With temperatures consistently hovering in the upper 80s and early 90s the past few weeks, I’ve made a conscious decision to spend as much time near the water as possible.

The summer has undoubtedly arrived– both figuratively (ridiculously hot temperatures) and literally (summer began on June 21).

Over the Fourth of July weekend I spent the majority of my time in Mason County and Kitsap County enjoying the friendly confines of the salt waters of the Puget Sound and Hood Canal. The day before the Fourth of July I was fortunate enough to go crabbing with one of my best friends, Robert Masaniai, launching from the shores of the Manchester dock in Port Orchard. As we navigated the waters near Blake Island, we made our way to the crab pots Masaniai had set out earlier in the morning before my arrival.

Much to our chagrin, there wasn’t a single crab large enough in the cage and we went home empty handed. Despite not catching a single tasty crab for later consumption, spending a few hours on the boat was the epitome of a consolation prize. While perusing the waters, we came across a dozen porpoises emerging from the water to the surface for air. One porpoise even came within 10 yards of the boat. It was simply legit. The summer is still young and there are a plentiful amount of outdoor recreational activities available to those residing and visiting the Pacific Northwest region. I’m going to enjoy this summer as much as possible.

Shaun Scott: 425-453-5045; sscott@bellevuereporter.com