Jones Island

Up in the beautiful San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington is an island called Jones' Island that Bill, my boyfriend, and I discovered a few years ago on one of our trips exploring the different Islands. Our first time pulling into the cove in our 1995 23' Cabin Cruiser was like nothing I had ever seen before. The water was calm and smooth as glass. As we anchored and stepped from the boat, we felt the wooden dock creak and sway under our feet.

The gnarly, windswept, weathered pine trees around us must have stood 100 feet tall with trunks of red bark. The high rocks seem to shield the island and made you feel like you were in a secret hide-away. I glanced up towards the top of the trees and spotted an adult make bald eagle with his beautiful brown body and majestic white head looking out towards the open waters as though he were guarding the island from danger. We walked up the wooden dock towards the shore, and I could hear the water slapping against the piling as I watched the the sea otters swimming down below. There was a strong scent of sea water and seaweed all around. The seagulls walked along the rock-filled, sandy shore looking for food. I liked the fact that the island was still somewhat primitive and natural. The contrast is so different compared to some of the larger Islands such as Roche Harbor and Orcas Island that caters to the upper-class weekend boaters. They are so over-crowed it would be like being on the water at Lake Union during Seafair.

We happened upon sites surrounded by lush green grass and fire pits that could be used for picnics and day-hikers or for setting up a tent and saying the night. One night bill and I, along with our fellow boaters, all gathered around the camp fire and shared a glass of wine and stories about each other's boating adventures. Not far from the sites, on an open field, you could see several small white tail deer grazing in the grass. They seemed so relaxed and unafraid. It was as if they knew they were safe and that the humans were not going to them.

The next day we decided to go for a hike and followed the trail that was lined with wild flowers and bright red, yellow, and green foliage. Over a small hill we came upon a small apple orchard. Just down the hill from the orchard was a beach lined with different shapes and sizes of driftwood lying all around. Scattered amongst the driftwood there was a variety of coral white and pearl shells in different sizes. If you looked hard enough, you just might find one that hadn't been broken up when it was washed to ashore.

I knew right away that this was a place I would enjoy coming back to time and time again with its quiet atmosphere and calming nature, as well as the camaraderie of all the boaters we have come to know on our visit to Jones' Island.