Since our last update, we visited family on Cape Cod for our second week off during our year-long mobile marketing tour. As expected, it seemed to fly by, and before we knew it we were back in the Zero vehicles going down the road (and up the road, and around back to the same road). We’d been in Seattle for a couple weeks, and finally had a full day to run around on our own schedule. While we’d spent plenty of time exploring the city on other trips, we were long-overdue for a visit to the San Juan Islands, 172 named islands and reefs located off the coast of northwest Washington. On the drive up to the jumping off point, Anacortes, it doesn’t take long to feel far, far away from urban life. The air is pure and fresh. Wildlife abounds: bald eagles, red foxes, black-tailed deer. On the water, humpback, minke and gray whales can be seen migrating through at different times of year.  Orcas are most commonly spotted between May and September.

Whale Watching

On previous visits to the area we had talked about going on a whale watching trip to view these awesome animals, and this time we finally did. We booked a trip with Island Adventures.  There seem to be two options for these trips.  First, take a ferry from Seattle up to Friday Harbor, 5 hrs roundtrip, then spend just a couple hours on a whale watching boat, and then return.  Second, drive to Anacortes, 90 miles north, then board a whale watching boat for 5-6 hrs.  We chose the latter, and had an amazing day.  It just so happens that the orcas, namely J K and L pods of southern residents, were in the neighborhood!  Besides the orcas, we got a glimpse of a minke whale, some harbor seals and jellyfish.  One highlight was some extended play with the orca’s only naturally found toy: kelp.  One whale in particular was having a blast twisting around through it and flipping it around. It looked like he was scratching an itch.  It was also really cool to see a month-old, 500-lb baby orca swimming around in perfect sync with his mom!

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Old Town Anacortes

Anacortes takes up a large part of the San Juan Island of Fidalgo. Much of that is park and recreation space. The marina offers connections to other San Juan Island towns, as well as passage to Victoria, British Columbia. The Old-Town section is filled with small shops, restaurants and cafes. We had some great seafood at a restaurant called Adrift. From May to September there’s also a farmer’s market.

Deception Pass State Park

On the way home, we visited Deception Pass State Park, walking the interpretative trail and spending time in utter awe watching bald eagles. The views of ragged cliffs that drop sharply down to the waters of the pass are breathtaking.  In the north section of the park on Rosario Beach, the Maiden of Deception Pass story pole tells the story of the Samish Indian Nation, who once lived here.  There are camping spaces available, as well as cabins for rent. The historic bridge within the park, linking Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands, was built in 1935.

Other San Juan Islands

On a future visit, we hope to explore more of the San Juan Islands, taking advantage of the seemingly-endless opportunities for kayaking, hiking and cycling.  Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island, is probably the most popular for day-trippers. You can explore by motorbike, bike or kayak. There’s a Whale Museum, and lots more to see in this tranquil, historic town. We’d also love to learn more about agri-tourism on some of the area farms. From what we’ve seen so far, we’d never get tired of this region of unspoiled natural diversity.

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