July 23rd, 2020
When I think of an island I usually imagine beaches with golden sand, the blue ocean, the sea salt smell and the sun shining on my face. Most of the islands that I have been to during my life have this setting. But once a year, I always travel to an island in the top northwest corner of the United States called Orcas Island. To give you some perspective on how far northwest it is in the United States, the Canadian island, Victoria is to the south of Orcas. This island is not the typical, tropical island that I described above, but also there is no place that compares to it. I describe this island as a forest retreat where you can leave the world behind. This island is part of Washington state in the United States and provides for a perfect getaway, especially in these times where travel is very limited.
On Orcas Island there are many ways to visit. One of them is camping. That was my original idea because that is how I usually visit this island and immerse myself in nature. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the campsites were closed so I had to resort to plan B because I was not about to give up a getaway to this beautiful island. So in the end, Airbnb and Orcas Hotel pulled through.
Traveling Day (Day 0):
On the day of the trip, my car was packed to the brim and we on our way to Orcas Island. First, we drove about two hours to Anacortes, Washington to the ferry loading dock. The only way to get to the island is by ferry . While we waited for the ferry we walked around and walked by the ocean.
Soon after, we boarded the ferry. The ride is about 45 minutes and I started seeing Orcas Island from the ferry. After we arrived to the island, we went to our Airbnb to rest up because it had been a long day of travel and it was starting to be evening. The view of the sea from our balcony was amazing!
Day 1:
On the first full day at Orcas, Cascade lake at Moran State Park was calling us. We hiked to the lake from Rosario and it made for about a 45 minute hike until we got the picnic tables at the lake. That day was full of paddle boarding and kayaking. Also a yearly tradition was done that first day. In a hidden corner of Cascade lake there is a bridge about 6-7 feet above the water. The yearly tradition is to jump off of the bridge into the lake. With the sense of adventure being at an all-time high after four months of quarantine it was only natural to jump off the bridge that first day. I kept exploring trails around the lake and soaking in the vitamin D.
Day 2:
On day 2 the day started out with a visit to Mount Constitution. For those who want a challenge to get to the top, they can choose to hike or bike up it. I chose the easier way of getting to the top by driving. From the top of Mount Constitution you can see Victoria island in Canada! Not to mention, you also get an impeccable view of Mount Baker. You can also see the San Juan Islands that accompany Orcas Island and breathe in the fresh air.
The next adventure on day 2 was our yearly visit to Cascade Falls. Of course, I don’t only see it, I go under the freezing cold water current. On Orcas Island you have to embrace being one with nature. To get to Cascade falls it was a very short walk of 0.4 miles roundtrip from the trailhead that leads to many different falls.
After I visited Cascade Falls with my family, we headed back to Cascade lake. On this day another yearly tradition was completed. There is a giant tree that hangs off the side of the Cascade Lake trail. Every year we jump off the tree into the lake (See the pattern?). So we did a short hike and on the right side of the lake we arrived the tree which I call “The Bonsai Tree”. It looks like a giant version of a Bonsai tree. Our adrenaline rush that day was achieved when we jumped into the lake off the tree.
Day 3:
On day 3, I visited Eastsound on Orcas Island which is where the town is located. I bought some ice-cream and visited the different shops. The bookstore, the supermarket, pottery galleries, natural skincare shops and clothing stores. Only about 50% of the stores were open due to the pandemic, but the ones that were open gave me a very sweet view of life on an island.
That night my family and I went to go have dinner at Rosario which features a water front, a hotel and an ocean side restaurant.
Day 4:
On the fourth day, we decided to do another hike. This time it was to Mountain Lake. It was about 3 miles roundtrip.
This day was also a big day because my family and I transferred to Orcas hotel for the second half of the trip. It was quite an interesting hotel with all it’s old charm (and ghost residents) along with it’s great location for travel and amazing food. It was built in 1904 and was used by loggers and people on ships in that time so that is why there are a few residents ghost that live in the hotel. Thankfully none of them bothered us during our stay and it made our last days on Orcas Island very enjoyable.
Day 5:
On day 5 we decided to explore the Island a little bit more and go west. We had not visited the west side of Orcas Island so that was our mission that day. We visited a pottery house where they sold every item you could imagine in clay form. It was incredible to see all the different objects and the patterns that were painted or created on the ceramics. We were definitely guilty of purchasing some beautiful pottery there. The pottery shop is known very well on Orcas Island so if you say you’re going to the pottery house on the west side of the Island, many locals will know what you’re talking about.
We spent some more time at Cascade lake mastering our tan since it was our second to last day. Finally, we ended with dinner and a deer sighting that let me get within fifteen feet of her, of course I nicknamed her “Bambi”. At night we returned to Cascade lake when it was dark because the Neowise comet was supposed to be visible only that night. It isn’t going to be seen again in several thousands of years so it was the sight of a lifetime. I was also able to see the milky way galaxy including the planets Jupiter and Saturn. The sky was incredible, I was in complete awe.
Day 6:
On our last full day at Orcas Island we did so much. In the morning we went to the locals farmer’s market. They had beautiful flowers, delicious fruits and vegetables, jewelry and also many skincare products made from plants on the island. I am definitely guilty of buying some skin products there. But the best part was talking to the locals and being able to hear their story of their life on the island.
After, we went to Deer Harbor on Orcas Island which is on the west side. It has a marina and some amazing sights of the sea. Surprisingly, this was the only place that I did not see deer, while the rest of the island was full of deer everywhere.
And of course, we went to the lake one last time to jump off the bridge, finish our tan, paddle board one more time and wave goodbye until next year.
Day 7 (Traveling Home):
Traveling home was definitely difficult especially after being on such a beautiful island and nature retreat for a whole week. But we waved goodbye as the ferry sailed away hoping that next year we would be back.
I hope you all enjoyed reading about my trip to Orcas Island this past week. Although we had to wear a mask the whole time and use social distancing, it was the perfect mini-vacation to take a break from reality. Times are hard right now all around the world. Hang in there and stay safe! The world is waiting for the day where we can explore freely again!
Sincerely,
The Eternal Traveler