Island Wedding in the San Juans

Posted on December 12, 2019 / NW Sailing

Romance on the High Seas!

In Septermber, Captain Ron was called upon to do the honors for Travis and Jane. Both have long had a strong connection to the sea and to Sucia Island. So it was only natural that the idea of a sea-side wedding came up.

Jane had inherited the trimaran Dizzy Fish, from her dad, Tom when he passed on. One of Travis and Jane’s first sailing trips aboard Dizzy Fish had been to Ewing Cove on Sucia Island to scatter Tom’s ashes on the beach. Together they planned their nuptials and honeymoon aboard their boat. They wanted to keep things as simple and intimate as possible. Our mutual friend, Scott Renzi knew that I had performed many wedding ceremonies over the years and suggested they get in touch. Soon we began to hatch a plan. I put together a wedding ceremony with a nautical flair. We would need to sail Diminuendo up to Sucia so they could continue on their honeymoon. Mari could sign as a witness on the marriage licence, but we would need a second signature. So we decided to invite Travis’ mom, Lynn and Jane’s mom, Faith to join the fun. We had a plan!

The morning of September eighteenth, we set sail from Bellingham. We had a nice sail up to Echo Bay, where we anchored and awaited the arrival of the bride and groom. They sailed past us and into Ewing Cove, where they beached Dizzy Fish. Faith, Lynn, Mari and I donned our finest, clambered into the dinghy, Dimi and headed ashore for the event. Once ashore, we four gathered and waited for the bride and groom to emerge from their boat. Soon thereafter, the deed was done in the presence of both moms and Tom’s spirit.

After the ceremony, I ferried the moms back to Diminuendo and returned for Travis and Jane. We gathered for an elegant dinner , congratulatory toasts, the cutting of the cake, and signing the marriage license to make it all legal. Later in the evening, I took the newly weds back to Dizzy Fish for their wedding night.