Lindsay and I took a four day weekend and camped on Orcas Island. We went on several short hikes, visited the town, and wrapped up our last night there with a whale watch in the sound.
We had a fantastic time. Orcas Island isn't the absolute most magnificent place we've been to in Washington State (the Mountain Loop Highway and Olympic Peninsula are tied for that honor), but it was still breathtaking. More than that, the attractions were surprisingly quiet, giving us far more solitude than we've gotten from other destinations in the area.
One warning: settlers killed off the island's native bear and wolf populations more than a century ago, which has left Orcas Island at the mercy of a single animal:
Deer. That picture was from our campsite. We saw deer everywhere while we were on the island. They do not fear humans.
My pictures really don't do justice to the Madrona trees we saw there. These things look like they're made out of bronze or something.
It was a much needed break from work and writing. I don't think I find anything as inspirational as a vacation to a new climate and setting. I'm eager to get back to work on the next novel.
Awesome pics Erin! Looks like a tin of fun!
ReplyDeleteAnd by "tin" I mean "ton"!
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