Watmough Bay, Lopez Island

We were given a nudge to check out Watmough Bay on the south east tip of Lopez Island. Weather permitting, this is a beautiful nook to catch a mooring ball for a couple of days and enjoy classic PNW coastal wildlife. If the winds are mellow you're golden, although our first sleep in the bay was rocky all night long. The water in the bay, a deep emerald blue, is shadowed by the southern facing rock cliff of Chadwick Hill. The other side of the bay is heavily forested, and trails run on either side of the bay for spectacular views of your boat nestled in the water below. The trail up Chadwick Hill, 470 ft, is steep but short. You can also drive to Watmough Bay via ferry to Lopez. We met quite a few people on the beach enjoying the scenery (our boat included!) The 3 public mooring balls in Watmough are free, to protect the eel grass.

Everyone needs a little alone time living on top of each other in a boat! Jon and took turns climbing up Chadwick Hill. I went first taking Lucy, and not realizing there was a proper trail up, we scrambled our way up. I had to shove Lucy's little corgi butt up every other boulder, as her legs paddled through sliding dirt and branches. She was a good sport. Low center of gravity. A few yards from the top we happened upon a trail, thank goodness—I wasn't sure I'de be able to get down the same way we came up! In fact, at some points I wasn't sure I would be able to get up or down. Nothing like a little corgi cliff climbing to get your blood pumping. The view up top is spectacular. Off to the distance you can faintly see cars floating across Deception Pass bridge. Currents scatter and pattern across Rosario Straight.

Jon took his turn up Chadwick while Jude and I played on the beach and watched several otters tumble around in the bay. Walkie talkie in hand, Jon and I chatted while he hung out on a ledge overlooking the beach. Not sure what it is, but there's something about shootin' the shit with your love over walkies that just brings out your best sense of candor and humor. We decided if we're ever in bad moods and need to hash it out, we'll just do it on the walkies here on out. We've also been using the walkies religiously while setting the anchor or catching a mooring ball, aptly avoiding "divorce docking" as the expression goes, wherein the couple frustratingly yells repeatedly at each other from either end of the boat to no avail.

With all this newfound time on my hands, cooking continues to be one of my favorite pastimes. Near Watmough we collected some baby bull kelp which I pickled, and it turned out amazing! Check out my Pickled Baby Bull Kelp recipe. Even Jude loved it.