Washington Island | Lavender, Tattoos, and Family

It was surreal having the whole deck to myself. Apart from the crew and a family who never left their car, I was only person on the ferry. Traditional ferry etiquette is to find a seat, gaze at the passing Plum Island, and maybe engage in brief smalltalk with a nearby retired couple. Instead, I circled the deck at least three times and explored in a way that I normally wouldn’t have for fear of social judgement.

We started our three-generations family session at Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm, and of course I stopped in the store for lavender macaroons (if you haven’t tried them, they come highly recommended).

After the lavender farm, we concluded our session at Schoolhouse Beach. While most beaches are made of sand, Schoolhouse Beach is comprised completely of natural pebble making it one of our world’s great oddities.

I caught the ferry back to the mainland, this time having to share my ride with a full boat, and was thankful I brought a sweatshirt for a little added warmth. It’s a half-hour ferry ride and another hour drive home. Although my share of lavender macaroons didn’t survive the voyage, I had the strength to reserve three for my wife.