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Luxurious landings: Posh ports of the San Juans let boaters slip into something elegant
By BILL KNIGHT 
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
NATIONAL SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
When Hollywood legend John Wayne cruised Northwest waters more than 30 years ago aboard his yacht Wild Goose, a 136-foot converted minesweeper, one of his favorite stops was Roche Harbor.
Wayne would drop anchor in the well-protected harbor on the northwest corner of San Juan Island almost every summer. Often wearing fatigue garb that looked like surplus from a war movie, Wayne became a familiar figure standing in the bow of an outboard-powered Boston Whaler.
Wayne is gone now -- he died in 1979 -- but the resort remains the premier luxury cruising destination in the San Juan Islands.
Most Puget Sound boating enthusiasts thrive on escaping from the workplace to a secluded cove or protected moorage where they can enjoy beachcombing, hiking, fishing, crabbing and other activities.
But there comes a point when most skippers yearn for a touch of elegance, when a heated pool is a lot more appealing than the frigid salt chuck, and a white-tablecloth dining experience gets a definite nod over barbecued burgers.
The success of Roche Harbor is a testament to the popularity of this more upscale yachting lifestyle. So is Rosario on Orcas Island and a couple of posh stopping-off resorts frequented by San Juans-bound cruisers: Port Ludlow on the Olympic Peninsula and Semiahmoo north of Bellingham.
The almost totally renovated resort at Deer Harbor (Orcas) and the Lopez Islander on Fisherman Bay (Lopez Island) are more family-oriented, but some skippers prefer them as must-stops on any San Juan boat trip.
Services and facilities vary, but each resort has protected moorage with enough docking capacity to handle at least several dozen boats. Another key ingredient is the presence of at least one excellent restaurant.
Other featured attractions include one or more swimming pools -- considered the No. 1 item for younger crew members -- a nearby golf course, tennis courts, first-class shoreside accommodations, grocery store, bicycle and kayak rentals, beauty salon, liquor store, laundry, gift shop, live entertainment and fuel dock.
Roche Harbor
Since Rich Komen, the prominent Seattle restaurateur (Palisade, Palomino, Cutters) became a partner about five years ago, Roche has made major additions and improvements.
Last winter, Roche added 90 slips to the 140 that were new last season, expanding total docking to about 400 boats. About half are for visitors.
The resort's luxury restaurant has been upgraded and Komen gives much of the credit to chef Bill Shaw, whose menu features fresh Northwest seafood and prime rib.
The less formal Lime Kiln Cafe is equally popular and features a wide range of snacks, lunches and light dinners. The resort's popular doughnuts are found here, still made daily.
Roche general manager Bret Snow said the daily flag-lowering ceremony precisely at sunset, featuring a cannon salute, remains a spectacular part of the resort's tradition.
Roche's marine activity center includes kayaking, whale-watching junkets and day cruises to Victoria, B.C. There's a shore shuttle to a nearby nine-hole golf course, the national historical park at British Camp where British troops gathered in the threatened "Pig War" of the 1850s, and Friday Harbor's ferry landing.
The majority of Roche visitors come by boat, but the classic Hotel de Haro and modern condominium units are available to other guests.
Reservations: 800-451-8910.
Rosario
Situated on a 30-acre site overlooking picturesque Cascade Bay on Orcas Island, Rosario has undergone a major renovation.
The resort's marina is limited -- 35 slips and 30 mooring buoys -- but general manager Christopher French considers visitors arriving by pleasure boat as prime patrons.
French calls the centerpiece Moran Mansion "the anchor and rock" of Rosario. The building includes the Compass Room, a dinner-only restaurant featuring Northwest shellfish, seafood and produce, the Orcas Room, somewhat more casual, and the Moran Lounge and Veranda. It also includes a museum featuring memorabilia from the early days of the San Juans and the Music Room with its 1,972-pipe organ.
Hotel rooms in buildings spread across the hillside overlooking the bay have been recently renovated.
Rosario has three heated pools, tennis courts and a wide range of activities, including sea kayaking, sailing charters, whale-watching tours, pottery tours, trips up nearby Mount Constitution, oyster farm visits and a day trip to Victoria.
Reservations: 800-562-8820.
Semiahmoo
Best known for its Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, Semiahmoo is out of the way for San Juan boat traffic, but those who have visited the resort at Drayton Harbor near Blaine have been impressed.
The marina is protected from the open waters of Semiahmoo Bay by a breakwater inside 1.5-mile-long Semiahmoo Spit. Visiting boats share slips with permanent tenants.
The resort boasts an elegant, upscale restaurant, Stars, in the nearby waterfront setting of the Inn at Semiahmoo. Some locals think the food at Great Blue Heron Bar and Grill at the golf clubhouse up the hill is equally good. Other special attractions: a historical museum featuring the fishing and packing industry and a passenger-only ferry to Blaine.
Reservations: marina, 360-371-5700; hotel, 800-770-7992.
Port Ludlow
A popular stop-off for boaters heading north, Port Ludlow features protected moorage, with 75 spots usually available for transient boats. The 30-year-old combination resort and residential development is not far from where Hood Canal meets Admiralty Inlet.
The prime restaurant, The Harbormaster, overlooks the harbor. The newest addition is the upscale 37-room Inn at Ludlow Bay, situated next to the marina. Innkeeper David Holt said guest rooms feature soaking tubs, gas fireplaces and Jacuzzis.
Port Ludlow's nationally recognized golf course (27 holes) is accessible by shuttle. Other activities include biking, tennis, beachcombing, walking trails and kayaking.
Reservations: marina, 800-308-7991; hotel, 800-732-1239; inn, 360-437-0411.
Deer Harbor
Many who visited by boat in the past won't recognize this place now that all the docks have been rebuilt. The marina capacity is about 90 boats and all slips have water and power. New showers, bathrooms and a laundromat are nearby.
Still under way is renovation of all housing facilities at the Resort at Deer Harbor on Orcas, expected to open about June 15. The project includes 11 new units, each with a fireplace, spa and deck, entertainment center and king-size bed. The long-established Deer Harbor Inn, a short walk up the hill from the beach, attracts locals as well as visitors. The marina will offer whale-watching trips and small-boat rentals.
Reservations: hotel, 360-376-4420; moorage, 360-376-3037.
Lopez Islander
A major dock-rebuilding project has been completed since new owners took over more than a year ago, and the marina now offers about 60 slips. There's a pool, picnic area and bikes to rent for exploring the island.
Situated on the east shore of the bay, the 30-room lodge includes a restaurant and lounge. It's within a short walk of Lopez village, which has a well-stocked grocery. Up the road is The Galley, long a favorite dining spot for yachtsmen. With limited tourist facilities, Lopez has less bustle and more solitude than other settings, perfect for some of the most picturesque sunsets in the islands.
Reservations: 800-736-3434.
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