This waterfront home comes with its own private cove and golf course. Sophia Wilson discovers the perfect yacht owner’s hideaway in the San Juan Islands...
Sprawling across 118 pine-covered acres, this vast estate offers the opportunity to purchase a corner of north-west beauty nestled on Orcas Island in Washington state. The main five bedroom property, located directly on the water’s edge, was built in 1967 from reinforced concrete and exotic woods.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s influence is evident in its design, which offers a modern homely feel, created throughout with stone feature walls, hardwood flooring and open fireplaces. It has been purposely positioned to make the most of the due west vistas so that you can enjoy the sunset from virtually every room. A “petite” guest house also sits on the 700 metre shoreline with a further two bedrooms and an expansive deck.
However, the cove this property sits in is what makes it such an exciting proposition for a superyacht owner. “One of the most unique waterfront estates in the area, Cormorant Bay Estate can easily accommodate a superyacht with its ‘grandfathered’ [private] deep water moorage and docking system,” explains Peter Phillips, the listing agent at Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty.
Another highlight of this property is its private nine hole golf course, where you can tee off between fir trees and enjoy views across Cormorant Bay and the Olympic mountains. “An estate of this magnitude simply could not be duplicated today,” adds Phillips.
Away from the property, horseshoe-shaped Orcas Island offers a surprisingly buzzy cultural scene, with boutiques, artists and charming galleries. But nature remains at its core and there’s a strong emphasis on organic food with farmers’ markets an important part of island life.
The property is just 30 minutes by seaplane from Seattle. The quaint village of Deer Harbour is a five minute drive away and its marina can accommodate yachts up to 36.5 metres. Free Willy II was filmed in the San Juan Islands and Orcas Island is famous for whale watching. As well as orcas, it is possible to spot minke whales, harbour seals, and Dall’s and harbour porpoises. Dining on the island is generally a casual affair: tender in to the Kingfish Inn for its famous ling cod served with skin-on fries and home-made tartare.
945 Cormorant Bay Road, Orcas Island, is for sale with Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty at a guide price of $17 million, rsir.com