We spend most of the year on the road but return every summer to the Pacific Northwest to visit friends and family. Just because we are retired and have the whole summer free, doesn’t mean that our whole family is free as well. Our sons are busy with jobs, girlfriends, and navigating early adulthood, so we can’t really expect them to play with us all summer. In order to ensure some quality time with our kids, we rented 6 nights in a 3 bedroom waterfront HomeExchange in the Canadian Southern Gulf Islands. Our boys, Jess, Joe, and Joe’s girlfriend Kenzie were able to spend the first 3 nights with us for some family time and reconnecting.
To get to Mayne Island we had a 3 hour drive (plus border wait) from Seattle to the Tsawwassen ferry dock. The ferry ride was a beautiful tour through Active Pass stopping at Galiano Island before dropping off us on Mayne Island. Meg and I had a great anniversary trip to Galiano about 20 years ago and we waited way too long to return to the Gulf Islands. Mayne is similar in size and population to Galiano and reminds us a lot of Guemes, Lopez, or Shaw islands in the Washington State San Juan Islands. About 1000 permanent residents and only a couple of restaurants and small grocery stores. It is very quiet and relaxing which was perfect for our family trip. We got to see several fantastic sunsets and watch the ferry boats come and go.
So what is there to do on Mayne Island. On the first 3 days with the whole crew we wanted to just hang out together. We cooked, played cards and board games, started a puzzle, played the guitar and sang, did some painting, and took some short walks on our beach and a Japanese garden. We did make it to the Mayne Island brewery and tried their local brews in their funky beer garden in the forest.
After the young people left, Meg and I had 3 days to explore Mayne Island by ourselves, just like we do the rest of the year when traveling by ourselves :>). We drove every road on the island. We did all the hikes including climbing the tallest hill on the island. Many of the hikes reminded us all the hiking we have done in the San Juans. Lots of trails along the water with beautiful views of the bays among the madronas and evergreen trees. We also found the lighthouse on the North end of the island that we saw from the ferry.
We didn’t see many Washington License plates on the island. I think the Gulf Islands are primarily visited by Canadians and the San Juans by Americans. But, we want to see everything and have to see all the islands. Mayne is definitely worth a visit. It feels like a sleepy locals only island that has a great community where everyone knows each other. The public transportation consisted of tying plastic chairs to several spots on the island so that hitch hikers would have a place to sit.
We have just over 2 weeks before leaving again for our fall trip. We have so much to do before we are ready, but it is coming fast. Next stop – Dublin, Ireland!!!