Labor Day at Bowman Bay - Fidalgo Island

Bowman Bay.

I associate water with Labor Day.  Years of Sea Scout summer cruises that ended on Labor Day, followed by countless cruises on our own boats has created a strong desire to be on or near the water during this end of summer holiday.  For 2018 we found ourselves on Fidalgo Island enjoying the remaining days of our nine week RV trip to the San Juan Islands.  We loaded up the kayaks and headed over to Bowman Bay for a paddle.

Our clockwise route around Bowman Bay.

A circumnavigation of Bowman Bay is about 1.5 miles, so it's a nice tour at a very leisurely pace.  On this day we decided to include a stop at the isthmus separately Bowman Bay from Lottie Bay.

Dale Mack

Laura Mack on the beach near Lottie Bay.

Standing on top of the isthmus, it is possible to watch boats transiting Deception Pass.  Lottie Bay was idyllic, too bad its depth does promote mooring because it has the look of a sheltered anchorage.

Lottie Bay and Deception Pass beyond.

We acquired our first kayak in 2003 (the blue one), less than a year after getting our Catalina 30 mkIII sailboat.  We were inspired watching others who brought kayaks along on sailing trips.  By 2004, we'd picked up the red model which is nearly identical to the blue model.  These "Critter" kayaks from Wilderness Systems are great for beginners. They are 9'4" in length, 30" wide, 14" in total height, 40 lbs in weight, and can carry a capacity of 250 lbs.  The 30" width translates into a very stable platform for the casual kayaker.  They ran us about $250 each without paddles.  We also carry aboard a sponge, a handheld bilge pump, and a lanyard attached to the bow.  Combined with our inflatable lifejackets that we always wear, and sailing gloves, and you have a pretty nice kayak kit.

Paddling Ready.

Labor Day weekend found a number of boats still anchored in the bay and moored to the floating dock.  We had visited the bay on Friday when there were many more boats anchored.

The floating mooring at Bowman Bay.

Laura Mack enjoying the twilight of summer.

Sharpe Cove is on the northern side of an isthmus that separates Bowman Bay from Rosario Beach.  Laura and I love landing at the cove's beach and enjoying the view.

Sharpe Cove on the north side of Bowman Bay.

When we purchased our kayaks, we never imagined the adventures that lay ahead.  They have traveled aboard both our Catalina 30 mkIII sailboat and our Bayliner 3870 motoryacht, and they've hit the road atop our Honda Fit on many of our RV journeys.  They have allowed us to explore the waters around Beacon Rock State Park, and the saltwater of Ilwaco, WA at the mouth of the Columbia River, and many points in between.  They introduced us to the joys of Newport Bay on Oregon coast, and to the wonders that are the San Juan Islands.  In terms of return on investment, they have paid off handsomely.

Sharpe Cove.

We were so happy to have gotten out on this day.  The paddle around the bay had occurred under a beautiful sky and in comfortable temperatures.  We had discovered a new cool spot in Lottie Bay and revisited a favorite in Sharpe Cove.  Once back at the start of our trip, we hauled the kayaks out on the pebble beach, opened the umbrella, and sat back to enjoy the afternoon sun.

Laura Mack enjoying the sunset.

Looking west across Bowman Bay.

With a cold beverage in hand and the warm sun shining on us, we kicked up our feet on the driftwood and enjoyed the remainders of the day.  We both felt fortunate to be able to enjoy such a wonderful place.

Live well, Laugh often, Love much