FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. — A quiet bay off San Juan Island is where a love story has come full circle.
Westcott Bay Shellfish Co., a family-owned aquaculture farm and restaurant, is run by Erik and Andrea Anderson.
They were teenagers when they first visited the bay together in 1981. They'd met at the University of Washington and started dating.
"Erik's dad built a cabin on Henry Island," Andrea said. "We would take a little put-put boat over to Westcott Bay to pick up some oysters out of the one tank they had, and pay in the honor jar."
Eventually, the Andersons married and Erik’s career took them far from the Pacific Northwest. As the years passed, the farm rapidly declined and eventually was abandoned.
In 2013, the Andersons decided to return home and build their own house on Henry Island. It’s also when they discovered an opportunity to buy the shellfish farm.
But they realized it would be no small task to restore the space.
"It was a mess,” Andrea said, laughing. "Derelict, everything. The dock was completely riddled with holes - the dock inspector fell through when he came to check it out."
For the next several years, they cleared weeds, cleaned up the bay, constructed new buildings for a restaurant and gift shop, and learned everything they could about aquaculture.
Now it's a thriving family farm, based on stewardship and sustainability.
"We do takeaway oysters, clams or mussels,” Erik said.
From large grillers to slurp-able "high beach sweets," customers can buy bags of fresh shellfish from a to-go stand.
There's also a restaurant serving a picnic lunch menu, featuring produce, baked goods and beverages from other small island businesses.
"We're trying to support the local farmers and it comes out in what our chef does here,” Erik said. “You really get a taste of what the islands are, because the shellfish is the star."
With a view of the bay where their meals are harvested, customers are served on outdoor picnic benches known as the “Tide Tables.”
Top sellers are fresh oysters on the half shell. Westcott staff also teach customers how to shuck their own.
"They all think they don't want to do it and they get intimidated but then when the whole table is shucking an oyster together, they have so much fun, there's lots of laughter,” Andrea said. "When they do it, they feel very accomplished.”
Grilled oysters are also a top seller, topped with flavors like chipotle bourbon or lime cilantro and sriracha.
Roughly 50% of visitors come by boat. But however they arrive, every guest becomes a part of this bay's love story – love for the land and sea, the tight knit community, and the years of memories it holds.
"We still like each other,” Andrea said, laughing.
Erik added, “It was a test of a love story! It’s been a real fantastic thing for both of us."
Westcott Bay Shellfish Co. is located at 904 Westcott Drive in Friday Harbor and is open for lunch Thursday – Monday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended.
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