Once again, we enjoyed a stunning sunrise over the water as we awoke near 6 AM PST. It looks like our string of perfect days is not quite over.
We’ve got no real agenda today. Possible visits include the Rosario resort, Turtleback Mountain, or maybe a visit to Deer Harbor to look at the boats. A return visit to Cascade Lake (and park) is definitely in our future.
Forecast is for the weather to remain the about the same through at least Sunday. High Temp in Raleigh today is 95 so it’s a good time not to be there.
When are you leaving? Hopefully not on Sunday because unless you use your EST wakeup to catch the first ferry you may be looking at waits of up to 6 hours.
Sent you the instructions on how to get to the site today. Sorry it was so late. Work kept getting in the way. Hope you have time to check it out.
Ron
Just saw your reply about Gary Larson. I understand he’s a bit of a recluse and is seldom in town so I doubt you will see him. Don’t expect he’s really very fond of tourist season.
Orcas is a strange mixture of hippies, hermits, working people, retirees and millionaires but they all get along and I have to say I’ve found the people on Orcas to be some of the nicest I’ve ever met! We would meet people one day and the next day they would say, “Next time you come, don’t get a motel room, come stay with us.”
There is an old guy who lives two miles from the water who is building a very large boat to sail to Cuba. Unclear how he expects to get it to the water. http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2021036.html
Also a movie producer who I understand has had world premieres of 6 (9?) of his movies at the little dinky theatre in Eastsound.
Supposedly the little white house on the water at Eastsound (sits a bit away from the rest on the right as you look at the water) is something like the main office of Oakley sunglasses.
There are people back in the hills on the east side who live off the grid (No power) in cabins they have built themselves.
Doe Bay Resort http://doebay.com/
is a new age type resort with a beautiful setting. They rent cabins and rooms and yurts at fairly reasonable rates for Orcas. (Keep going after you make the turn at Olga Cafe and take the left fork -don’t go to Obstruction Pass- and it will be on the right.) Popular for meditation and yoga retreats. Clothing optional hottub (and beach?). Nice vegetarian restaurant right on the water (park at the top of the hill and walk down until you find the Gift Shop/General Store. There is a walkway to the right of the store that takes you to the restaurant or you can go through the store. We’ve only had coffee and a muffin there but it was pretty good and not as expensive as we feared. Reviews of food are good – service not so good)
Have you seen the white deer yet?
http://www.55-alive.com/forums/index.php?automodule=gallery&req=si&img=293
I was told by one of my Orcas friends that John Wayne bought a nearby island and stocked it with all sorts of game animals then would take his friends hunting. Wasn’t very popular with the locals. Eventually he sold the island and left a lot of the animals there. Some of the white deer swam to Orcas and have mixed with the brown. Took the above picture on Olga Rd between Eastsound and Moran when we were there in March.
Ron
Wow, until you mentioned it I hadn’t remembered that I dreamed about John Wayne last night. I don’t remember the context or anything, though.
Yes, some interesting people live here, that’s for sure. We’ve struck up instant friendships with some of them. The other day we were on the ferry and this woman’s 3 year old son enthusiastically threw his arms around my wife while she was in the midst of playing with Hallie and Travis! He and his mom lived on Shaw and were on the way to daycare at Friday Harbor. They seemed like the nicest family in the world. So happy!
Mark