Hotel de Haro, Roche Harbor WA

This is the beautiful historic hotel here at Roche Harbor WA. The hotel was named for Spanish explorer Gonzalo López de Haro, perhaps the first European to discover the San Juan Islands. The building dates from 1886, when the village became a company town for John McMillin's lime works (remnants of the lime kilns are still there, along with the now-scenic quarries). Past the tiny 1892 Our Lady of Good Voyage chapel, the San Juan Islands Museum of Art Sculpture Park, and the pioneer cemetery, you can hike up to the imposing Romanesque McMillin family mausoleum.

It truly is an historic spot...so many memories have been made here. I remember back in 1977 when Bob and I rode our bikes to the "San Juan Island"...we slept on the beach in our tube tent, sat on the deck here at Roche Harbor, and dreamed that someday we would have a boat...I guess dreams do come true.

To see more of today's photos, (including a 151' luxury yacht that arrived today) visit my FLICKR PAGE:)