Lopez Island. Third Stop
12 August 2021 | Mackaye Harbor, Lopez Island
Jan Norman
Mackaye Harbor. To reach the next stop on our circumnavigation we cruised around the southern tip of Lopez Island. We passed by Pt. Coville and the small bays of McCardle, Hughs, and Alec. These three bays are not the best for anchoring because they are exposed to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and there are no public accesses to shore. We marveled at some of the houses and farms lining these bays. It was evident by the posture of the trees that this area gets pumelled by the winds from the south. But today there was just a slight breeze making the passage quite pleasant.
Mackaye Harbor is on the southwest side of Lopez. It is a large bay with a county dock at the northeast corner. The Southend General Store is only 1/2 mile away. The harbor is located near a coupe of hiking trails that look interesting. Plus it is reported to be good crabbing in this area. Sounds like a place we could be happy staying a few days.
Our first destination is Iceberg Point. This is another phenomenal vista. From the point you can see across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains; you can see American Camp and Cattle Pass on San Juan Island; and the distant views are the mountains of Vancouver Island. The longer we stayed the clearer the view became because the marine layer was lifting. We were there on a very unusual day because there was no wind. This is another point where the winds can really howl, but not today. This is the kind of view that is mesmerizing. You just can't stop looking at it! There are several pictures in the gallery of Iceberg Point but they just don't capture the feeling. It is only a ferry ride away from Anacortes. I would encourage anyone in the area to take a day trip to Lopez Island and enjoy this view for yourself.
Later that day we had a visitor paddle up to the boat. He lives in the house just above where we are anchored. His dream is to own a 43 Nordhavn. When he saw us at anchor he just had to come by for a chat. We found we had much in common and enjoyed the visit. He invited us to his house the next day for happy hour. Now that's an invitation we couldn't refuse. So the next day after a bike ride to Lopez Village we walked up the hill to David's house to enjoy a refreshment with our new friend.
We had planned to stay in Mackaye Harbor another day or two. There are more crabs to catch and a few more hikes to take. But sometimes life gets in the way of good plans and we needed to return to Anacortes. We will continue our circumnavigation another time. Needless to say, we have thoroughly enjoyed our exploration of Lopez Island. We will definitely be returning. Have I mentioned that Lopez is now my favorite island in the San Juan archipelago.