Karen and Norris Palmer act as ‘brokers-at large’ for Seattle Yachts in San Juan County. They have owned everything from a wooden sunfish, a Styrofoam Sea Snark, a plethora of Hobie Cats, a Catalina 23 and a Ticon 30. They love to race and have won many a regatta, both national and local, and been around many a mark and lots of ‘over earlys’. They currently race a San Juan 23 in their local club races and when possible in International races. Their cruising boat is a Fisher 34 and used all year long to cruise to the Gulf Islands and Victoria and the surrounding San Juan Islands. Their involvement with boats doesn’t stop there: Karen is treasurer of the Friday Harbor Sailing Club and Norris is the senior editor of the newsletter, with involvement in Youth Sailing Foundations, Derelict Vessel Programs and regatta volunteers.

Team Palmer’s perfect place:

“After 3 years of cruising the Gulf Islands, our favorite so far–even though there are so many more places to visit–is Wallace Island and the little Conover Cove. It is always so perfect a place. You can pick up a dock or stern tie to a rock. The hiking is wonderful as you come upon hundreds of small coves with marine life everywhere. Old buildings left from the days of David Conover and his attempts to make a retreat out of the island are still standing. Hundreds of homemade signs and monuments hang from one building from every skipper who touched foot there. You can take your dinghy and dogs and circumnavigate watching eagles travel from tree to tree. It’s always perfect.”