Summer in the San Juan Islands is its own kind of paradise.
We have a somewhat annual tradition going back over a decade now with another couple to the San Juan Islands. This year’s trip was an amazing one. We’ve done Sucia Island in years past, but this year we doubled our trip distance by crossing to Sucia Island for lunch, and then to Patos where we camped. Patos has no fresh water, so we had to bring everything we needed in the boats.
From the ferry line, going Anacortes to Orcas
We briefly landed for the giant yacht party that is now Sucia Island before making the kayak crossing to much quieter Patos. With only seven campsites, and no water, the crowds were dampened.
We watched the sun go down with the lighthouse docent and another kayaker, then headed back to camp. We settled into our tents, and woke up to a beautiful morning. I got up before the sun to walk over to the lighthouse again for the sunrise.
Meal logistics with kayaks are interesting. There are some similarities to backpacking, but weight isn’t much of a consideration. It’s the space that we have to worry about, especially when it’s a dry campsite with no fresh water. We had a one pot curry dish for dinner, and the Perschbachers made breakfast burritos the next morning.
I kayak with a long lens on my camera so I can give these cuties their distance while still catching them sunning themselves at low tide. We lovingly refer to harbor seals as sea puppies.
