After hiking (and ALL THOSE MUSHROOMS) yesterday morning, we left Matia Island and decided to take our time getting back to Anacortes. We went the long way 'round the west side of Orcas Island. We didn't see any whales, but it was a lovely cruise.
Oh yeah, this was the sky at sunrise Sunday morning at Matia:
Airship, from the hiking trail:
Mount Baker and friends toward the end of the day in Guemes Channel:
Even the refinery looked cool:
As we approached the marina though…that's when the sky went crazy. Such a great sunset!
Here's today's route (32.5 nautical miles):
Wonderful photos, they always are, the mushrooms are truly amazing. I saw Airship heading out of Guemes Channel on Friday while I was headed back to Cap Sante Marina.
Thank you so much, Glen! We didn’t hike Eagle Cliff this time on Cypress (too much socializing with friends, then we decided to go to Matia on Saturday) but we’ll try to do it after Thanksgiving. We’ll be waiting out the wind here at Cap Sante for a couple days it sounds like, before heading over to Friday Harbor for Thanksgiving. Stop and say hi if you’re around!
Just wondering about your route homeward past deer harbor, as you seem to avoid pole pass, instead taking a more southern route around the wasp islands. I avoid ferry routes so i prefer pole pass, but the current can be a problem at times, plus it is narrow. Cheers!
We weren’t trying to avoid anything…just taking the long way home because we wanted to be on the water all day. š
Have you hiked out to Johnson Point? Great sweeping views plus a historical marker with more surprises…
We’ve hiked every trail on Sucia, I believe! Love that island for the hiking! š
Those new buoys are giving me agita. Tried to grab one at Blake Island, and ring refused to slide up. The chain was covered with kelp so thickly. Of course, it was dark and I was single handing and very close to the shoreline, and had just motored fifty miles…
These taller buoys are much better than the old “ring on a cone in a tire” buoys though…those things make a whole lotta ugly marks on the bow. So annoying!
Good point, I DO like the big, cushiony design a lot better.. Those old metal -topped buoys were frightening, glad to see them go. My beef is with the failure of the Parks Dept to maintain the new buoys. The last time I used one at Blake Island, it sank! Just as I was casting off in the morning! What? Motored away completely flabbergasted….
Whoa. Maybe that’s what happened to the second buoys that used to be at Patos and Matia…in both spots there’s only one buoy left.