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Dave Ber, San Juan Island Knife Maker

Blog, Featured Artists, Things to do in the San Juan Islands

May 19, 2020 Mikaela Judd

Near the center of San Juan Island, in an area known to some as ‘Hippy Heights,’ Dave Ber hand-crafts knives in his 200-square-foot shop.

The self-taught knife artisan began honing his craft in 1986. He outfitted his first blade with a simple wood handle. Crude in comparison to his work today, Dave never sold the knife. It wasn’t up to his standards. But the three-incher foreshadowed the elegant designs and exceptionally well-balanced blades he makes today.

Dave’s shop is one of three rustic wood structures on the 2.5-acre perch overlooking San Juan Channel where he lives with his wife, Lina Vander Houwen. It sits at the center of the three buildings, flanked by Linda’s cozy get-away and their home — a beautiful cabin originally constructed in 1988 before they bought the property. “It was just one room when we moved in,” Linda told me as we sat in their toasty living room. “Dave added the loft. The bathroom. This room where we are now. The deck. We just kept expanding as need be.”

May 19, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

Best Orcas Island Bike Routes

Things to do in the San Juan Islands

Quiet, tree-lined roads wind around lakeshores and cow pastures. They skim rocky beaches and crest mountain tops. This is Orcas Island. The largest in the San Juans, it’s roughly 57-square miles. With a horseshoe shape and the archipelago’s tallest peak (Mount Constitution), the remote gem offers a geographically diverse wonderland of view and nature.

While the thigh-burning challenge of exploring on two wheels might make you think twice, an e-bike can turn a grueling trek into a fun-filled adventure. So gather ye’ helmets and favorite adventure buddies. The road is calling.

April 29, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

Destination Desolation

Blog, General, Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls

Apr 21, 2020 Sara Satterlee

What better way to celebrate Poppy’s 75^th birthday than an 8-day cruise in the BC Islands.

My dad is a waterman. That’s not a term used for just anyone who likes the water. Being a waterman in the true sense means a person is driven by a need to be in the water and on the water for sport, leisure, and sometimes livelihood.

My dad, in particular, will sail anything that he can hook a mast on. He’s raced everything from 2-crew 505 sailboats to 5-foot short-board windsurfers. When faced with a lack of wind, he’ll paddle; for miles. He was an early adopter of SUP, as he would simply pop the mast off his longboard and paddle up the river if she wasn’t blowing.

April 21, 2020/by Sara Satterlee

From the Water’s Surface: Sea Kayaking in the San Juans

Blog, Things to do in the San Juan Islands

Apr 10, 2020 Mikaela Judd

From the Water’s Surface: Sea Kayaking in the San Juans

Tucked in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, at the watery edge of the US and Canadian border, the San Juan Islands are a kayaker’s paradise.

The more than 170 islands and inlets are sheltered from the biggest ocean swells. This is thanks to their neighboring landmasses — the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island. And though tucked in the wet Pacific Northwest, this remote archipelago is located at the center of the Olympic Rain Shadow (aka the ‘Banana Belt’). The unique sunshine blanket is created by the Olympic Mountains which condenses and squeezes most of the air’s moisture from the sky before it reaches the San Juans. The result is an average of 270 days with sunshine a year — making this arguably the happiest place in Washington.

As with many remote destinations, the San Juan Islands have attracted a quirky culture of artists and artisans who operate at a slower pace, who savor views a little longer, and who love nature with an unending passion.

April 10, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

Mount St. Helens’ Topless 40th Birthday

Blog, Things to do in Seattle

Apr 9, 2020

Mount St. Helens is a living, breathing — topless — giant. When she blew, the volcano forever changed the landscape of Washington State. And the steam that periodically arises from her cratered head reminds us that even 40 years later, she’s still very much alive.

In the months leading up to the catastrophic eruption, consistent seismic activity was recorded on the grounds surrounding the volcano. Plumes of steam were seen shooting from its top, sometimes as high as 6,000 feet into the air. Its shape changed, as the north side bulged out roughly 450 feet in a nearly horizontal direction.

The catastrophic eruption climaxed on May 18, 1980. It demolished 1,300 feet of the volcano’s summit. The formerly symmetrical cone became a 2-mile-wide crater.

April 9, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

World-Renowned Vancouver Aquarium

Blog, Things to do in Vancouver

Mar 5, 2020

Tucked within Vancouver’s beloved Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium has earned a worldwide reputation as a leading marine science center. It’s home to more than 70,000 animals heralding from the Arctic to the Amazon.

While it’s known as one of the top ‘kid-friendly’ Vancouver activities, you don’t have to be a tiny tot to be blown away by this stunning destination. Throughout the 166 aquatic displays, you’ll find a diverse array of inhabitants including a rescue dolphin, sea otters, and sea lions. And if you visit during the winter holidays, you might even spot a jolly old elf scuba diving with the fishes. (He’s known fondly as ‘Scuba Claus.’)

March 5, 2020/by kenmoreairstg

Pacific Northwest Spring Break Getaways

Adventures

Feb 20, 2020

Go beyond the traditional spring break getaway. This year, spend a little more time enjoying and a little less time traveling by taking advantage of the fabulous adventures right here in the Pacific Northwest.

February 20, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

Goats on the Roof

Things to do in Victoria

Feb 13, 2020

In 1973, Kristian Graaten opened a roadside fruit stand on the Alberni Highway near the Eastern edge of Vancouver Island. Today, the ‘stand’ is known as the Old Country Market. While the charming shop is filled with everything from groceries and gelato to pottery and libre masks — it’s best known for the goats on its roof.

Each spring, a trip of goats is relocated to the market’s roof. The hungry creatures are given free range of the grassy canopy for a few months while they help keep the elevated field in check.

February 13, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

Goldstream Railway Trestle Hike

Blog, Things to do in Victoria

Feb 6, 2020

Goldstream Provincial Park is home to massive trees, majestic waterfalls, and a meandering river that meets the sea. A variety of hiking trails can be found throughout the park’s more than 950 acres — the most popular of which is the Goldstream Railway Trestle Hike.

Though difficult, those willing to make the steep ascent are rewarded with an up-close and personal view of the spectacular train bridge that runs high above the Niagara Creek Canyon. The railway is part of the Esquimalt-Nanaimo Railway, an important element in the development of Vancouver Island as it provided access to the island’s forest and mineral resources. The trestle is no longer active, but be careful.* Work crews do occasionally come by on cars.

February 6, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

Seattle Doughnut be Messing Around

Blog, Things to do in Seattle

Jan 30, 2020 Mikaela Judd

Tasty Treats Worth an Early-Morning Bell

Seattle’s food scene has long been known for its seafood. Salmon, in particular, is so woven into the city’s culinary identity tourists routinely converge on the corner of Pike and Pike to duck the flying king of fish. And while local chefs have embraced the farm-to-table movement with such gusto the city celebrated 23 James Beard Nominations in 2019 — a few chefs have turned their eye toward an often-overlooked fried delight.

January 30, 2020/by Mikaela Judd