Day 5: Roche Harbor and Stuart Island
We weighed anchor after breakfast for a short trip to nearby Roche Harbor. Sailing this morning was not an option due to a distinct lack of wind (3-4 kts), so we journeyed on under steam. Roche Harbor is a bustling yacht harbor nestled in a protected cove on San Juan Island, and when I say yachts, I mean YACHTS! There were many power and sail boats in the 110’ range.
The marina also had showers which we all took advantage of. Jon and Jette discouraged the use of the on-board showers which left us all pretty stanky after 3 days. Once we cleaned up, we strolled through the harbor town to check out a famous local mausoleum. The town was first settled as a lime stone plant with two large kilns dominating the area near the water. The owner of the company, McMillin, had 5 children one of which he disowned because he left the Methodist church. He built a mausoleum for the family and had 6 stone seats at a table in the middle. The eighth seat is missing (for the disowned son). There is an intentionally unfinished column that represents man dies before his work is completed. The mausoleum cost $30,000 but they ran out of money for the $20,000 brass dome that was never delivered. Each of the children and McMillin and his wife’s ashes are buried under each of the 6 chairs. There have been sightings of McMillin’s secretary’s ghost who after committing suicide was buried in the mausoleum as well. We had a little séance around the table, but, alas, no spirits.
Roche Harbor also had very bizarre sculpture garden. We did get a few ideas for our garden.
After lunch, we moved the boat to Stuart Island, Prevost Harbor. Stuart Island has a light house on the opposite side of the island and we took a nice hike to the Turn Point Light Station which is now a museum.
After returning to the boat, we broke out the kayaks. It was quite a process getting them rigged and off the deck. We used the main halyard as a hoist to move the double kayak into the water. Getting into the boats required dipping our toes in the 50-degree water. Toby missed a step and got to experience a little bit more of Prevost Harbor. Fortunately, she was fine, just a little wet.
Dinner tonight was our (Dave’s) proceeds from crabbing last night. Jette cooked them perfectly and Jon gave us a quick course in the fine art of crab eating. What a mess, but delish! Since Jette was concerned with Marty going into anaphylactic shock if he was forced to eat crab, she made his favorite dinner, steak and baked potato with all the fixings.
He was in 7thheaven. Coconut cake with butter cream coconut frosting covered with toasted coconut made a great dessert (for us coconut lovers). Jeri (not a coconut lover) enjoyed the remains of last night’s pecan cheese cake. She did get her glass of skim milk that Jette forgot at breakfast (about which she was mortified). Not sure why, but I was exhausted (probably from removing all that crabmeat) and fell asleep at the table.
Hoping for wind tomorrow!
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