Dear Rich, Congratulations on achieving Executive Club status. I know this honor represents a lot of hard work. ~ Kay Read More Testimonials »

                                             Kicking Back in Anacortes

The call of an arctic loon interrupts the early morning stillness and I look for the faint ripple of its wake as it glides past me. Across Fidalgo Bay a long, low ribbon of late summer fog hides the far shore of Hat Island and creates an artist's matte to silhouette the foreign tanker lying at anchor.

Now a burst of the sun's rays breaks over the Cascades reflecting light off the glistening snow fields of Mt. Baker like a new song and steadily building to a symphony as the sun's warmth envelops the eastern side of our island.  A full crescendo breaks open as the bright, new morning illuminates another picture perfect day in Anacortes.

Leaning back in my deck chair the strong aroma of my coffee mixes with the morning light to fill my senses with all the natural beauty that surrounds me.  We live in a sunbelt, a romantic fishing village on the first island of the archipelago called the San Juan's, discovered so long ago by Captain George Vancouver.  This special place in the Pacific Northwest has a colorful past, a rich cultural heritage and a promising future; it's a place that people lovingly call home or dream of calling home.

Hikers follow trails deep into forests of ‘old growth' fir and cedar, some 2,800 acres of forest lands that wind from the dramatic bridge over Deception Pass to the abandoned railroad trestle crossing Fidalgo Bay.  For the hunter-gatherers there is a treasure of mushrooms to collect from the forest floor in the fall while our many lakes provide the angler with trout and bass.  Secret paths lead to pristine, pebbly beaches just waiting for you to turn up an agate or spot a sand dollar or sea star.  Festivals and fairs sprinkle our town calendar from Waterfront Festival in May to Shipwreck Days in July to The Oyster Run where thousands of Harleys converge on Old Town in September.

This corner of the Puget Sound enjoys an impressive array of fine dining establishments, featuring Northwest cuisine at its best.  My preference is Dungeness crab and it's hard to pass up smoked salmon from a street vendor.  Try following up dinner with an evening at the theater, a concert at Brodniak Hall or taking in a local movie.  Community art walks are featured on Friday nights, church doors are open on Sunday mornings and flags fly along our main street on holidays..."Our Town!"

Up here in the islands the most popular activity is boating, sailing, motor yachting, kayaking or rowing with locals in OARS.  Large, small, fast, slow, wooden hull or carbon fiber—it doesn't matter so long as it floats!

No wonder someone, somewhere is always writing an article rating Anacortes as a "most attractive place to live."  Well, another cup of coffee and I'll pick up the newspaper to see what's going on in the rest of the world.  Or, perhaps I'll just wander down the hill for a sticky bun at the Farmer's Market; after all it is Saturday, the day is bright, the air is crisp and there's no reason to hurry! 

                                                                                                                                    Rich