Water views, nearby park highlights of Westcott Bay home

ANACORTES -- Boaters familiar with small harbors and anchorage spots in and around the San Juan Islands would likely rate Westcott Bay among their favorites. This lovely shallow bay, home to abundant crab and oysters, is situated around the corner from Roche Harbor on the northwest corner of San Juan Island.

"Westcott Bay is one of those special places that people just keep coming back to," says Jim Clarke, marketing director for San Juan Passage. "It seemed like a natural namesake for our premier homesite, with spectacular views across Guemes Channel and out to the islands."

The recently completed three-bedroom, three-bath, 2,901-square-foot Westcott Bay plan is part of the community's Water's Edge home collection. The home is set on a gently sloping, 12,800-square-foot lot adjacent to Lower Overlook Park and a landscaped trail that leads down to the water's edge.

"What is so compelling about this site are the expansive marine vistas in every direction, and the ongoing parade of vessels crisscrossing the channel -- everything from crabbers and workboats to luxury sloops and motor yachts," says Clarke. "Also mesmerizing is the steady progression of eagles and shorebirds swooping onto the tidelands in search of their next meal."

Westcott Bay views include the arrivals and departures of Washington State Ferries sailings. Illuminated nighttime sailings are nothing short of "fantastic," says Clarke.

Designed to maximize exposure to the views and park setting, the home features wrap-around decks on both floors. These spacious verandas include covered and open spaces fitted with custom columns and railings. The first-floor kitchen/dining room and living room with 9-foot ceilings have water views. A master suite with gas fireplace, dual walk-in closets and deck access flows from the main living area. Off the dining room is a den alcove that has privacy doors and deck access.

A two-car garage is a few steps from the kitchen and laundry area and includes a work area. The lower level of the home, which also showcases the panoramic views, includes two bedrooms and a family room or crafts area that opens to a covered patio overlooking the park and shoreline below.

Like all San Juan Passage homes, the Westcott Bay is finished with premium granites, natural tiles, hardwoods, natural shingle siding and Craftsman detail work. The community -- which has had 12 sales this year -- has received acclaim for excellence in planning and design, including a Grand Award from Builder magazine. Ocean Home magazine ranked San Juan Passage among the top 20 oceanfront developments in the world.

"Environmentally sound development practices are evident everywhere you look in this community," says Bob Gilbane, chairman and CEO of Gilbane Development Company, the developer of the community. "The comprehensive vision was to create a sustainable, walkable community where the homes, site contours and landscaping work together to define and express the community's character."

Gilbane says that homes such as the Westcott Bay, located at the northern perimeter of the property, are exceptional for their views and easy access to the water by way of a trail. The Guemes Channel Trail, a public right of way, meanders along the property between the Water's Edge lots and the shoreline.

"The Guemes Channel Trail is an amenity for everyone," says Clarke. "Like Seattle's Burke-Gilman Trail, the broader community is already contemplating a campaign to expand the trail all the way to downtown Anacortes."

That dream is a result of the partnership between Gilbane Development and the city of Anacortes, who worked together to create the initial trail segment below San Juan Passage.

Content provided by San Juan Passage