Prospecting the San Juans by Sloop
Two local men set out on their annual voyage to find coal and adventure among the islands.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Randall and Cross leave Monday next from here in their sloop, the 'Spray,' for their seventh annual trip among the islands of the Sound. The 'Spray' is a splendid 28-foot sloop which, guided by the experienced hands of the two owners, has weathered many a severe gale. Leaving Lynden from the bank of the Nooksack, they will sail to their camping ground to perform their assessment work. They found a fine vein of hard coal last year which has been pronounced the best east of Pennsylvania by experts. With the assessment work there will be some play, as neither Mr. Randall nor Mr. Cross can refrain from occasionally gratifying their curiosity as to whether all the fish have been hooked from the bay.
“Neither Mr. Randall nor Mr. Cross can refrain from occasionally gratifying their curiosity as to whether all the fish have been hooked from the bay.”
The 'Spray' and its owners represent the quintessential spirit of early 20th-century Pacific Northwest exploration, blending industry (mining claims) with leisure. While mining coal in the islands is now a relic of history, the tradition of sailing the San Juan Islands remains a core part of the regional identity.
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