Where It All Began

Cap Sante Boat Haven

Cap Sante Boat Haven

We returned to Anacortes to meet up with Leonard’s cousin Susan and her husband Chris at Anthony’s restaurant overlooking Cap Sante Boat Haven.  We shared boating stories over dinner and enjoyed hearing about their East Coast trip with “Buster,” their 37 foot Nordic Tug now moored in Anacortes.  Anacortes is where it all began for us with “Got d’ Fever” – the purchase and exchange of ownership and from which we began our five month voyage of British Columbia and Alaska covering over 3,000 miles.  We said goodbye to Susan and Chris, after touring each other's boat, anticipating new adventures in the months to come.  For us, fall/winter will be spent moving from place to place around Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands.  There are many wonderful communities in which to live that offer local events and activities within easy walking distance of most marinas.  As an example, an earlier trip to Anacortes included a visit to the Saturday Farmer’s Market located next to the marina and the historic Anacortes Train Depot - a true farmer’s market, offering fresh farm produce like vegetables, fresh fruit, meats, honey, cheese, and other food products.  Tables and chairs were set out for folks to enjoy a picnic lunch available from several food vendors.  Other communities on our list of favorites include:  Olympia, Gig Harbor, Bainbridge, Seattle, Kirkland, Edmonds, Kingston, Langley, LaConner, Port Townsend, Eastsound, and Friday Harbor.  While enjoying our local waters, we will formulate plans for next summer’s adventure that will surely be included in a future blog.

Farmer's Market and Anacortes Train Depot

Market Picnic Tables - Anacortes Train Depot

Silent Train Tracks - Anacortes

Leonard Market Shopping

October Fest



October Fest - Pier Warehouse in Anacortes



Sunset at the Pier - Anacortes



We discovered many advantages of living aboard our boat over the extended five month period – the ability to move our home/boat from place to place provided us the opportunity to enjoy different communities at a leisurely pace and take in some local events.  We participated in a couple of harvest celebrations during the month of October - one at Anacortes, Washington and another in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.  Both celebrations were fun but quite different in character.  October Fest in Anacortes was held in a warehouse on the pier complete with a beautiful sunset - micro-brew companies offered beer tasting from their line of products, a band played German music, and there were several food vendors.  The event included a costume contest and others had fun dancing.  Yes, yours truly was escorted by the event host for a whirl around the dance floor!  October Fest at Friday Harbor was held at the San Juan County Fair Grounds pavilion and was a family affair that included games for the children, an informal costume contest, and an excellent fifteen-member band that played a wide selection of German music.  Several young guys participated in the beer drinking contest and volunteers served up food and drink to attendees.  We sat next to a lady who happened to be a member of the German Club in Friday Harbor.  After she discovered we were of German heritage, she invited us to come to their club meetings – a standing invitation when we are in town!




Pickled Herring Band - Anacortes

 


Van Allen's Blaskapelle - Friday Harbor



Finalist in Drinking Contest - Friday Harbor



Event Host & Dancing Partner - Anacortes



Specialty Farms - San Juan Is.



Krystal Acres Alpaca Farm



In addition to the Pelindaba Lavender Farm, we visited two other specialty ranches on San Juan Island:  the Krystal Acres Alpaca Farm, and the San Juan Vineyards.  Like Pelindaba, these businesses have found financial success through good marketing, drawing tourists and locals alike to their farms and retail shops.  The Krystal Acres Farm is absolutely gorgeous with its white-washed farm buildings, white-board fencing, huge oak trees, and beautiful pastures holding adorable Alpacas.  The male and female Alpacas were in separate pastures while the little ones called “Cria” were with their mothers in yet another pasture.  We also visited the farm retail shop where beautiful designer sweaters, hats, and other clothing created from alpaca fibers are sold.  We learned that Alpacas are native to South America and belong to the Camel family; one adult Alpaca yields 5 to 8 pounds of fiber (about 4 sweaters).  We continued around the Island with our rental car and stopped at the San Juan Vineyards.  A lovely chapel available for weddings is situated near the vineyards, and the tasting room is located in an old school house built in 1896, which served as a school until 1915.  San Juan Vineyards grows Madeleine Angevine and Siegerrebe grapes.  These grapes are from the same cool latitudes (47 degrees) as Northern France and Germany.  Grapes are also purchased from Yakima, Washington and the Columbia valleys.





San Juan Vineyards



Chapel among the Vineyards



Tasting Room - Historic Island School House