1954 ❖ SAN JUAN'S 7th ANNUAL RENDEZVOUS

"Rendezvous" at the Port 
of Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA.
An annual giant salmon barbecue where 
1800 pounds of salmon was served.
Photo by brothers Bob and Ira Spring.
From the archives of the 
Saltwater People Historical Society©

"It was a field day for photographers at the biggest yet San Juan Rendezvous. The weatherman was good to us and held off the rain, intermittent sunshine gave good color shots. People climbed on stools, up on tables, and got every conceivable angle of the huge spring salmon being wired on the racks of Chief Chef par excellence, Henry King, officiating at the big trench pit where the bark coals were turning the bright red and deep pink of the fish to a golden bronze.

The only thing they couldn't get with their film was the heavenly odor! It was really tantalizing in the brisk salt air. The cooks were generous with samples of the crisp crust as it was lifted off the wire racks. We found this more delicious and much more fun to eat hot with the fingers than eating properly from a plate with a fork. Good shots were Dan Oakes and Bill Suttles with their paddles lifting the flakey golden salmon off the racks intact leaving the skin behind so that it was ready for serving. That took real skill! A beret-clad visitor from New York clutched his camera and said, 'Well I've never seen the like of this!'  

A distinguished-looking on-looker from California couldn't tear himself away from the long trench where the Chef and his assistants kept turning and watching the precious salmon to see that it was really cooked to the king's taste, and he wasn't the only one. 

Efficiency was the keynote this year. The cooks started the huge pit fire at 5 a.m. and by 11 a.m. they were ready to cook. The 30 to 50-pound springs were brought in all cleaned and the staff of experts neatly filleted out the bones before being laid on the racks. (We were to find that the best-tasting salmon comes from the slow roasting of these long backbones.) Chef Harry King doesn't spoil his art with a lot of seasoning. He lets the people put on their own garlic salt and lemon. He uses only a light seasoning of salt and pepper. The long lines began to form at noon and by 1 p.m. everyone was starved.

There was a grand spirit among the corps of volunteer workers who came early and stayed until the last straggler was fed. A special thank you goes to the coffee crew who made a marvelous brew and kept it coming for those people not quite used to our bracing salt air. Then there were a couple of cute Rainbow girls who livened up the serving table and never seemed to get tired. We were impressed with the generous contributions that flowed into the two fish bowls at the ends of the tables – making next year's Rendezvous possible.

There were more visitors than ever before. The long lines kept coming until 7 p.m. People came from all over Puget Sound by boat (anything that would float) plane and car, ferry, and foot. 

It is a real achievement for a small community to put on so successfully such a prodigious feast and entertainment. It shows there is an up-and-coming Chamber of Commerce and civic-minded citizens working the year around to keep it going and to make it function smoothly.

The waterfront was a three-ringed circus with its racing outboards, seaplanes, and graceful sailboats not to mention the eating crowd who sat on the logs and beach watching all of this. 

Back in town, the visitor is fascinated with the array of boats in the harbor. The cannery dock is alive with activity as the huge brailers from the Pacific Queen unload frozen sockeye to keep the cannery workers busy overtime. There is color and waterfront life at its gayest. 

At the end of the day, there is still something to look forward to -the University of Washington Open House where the out-of-town visitor can become acquainted with the unique summer school program and see for himself the wonders of our Puget Sound sea life. 

The grand finale of this glorious day comes at about 10 p.m. when everyone comes to the big dance. There never was a dance like it anywhere - you feel you have friends immediately. Cannery workers, fishermen, loggers, farmers, and yachtsmen in immaculate ducks rub elbows with the university professors and visitors from all the resorts all over the islands. The party doesn't really get going until around midnight so it is a good thing that the dancers were well fed during the day. For the hardy souls who can stick it out until the early hours of the morning, they have had more fun than any other dance in history.

Here's to the 8th annual Rendezvous of 1955, and may it be as successful as the 7th of 1954."

Signed by "A visitor."
Friday Harbor Journal. August 1954