Visiting Camp Orkila On Orcas Island With Sandi and Jon

We had a great time at Camp Orkila. I had gone to the camp when I was a boy growing up in Seattle. I loved that camp and can honestly say it shaped my life and had a huge impact on the adult I became. Camp can teach you many things about camaraderie, cooperation, responsibility and conscience. Camp Orkila did all those things, but it additionally implanted in me an appreciation of nature and sense of protection and responsibility for our enviroment.

We happened to be at Camp Orkila on the day they were cutting the ribbon for the new health center. It was very impressive and exciting. They have a unit where they can "quarantine" infectious campers and two other units for treatment of campers. They also have facilities for campers with kidney disease, and they have a special session at the end of the season for campers with these special needs. A wonderful, cheery and well run facility with such an enthusiastic, warm and capable staff. I felt proud to be an alumni and part of Orkila's history! We had lunch and spent the day there. We strolled the beautiful and rustic grounds, of course visited the gift store and made many new friends. Thank you Camp Orkila for hosting us and giving us that great Orkila welcome!

Tomorrow on to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island! We will be sad to say good bye to Orcas Island, but excited to go whale watching on San Juan Island.

Touring Orcas Island With Sandi and Jon #2

So on we continued to Moran State Park. There we purchased a "Discovery Pass" to tour the park.  While at the campground getting our pass we followed a couple of trails and found the above example of how the roots of the fir tree grows. The surface roots layer themselves and form a "foot" to support the tree, sending out one main "tap" root to collect moisture. Made a nice backdrop for a photo opportunity, don't you think?
Moran State Park is actually a 5,252-acre camping park with five freshwater lakes and over 30 miles of hiking trails. Atop the 2,409-foot-high Mt. Constitution, the highest point on the San Juan Islands, is a stone observation tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936. The tower offers amazing panoramic views of the surrounding islands and the Cascade Mountains. We climbed the stone steps of the tower and with the fair weather we were experiencing took a moment to catch our breath and captured a great view of the islands!

View from the tower atop Mt. Constitution

Then on we went to Doe Bay, an interesting and relaxing waterfront resort on over thirty-eight acres on Orcas Island. Amongst other things they feature a general store, cabins, yurts, hot tubs and a sauna! We poked around, sat in adirondack chairs by the bay and just relaxed and enjoyed the view.

Then back to our cozy cottage "Sweet Cedar" on East Sound to unwind and get ready for our last day on Orcas Island-we'll spend it on Camp Orkila, my boyhood camp. Can't wait to show Sandi and Jon and Karen!

Touring Orcas Island with Sandi and Jon #1

We started our day driving out to the the old Rosario Mansion (now a resort and spa) in East Sound, Orcas Island. Over one hundred years ago Seattle Shipbuilder Robert Moran built the Rosario Mansion with arts and crafts ideals in mind - time spent with family, a respect for nature and a return to hand craftsmanship lost in the industrial revolution. One hundred years later, Rosario Resort & Spa still retains this charm and has beautiful views, lovely gardens and manicured paths thoughout to enjoy it all.

The hanging baskets of petunias were gorgeous at the entrance of the mansion!

Sandi and Jon liked trying out the leather rocking chair in the lobby of the resort-quite comfy!

The view was amazing from the windows of the main dining room!

Sandi and Jon are standing in front of the HUGE pipe organ, and the piano is a Steinway.   There are concerts every afternoon at 4 PM

I had Sandi and Jon pose amidst the abundant lavender planted on the grounds-I had to take my photo in a hurry because the bees were enjoying the lavender as well! Then we were off to The Olga Cafe & Art Gallery for some lunch and browsing.......

Sandi and Jon in front of the beautiful flower boxes at The Olga Cafe & Gallery while Karen and I have lunch

Update: After we left Orcas Island we were so saddened to hear that The Olga Cafe & Gallery had a devastating fire. A major portion of the gallery and cafe had been destroyed. We loved the cafe and all of the artwork there. We hope they are able to rebuild and resume business as soon as possible.

The fire at The Olga Cafe & Gallery, just a couple of days after we had visited there