Postcards

Exploring Roche Harbor, Washington

There are those who say that the Roche Harbor Resort is like a grand old lady. When the brisk fall evenings give way to the cold, wet, and windy days of winter, she lets her hair down, dons a comfortable old robe, and settles down in front of the fire with a good book. Always hospitable, she welcomes visitors, but she won't dress up in her formal clothes — at least not for a while.

But come spring, she gives her hair a good brushing, applies fresh makeup, dons bright and cheerful clothes, and goes forth to welcome the influx of tourists with renewed enthusiasm.

So it is with the elegant Roche Harbor Seaside Village located on the northernmost tip of Washington State's San Juan Island. During the dark, drizzly winter months, all the gift shops and restaurants are closed, except for the Madrona Bar and Grill, which opens part time. The Hotel de Haro, the general store, the laundry, and Lime Kiln Café remain open for the locals, as well as for the occasional tourists taking advantage of the quiet season.

But let the days begin getting warmer, brighter, and longer, and fresh paint, renewed gardening, and new gift selections are the order of the day. The pace picks up as the hotel, cottages, and condominiums fill up rapidly. During holiday weekends such as the Fourth of July, Canada Day, and Labor Day the harbor is packed with everything from work boats to huge ocean-going yachts, and even an occasional luxury cruiser with a helipad on the aft deck. The adjacent Roche Harbor airstrip is likewise lined with aircraft of all shapes and sizes, from Champs to Citations, from homebuilts to helicopters.

The resort's peak season is from the middle of May through the end of September. The quiet season runs from the first of January through the middle of May and again from the first of October through the end of the year. Rates are lower during the quiet season.

Arguably the most northern and western resort in the lower 48 states, Roche Harbor is just minutes away from Haro Strait on the west side of San Juan Island, well known for its whale watching. These magnificent Orcas — also known as killer whales — traverse Haro Strait's waters regularly, feeding on salmon. Several tour boat operators offer daily cruises from April through September. (Don't ask the locals when the whales come up — you'll get the stock answer, "Whenever they feel like it.")

The whale-watch boat operators maneuver visitors close enough to hear the surfacing whales exhaling and to snap roll after roll of film or record enough video for a complete documentary. The boats are reliable and comfortable, with snug cabins in the event of inclement weather. Bring sunglasses, water, sunscreen, water-compatible shoes, snacks, and a jacket. Even on hot days, it can get cool and breezy on the open water.

If you're adventurous, try kayaking. Rental services offer small motorboats, open-deck kayaks, guided kayak treks, and whale-watching trips, with hourly, half-day, and full-day rates. You can choose guided tours or go it alone after a checkout. Kayaks, with their quiet propulsion systems, can get up close to observe the whales as they pass by.

But be advised, harassing the whales in any manner is strictly forbidden. This includes following them too closely or stopping directly in their path. It also includes overflying the whales at low altitudes. Local enforcement agencies take their jobs — and their whales — very seriously.

Eagles are another fascination for the visiting city dweller. These impressive raptors, some with an eight-foot wingspan, glide gracefully, their brilliant white heads and tails catching the sun as they circle high above, scanning the meadows below for a quick lunch. They're also excellent fishermen, diving down to the water and snagging a salmon with their long, curved talons, then trailing drops of water as they struggle to gain altitude, nearly over grossed by the catch.

To explore Friday Harbor, the only town on the island, you can ride the shuttle bus, leaving Roche Harbor every hour, for the short 10-mile run. Local taxi services also offer transportation to and from town. If your interest lies in golf, just outside of Friday Harbor you'll find a long and challenging nine-hole golf course. Downtown you'll also find gift shops of every stripe, real estate offices, restaurants, and grocery stores. What you won't find are any fast-food outlets — but there are numerous restaurants specializing in fresh seafood, ethnic foods, health foods, and nearly every other kind of gastronomical delight.

The "New RHLLC" (the official name of the Roche Harbor Village) began as the Tacoma and Roche Harbor Lime Company, owned by John S. McMillin, a Tacoma lawyer, who bought it from the Scurr brothers in 1884. Within two years the company had been incorporated and became a large-scale business. Roche Harbor was the source of the richest and largest lime deposits in the Northwest, and within a few years, the lime — used in the manufacture of cement — was being shipped to numerous customers using company-owned vessels.

McMillin built the 20-room Hotel de Haro in 1886 to accommodate friends and potential lime buyers, and the village developed around the hotel. Complete historical booklets are available in the hotel lobby.

In 1956, the 4,000-acre Roche Harbor area was sold to Rueben J. Tarte, a Seattle businessman. He and his family restored the hotel and warehouse, transforming the former lime company into a resort. The present owners invested millions of dollars in renovating and upgrading the docks, buildings, and shops, and today it is acknowledged as a world-class resort. Flying to the resort takes under an hour from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Boeing Field/King County International Airport, or Lake Union, a Seattle-area seaplane base. Roche Harbor is approximately 75 miles north and west of Seattle. Fly a magnetic heading of 316 degrees and you will arrive off the west coast of San Juan Island with the resort below your right wing.

En route from Seattle you will pass through the Chinook A and B MOAs (military operations areas) that extend from 300 to 5,000 feet msl, from sunrise to sunset when active. Contact Whidbey Naval Air Station Approach control on 118.2 MHz to traverse their airspace, and to check whether the MOA is "hot." Be sure you have a current Seattle Sectional chart with you.

Roche Harbor's single runway (7/25) is 4,000 feet long and 35 feet wide with a field elevation of 100 feet msl. The runway slopes uphill to the east, away from the resort. It is a nontowered field, so the use of the common traffic advisory frequency (128.25 MHz) to announce your location and intentions is essential. (128.25 is the CTAF for all the islands in the San Juan chain.) Traffic patterns are 1,100 feet msl, left hand, and the runway lights are on from dusk to 10 p.m. The airport manager, David Gibbs, can be reached at 360/378-3500.

Roche Harbor Airport is a private airstrip open to the public, and landing permission is required — call 800/451-8910. The landing fee is $10; the pay box is located near the tiedowns at the west end of the runway. There is neither a maintenance shop nor fuel at Roche Harbor — if you need gas, Friday Harbor Airport has the closest gas pump, a self-service fueling facility. And by the way, Roche rhymes with gauche, not coach.

Charles W. Lindenberg, AOPA 122479, of Friday Harbor, Washington, is a 200-hour pilot and the author of the novel The Academy.