rain. Things improved and it was sunny and calm by the time we got to Laconner. 

Around the Islands

From Montague Harbour we sailed the short distance to Ganges. With all the conveniences within a few hundred yards of the boat , it was difficult to leave.
We decided to head to Bedwell Harbour on Pender Island . The marine park there is a long walk from any road and was deserted as we walked up to Mount Norman.

The next day our intention was to go to Winter Cove or Lyall Harbour. Instead we got stuck on a beam reach and crossed the border into the US and  the San Juan Islands. Despite it being a gorgeous day of sailing I was short handed in the cockpit. Yammy was down below consulting with divorce lawyers.
A single tack took us all the way to Friday Harbour where we tied up and enjoyed the last of the incredibly sunny spring day.

re

For no good reason we decided to stay in Friday Harbour another day. Tomorrow we are definitely moving on.

Pics Pirates Cove and Montague Harbour