Roche Harbor – A Boating Mecca

Timing our arrival in Roche Harbor Marina to coincide with the Customer Appreciation Party!

In 1845, the quaint waterside marine village of Roche Harbor, on San Juan Island, started out as a trading post for the Hudson Bay Company. By 1857 both the United States and Britain were claiming the San Juan Islands as their territories, based on a dispute over the western border of the islands. The dispute was settled in 1872 when arbitration was rendered in favor of the United States. In 1881 the Scurr brothers bought Roche Harbor and started mining the rich limestone deposits, turning the harbor area into a mining town of 800 people. By 1956 the limestone mining business came to a close and Roche Harbor changed hands again – this is when the area started to transform into a small resort town and boating mecca.

We timed our arrival at the marina on Saturday, to coincide with their annual Labor Day Customer Appreciation party, which we know from past experience is always held on Sunday; this gave us time to give Kismet a much-needed bath; she was fairly dirty after six weeks of cruising in Canada. We toured the town, played bocce ball, and Lisa did a little shopping.

We always notice things in a marina that are a little different, not typical, or just a better idea. The cleats (above) are the best, in design and sturdiness, we’ve ever encountered. Loved tying up to these.

Cocktail time!

Sunday was spent getting ready for the big mid-day party, we wanted to arrive early so we could get a good spot to watch the band – we ate, drank, danced, and met other friendly boaters in attendance. The event took place on a large floating platform with complimentary entertainment food, wine, and beer.

After many months of careful planning to rendezvous with a group, from our yacht club in Traverse City (Grand Traverse Yacht Club), while we were all cruising in the San Juans, we finally met up while we were all in Roche Harbor. Part of the group met up downtown (above) and a few more joined us on the back deck of Kismet later in the evening (below).

We dinghied over to the harbor dock just before sunset and rafted up with a dozen or so other dinghies to watch the marina’s employees put on their nightly sunset celebration… complete with British, Canadian, and American national anthems played over the loudspeaker as they lower the flags. The docks are lined with onlookers and the water is filled with boats and dinghies. To end the celebration the marina staff lines up in groups, fully clothed in their uniforms, to jump off the top of the marina office into the water below. It definitely adds an element of excitement to the sunset celebration. The ceremony is a rather moving experience and a summer tradition we’ve only encountered at Roche Harbor. Needless to say, we had a blast in Roche Harbor.