We’ve taken advantage of some pretty good weather (no wind/no rain) to spend some days on the hook. Likely to be our last of the season.

On Saturday we did something we’ve never done before – stopped along our way to do some crabbing. After departing Sucia Island ToG pulled into Shoal Bay (Lopez Island) to drop two traps. This is a spot right next to the ferry landing we’ve crabbed many, many times, usually with awesome results. (We used to rent a house nearby.)

After dropping the pots, we dropped the anchor and waited. After an hour or so, Nick took the dinghy out to check. A couple of females and a couple of small ones. No keepers. He re-dropped the pots and checked again in another forty minutes or so…again, no keepers. A bust.

After retrieving the pots, we continued on our way into Fisherman Bay.

The first night, although the boat wasn’t rocking at all, there was just enough breeze…all…night, to cause a constant and loud slapping of water against the hull. Not a great night’s sleep. The second night was much better.

We did our usual walk around Lopez Village and grabbed coffee and a treat at the bakery.

We reminisced about decades spent visiting this island. It has changed, for sure. Always a quiet and slow-paced place, it used to be bustling at times in the summer. Not so much anymore.

We departed Lopez for Orcas on Monday and dropped the anchor again in Deer Harbor. There is a wooden boat gathering going on and it’s been fun to watch these vessels come and go.

Yesterday was a peddling and paddling day. We rode to Eastsound and had lunch at the Aurora Cafe. Burger and falafel sandwich were excellent. (I will be attempting to recreate their house-made falafel when we get home.)

We recently replaced the degenerating batteries on our boat bikes and were able to do the 20-mile, hilly ride without concern of running out of juice. Other than no shoulder, it’s a really nice ride.

I took my kayak out for a good paddle into the estuary.

I often write about our experiences regarding float planes. We’re around them often and they can be exhilarating to watch as they swoop in and out. And they sometimes get very close. Yesterday, I watched one of the pilots watching the tip of her wing as she went by…making sure she didn’t clip us. (Why she needed to go between us and the boat next to us remains a mystery – it seemed there was plenty of room elsewhere.)

I took this video as an example of proximity and noise level here in Deer Harbor:

The past two nights have been windless…flat calm and oh so quiet…

We’re off to Garrison Bay today, a couple more nights at anchor.

These two young dudes made $45 yesterday!