Day 1 – In Transit
A bright crescent moon greeted me and the dogs for our pre dawn run around the property before heading to the ferry to the mainland. Driving into a sunrise which turned the highway south a silvery gold was like driving through a painting. The beautiful as always ferry trip went seamlessly,
as did the drive to the border and US customs, where I was unsure what to expect. Apart from an markedly increased police presence it all was business as usual, customs agents polite and thorough. Interestingly I wasn’t even asked for the dogs paperwork. Friday midday is a good time to drive south in both BC and WA state, the roads were not crowded and were dry and clear due to the long stretch of good weather this month. Arrived at CJ’s in the afternoon winter sun, the dogs are aired and snug in their beds in the house, tenderloin steaks are on the grill and life is good. I will leave you tonight with a photo of a present from CJ today for my vehicle emergency kit (some things are a little different down here).
Apparently this stuff will stick to your attackers face – not blow back in yours. Knowing me I would probably point it in the wrong direction ????. I think I will leave it in the box….
Day 2 – Camano Island
Camano Island is the second largest of the dozens of islands in the northern Puget Sound that were formed by glacial deposits during the last Ice Age. Encompassing about 40 square miles, the island is 16 miles long from north to south and has about 50 miles of shoreline. The island is situated between the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges, a geographic location which creates incredible vistas from various points along the coast. The weather was stellar this morning as we begun our day with a circumnavigation of the Island.
Several Coast Salish tribes shared the island until non-Native settlers arrived in the 1850s to operate timber and shipbuilding businesses at Utsalady Bay.
Camano Island became a vacation destination in the twentieth century and remains a popular spot for recreation and relaxation. No town has been incorporated on the island, but the population has increased steadily, from 1,395 in 1960 to more than 17,000 in 2020. Population numbers apparently triple during the summer months. Artists of all kinds inhabit the Island, some of the metal work on residences and gates is outstanding.
Our trip off island included stopping for supplies at various grocery and feed stores, finishing with a stop at the Stanwood/Camano Food Bank. The 6000 square foot facility had caught my eye on the way through town the previous day. The manager very kindly gave us a tour through a very impressive operation.
On the way back to the bridge crossing over to the Island a stop at the Spare Room – an incredible antique and collectibles set of stores – provided lots of photo ops. Metal and other types of art filled the rooms and the outside of the buildings we visited.
A perfect day finished with a seafood pesto dinner with some old friends from the dog world. A wonderful evening full of reminiscing and laughter. We head south tomorrow at dawn for our first overnight stop in California. Until then good night!
