FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND: MATIA, PATOS AND ROSARIO
MATIA, PATOS AND ROSARIO


JULY 3, 2011

Jake had to work on Monday the Fourth of July holiday but took Friday off.  We headed to the boat Thursday night to get an early start on Friday morning (4:30 a.m.), so that we could head north before the current against us gained full strength.  As it turned out our current book was a bit off, but we pushed ahead anyway, stopping at Clark Island to wave at seals and empty the water out of our dinghy and then continuing on to Matia Island where we were lucky enough to score one of two buoys.   We did the island’s short hike and then settled in for a day on the beach.   The next day we headed to Patos, the northern-most island in the San Juans.  We anchored in 10 feet and with the tide receding headed to the island for what we thought would be a short hike.  As it turned out it was about an hour and a half, most of it pretty overgrown with sticker bushes.  By the time we got back, our depth alarm was sounding, so we high-tailed it back to the boat without even getting to explore the nearby lighthouse.  From Matia, we stopped at two different coves on Sucia but ultimately decided to continue heading south because of some rough weather that was forecast for Saturday night and Sunday.  We parked ourselves on one of two remaining buoys at Rosario and headed to the pool and a nice dinner.  Sunday morning we headed out early and managed to miss most of the chop from opposing wind and current in the Strait.  Great weekend!