It was the day after Christmas and this year, we were out visiting family in the San Juan Islands. The difference with the PNW compared to the Midwest is nothing here is frozen over making you want to stay indoors. This particular day, we decided to island hop from San Juan and go check out some other local islands.

This is when we ended up on Orcas island. We ventured across the sound in the pouring rain on the ferry ride with a front row parking spot. We launched just as the sun was starting to light up the sky which made the crossing very moody and scenic in the rain. We hung out on deck for a while before finding cover inside the ferry to escape the weather. On the island, we checked out the local coffee shop that was attached to a book store (yes please) and warmed up a bit before heading to the woods.

Orcas Island has the most elevation out of all the San Juan islands as well as some cool things to see. We explored the state park lakes and ventured to the top of Mt. Constitution which had some great views of the surrounding ocean and islands. The very top lookout was stuck in a cloud, but on the way up, there was a couple good areas where you could make out the sights below.

It felt like we had the entire space to ourselves for most of the day. We ran into a family of otters at the lake and watched them roll around and play for quite a while. These same spots must be packed with people during summer. Orcas Island has a bit different feel than San Juan. At the ferry docks, there are a couple buildings, but you have to drive a ways into the island before you reach civilization. This makes it feel a little more remote during the winter, but during summer, I would imagine this is cyclist favorite stop.

After we had enough of the wet and cold, we loaded back up on the ferry to make another island stop and get some lunch. That will be for another entry though.