Saturday, August 17, 2013

Camp Orcas Island

We had two great camping trips this year at two new spots in WA.
The first was earlier in June and we made reservations for a spot at Moran state park on Orcas Island. I had purchased a deal for a private sailing trip for 6 out of Deer Harbor so combining that with a weekend of camping seemed like a great plan, and it was!
Dayne would be flying out after work to meet us Friday evening, but Matt, Jen, Gary, Elisabeth and I got up early and drove out to Anacortes to catch the ferry. We grabbed our spots in line, made up some bloody Maria's and watched the pretty morning mist clear off the water.




Our camp site was great but it did come with built in exercise equipment, whether that was a bonus or not we still haven't decided. The site was up a relatively steep hill, great for privacy and the glutes. It also came with a tree swing, great for, well just great!




We did a bit of exploring down by the lake, had a little hike, and generally just chilled out for the afternoon.
Dayne arrived at the "airport" which consisted of a small field landing strip and not much else. Watching the pilot climb out of the window to then open the hatch and release his passengers was enough for me to know that I probably wouldn't be taking one of those anytime soon.




The next morning we drove to Deer Harbor to Classic Daysailing and boarded Captain Ward Fey's sailboat which seated the 6 of us and him cozily. He gave everyone a little job to do; handling the tiller, pulling the lines, watching for logs, and soon we were sailing out of the harbor. It was a spectacular morning, clear, sunny and warm! We spotted a huge bald eagle perched atop a pine tree watching us, a few others riding the wind currents, a big osprey in it's nest, and a half dozen seals.




We brought a nice picnic breakfast on board, complete with mimosas, and had a fantastic 3-hour tour. We even sailed right past our friends house on Crane Island. I'd absolutely recommend Capt. Ward!
After we docked, we headed into town for some lunch before heading back to our campsite. Wanting to take full advantage of the stunning weather we blew up our dingys and put in on the lake, paddling around for the afternoon with some rosé.
The next morning we packed up camp, drove up to Mountain Lake and put the boats in again. Cue more rosé.




A relaxing picnic on the lawn while waiting for the ferry and great views on the ride ride back to the mainland were the frosting on top of a fab camping weekend!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

A Romantic Dinner Where?

This month last year we headed to Punta Cana for our wedding anniversary, but before flying off we had a very nice dinner in an unexpected location.

Since our flight was a tad early in the morning, we took advantage of a deal for the Cedarbrook Lodge. This hotel is located right at the airport but the beautiful grounds and Northwest style rooms and common areas make you feel far from the hectic ways of the SeaTac airport. We checked in and were given this lovely, comfortable and serene room for the night.
They were providing live jazz on the lawn so we headed out with a cocktail and relaxed before dinner. The lawn, pond, and gardens really are pretty here. 
We then had a lovely dinner at the hotel's restaurant CopperLeaf. You don't usually find things like foie gras, duck breast, and 5-course tasting menus by the airport but that is exactly what CopperLeaf offers. The food was all very good, it wasn't earth shattering but it was very good. It was also very, very pretty. The plating was excellent and the restaurant also offers a fantastic wine list with many exceptional local wines. 
Our favorite thing was this dessert. Delicious donuts served with a hand-blended hot chocolate for dipping. Delish!

5am the next day came around much to soon but it was made easier by the complimentary airport shuttle.

I highly recommend Cedarbrook Lodge as an overnight on your next early morning SeaTac departure!

Flickr Photo Set

48 Hours in Waikoloa

Trip date: May 2023 I left Volcanoes National Park and drove Hwy 11 northeast to Hilo, about 45 minutes away. I've never been to Hilo, a...

Popular Posts