June 7, 2008

Jones Island, a small island merely two miles away from Deer Harbor, that took us no more than 20 minutes to locate has been our next home. We are tied to a buoy in the North Bay. We are not alone. There have been a couple boats tethered to buoys, yet activity from within has been at a minimal. I’ve overheard several times, “It’s Saturday evening and there are still open buoys.” This bay offers more sheltered protection than the Southern Bay. The water is clear, emerald green and flanked by two rock banks fringed with a variety of trees; mostly evergreens. The beach has a sandy area which allows boats to row directly to shore without fear of destroying the bottom. There is a small dock; useful to row and tie up to with one’s dinghy – allowing one’s legs to stretch out with easy hikes.
Talking about birds! To feel as if I wasn’t being too lazy I decided to clean house. I was washing away the debris of everyday life from the cockpit when a big splash came from directly behind the stern – a large hawk had flown down and in one fell swoop, caught his dinner, a fish that resembled a good size trout. The Great Blue Herons had greeted us, or was it their attempt at urging us to move away? Their song is really more of a discordant noise, than alluring, inspiring sounds of smaller birds or the “hear me roar” of an eagle. There have been a variety of sea birds skimming the bay. My memory fails what I used to know, and I regret that we did not bring a bird book with us. Just might have to buy one when we stop in a port large enough to support a bookstore.
Yesterday while taking the shorter version of today’s hike, I was walking ahead of Pat and in a big snag, overlooking the waterway there was something that looked as if it were a bird. It was larger than any bird I had ever seen outside a zoo. Bringing my camera with its telescopic lens to my eye, I zoomed in to take a better look. No it wasn’t just a broken branch – it moved! It was an eagle and within a short while he took off and flew overhead. Perhaps, I may be mistaken, the wingspan looked as if it could easily be five feet. The elegance and power it displayed was awesome. Before long, he was flying in the thermals with four more eagles of equal or smaller size. The probability of seeing this at home is nearly zilch and once the island fills with more visitors, will the eagles be as comfortable to remain seated in branches as they walk below?
The paths are richly padded with a variety of mosses and supple grasses; all indicating a wet spring. There are segments where trees are densely covered with hair like moss; one could almost imagine they were walking in the Olympic Rainforest. The difference is that the trees were overhanging the Straits of Juan de Fuca. In the winter of 1990 there was a huge windstorm that caused a great disturbance. There are sections where large trees are laying stacked similar to the fallen sticks of the child’s game, Pick Up Sticks.
We have been relaxing without any thoughts of doing more these past two days. Hiking, paddling around with our kayaks, reading entire books, or napping! Something tells me that not all of our journey will be so light or undemanding. I shall appreciate these days and not worry of what might be, tomorrow. I’ll definitely be rested to give the Captain and Liberte’ my best. Sunday we will move over to Stuart Island. An island rich with history and many opportunities to stretch our legs over many trails.