This 29-plus acre estate, situated in the San Juan Islands in Washington state, juts like a hook off the northern coast of the archipelago’s Blakely Island and offers a private, forested refuge with four homes and 4,000 feet of waterfront access.
The privacy, the views and the proximity of the homes to the water makes it feel like you’re a part of the sea and the islands...
said the owner, Janet TaggaresThe compound’s main house is the Cook Shack (one bedroom, 1.5 baths). There is also the Caretaker’s House, the Hill House and the Duplex, which has two attached but independent units.
According to Ms. Taggares, the Caretaker’s House was the first one built (in the early 1980s) followed by the garage; the Duplex Hill House was built in the mid-’80s and the Cook Shack, designed by architect Neil Wright from Sun Valley, Idaho, was built in the mid-’90s.
My favorite aspect of the property is the Cook Shack, as it has close proximity to the water and gorgeous views... And I love its big kitchen. We have hosted many family dinners and parties with guests gathering in the kitchen—as they do—as well as barbecues outside on warm summer nights overlooking the Salish Sea.
Owner, Janet TaggaresThe mainly wooded property does have a large meadow that could accommodate a few golf holes and has several manicured pathways.
The area is private and quiet and abounding in flora and fauna... We are seeing interest from folks with large yachts, those looking to create a family estate for many to come enjoy and people who want to escape the craziness of the current state of affairs on the mainland.
Owner, Janet TaggaresThe 29-acre property has four houses with a total of 6,270 square feet, seven bedrooms, five full bathrooms and two half bathrooms. The breakdown is: Cook Shack with one bedroom and 1.5 baths; Caretaker’s House with two bedrooms and one full bathroom Hill House with one bedroom and one full bathroom; and the Duplex with two attached but independent units—the smaller unit has one bedroom and one full bathroom, while the larger unit has two bedrooms with 1.5 baths.
The property has a three-car garage, a separate workshop and deep-water, covered moorage for two yachts (up to 110 feet and 60 feet).
Blakely Island spans 4,700 acres and residents have access to miles of backroads and two 70-acre freshwater lakes. Blakely also has the only surfaced, lighted runway in the San Juan Islands that is strictly for private use. Island homeowners have access to community caretakers, potable water, a recycling center, a marina and a tennis court. The island is also served by a post office and a firehouse and is connected to mainland power and fiber optic lines.
Blakely Island is protected by several conservation easements that limit future development on its more than 3,000 acres of forestland. The island has its own marina, which houses a general store, and it’s accessible by plane and by air- and water-taxi services to the mainland and other islands.
The nearest town is across the water on Orcas Island. Many Blakely residents keep cars over there so they can take a boat ride over and enjoy the shops and restaurants.
Owner, Janet TaggaresDan Gottesman and Sam Chapin, The Gottesman Chapin Group at Engel & Volkers, Mercer Island