My bags are unpacked, my laundry is finished and my fridge is stocked. Sand has found it’s way back into my car and I spend the majority of yesterday with salty skin and nappy ocean hair. I have been back in Hawaii for almost 3 days and island life is exactly where I left it before traveling on the mainland for 3 weeks. Hard to believe that a month ago today, we (and when I say “we” I mean Jared) had packed up Daisy and we were on our way to Doe Bay Fest on Orcas Island. The 4 day music festival was a huge contrast to Sasquatch which we had ventured to earlier this year. Instead of big name bands and 25,000 people raging their face off, Doe Bay offered an intimate setting with a set list of smaller, lesser known (but still equally talented) bands and artists.
DOE BAY! DOE BAY!" title="Throwback Thursday -> DOE BAY! DOE BAY!" />I am happy to have experienced both extremes but will say that I connected more with Doe Bay’s style. Settled on pristine waterfront, Doe Bay Resort and Retreat is a hippy’s paradise. The property is over 38 acres and boasts rustic cabins, yurts, campsites, a yoga studio, an organic cafe and (clothing optional ;)) soaking tubs. Families were welcome and with a maximum 2,000 people for the weekend, sharing and bumping into familiar faces was the norm.
DOE BAY! DOE BAY!" title="Throwback Thursday -> DOE BAY! DOE BAY!" /> the view from Otter Stage
Jared and I found a groove of rising early for coffee hour and a long breakfast before walking down to Otter Cove to watch the first set of artists perform. We got lucky with weather and were able to do some sun worshipping before engaging in afternoon activities that ranged from yoga (for me), running (for him), jumping in the bay (for both of us) and then warming up in the soaking tubs. We came fully prepared in the food department and made our way back to our campsite (aka Daisy) to prepare gourmet camp meals for lunch & dinner // engage in cocktail hour with our neighbors and new friends. Had we not brought an abundance of food, I would have spent every meal at the resorts restaurant, which brought back visions of my own dream in owning an organic cafe.
I arrived at the festival not knowing any of the bands and left with a new playlist of artists including; Naomi Witchara, Mikey & Matty, Quinn Deveaux and the Blue Beat Review, and my personal favorite You, Me and Apollo. What was almost as lovely as watching artists perform, was that they joined the crowd after. They jumped from the stage to the grass dance floor to support other musicians as though they hadn’t just been performing themselves. That was just the culture at Doe Bay. Musicians and festival go-ers alike were warm and uber friendly, Earth conscious and grateful to be a part of such a unique summertime festival in the picturesque San Juan Islands.
It was the perfect way to begin my whirlwind trip to 3 states in 3 weeks! Sooner or later I will do a few flashback posts and stories on my journey through Washington, Nevada and California. But first, I have over 350 photos to sort through!
aloha nui xo
