Water, water everywhere.......

This trip was definitely one for the books for me!  EVERYONE should see the beauty and remoteness of the San Juan Islands.  It starts with the ferry system which I LOVE!!!!  So much better than flying!  Much more room, very efficient, easy to navigate, etc. & if you miss a ferry there is another one coming w/I a few hours so it’s not a wasted ticket. I’m actually writing this from the ferry.  So productive!!  I did a great job making the best use of my time while on the island.  After dropping the boys off at 9am, I caught the 10:20 ferry to Orca Island from Anacortes.  We arrived at 11:30 and off loaded.  I was the 3^rd one off the boat!  After only about 20 min. I was in Eastsound, the hub of the island and location of the Outlook Inn where I stayed.  I parked in town and commenced to walking the shops!  Nice, nautical shops with a few food shops thrown in.  I ate lunch at Chimayo, a Mexican restaurant using fresh local ingredients.  I loved that many of the area eateries used island or Washington state products.  I checked into the Inn around 3 and was delighted.  I knew the room I had booked did not have a bathroom, only a sink as the floor had shared restrooms and showers.  Well worth the money!!  I felt like it was my own personal restroom as it was 2 steps from my door and I NEVER saw a soul in the hallways even.  After tent camping for 4 nights I appreciated the clean room with a nice fluffy bed.  Also had an amazing view as you will see below.  That view is from my window on Thursday morning.  So still it looked like a lake….That is also the view from the restaurant, New Leaf w/I the inn that I ate every morning.  I have already spoken about my bfast so I won’t go on but I do believe that is the best place to eat in Eastsound.  I had 3 bfasts, 1 happy hour meal, and 1 late evening salad and was never disappointed.  Staff and service was EXCELLENT!   After settling into the room, I struck back out to see what I had missed the first time.  I found a consignment shop (which I am GREAT at!) and found a nice top.  It hit me that the only few items I have purchased along the way are from consignment or thrift shops!!  I LOVE IT!!  A few t-shirts, a small wallet, picnic tablecloth, climbing rope, a queen size sheet, stuffed animals for the boys and now a top!!  Why pay full price?  EVER????  Ain’t no shame in my game honey!!   Had an OK dinner at a pub.  I wanted a place for more of the local experience instead of food and was directed to The Lower Tavern.   So so food but I did have a nice long conversation with a millionaire (maybe?) named Steve.  Could be an alias as for some reason I pictured him wanted by the FBI for embezzling or something!!  He was a nice guy and it intrigued me that he had houses in multiple places, countries, etc.  He had flown to the island (only second time as he purchased property here after seeing it once!!)---which people just don’t do unless you have your own plane.  He lives in Dallas and doesn’t work—but makes lots of money….hhmmmmm.  How do I make that happen!!!   He stated making money was the easy part, keeping  busy and happy is the hard part.  Hhhhhmmmmmm…..I said for me right now it was the opposite and I was happy with that.   Anyway, we spoke about things to do on the island and went on our merry ways.  I did see him strolling around my area of town when I was eating bfast Thurs morning but he didn’t stop.  He was looking in my general direction, nonchalantly of course.   I do believe he was interested in getting to know me better but was a little shy…. SOOO end of that storyJ.  

Wednesday I had reserved for hiking and touring the rest of the island.  I ventured to Rosario Resort which is the remodeled 54 room home of Robert Moran who basically founded the island.  Beautiful and many original features exist.   He had a great story but I won’t bore you so Google it if you’re interested!!  Then I hit Moran state park for a hike or 3!  You will see the trails below, just beautiful lushness everywhere!!!  I did about 4 miles between 3 diff. trails and could have stayed there all day.  Check out the slug below!  They are everywhere and you have to be careful not to step on one on the trail.  This was the largest of the day.  The boys have already found out that they don’t taste good!!  After a few licks of one at a campsite, J was drinking from the water bowl and was like---WHAT WAS THAT!!  They supposedly ooze a liquid that makes them impossible for predators to eat!  Speaking of predators, deer and bunnies abound on Orca bc there are no big preds. on the island.  Bald eagles are it.     After a few more hours in the park, I made it back to town for a late lunch at Roses Bakery (yum thin crust pizza) and hit the farmers market.  Beautiful flowers and vegetables everywhere.  I almost purchased some all natural “Hag Cream” (actual name) that was supposed to help with wrinkles, etc. BUT the lady selling it did not appear to use her own products… SOOOO….. you can’t trust that right???   Then happy hour was at 5pm and then I walked town again!  WHEW!!  It was a good day…… Thursday I had decided to take the ferry over to San Juan Island to Friday Harbor.   This is the most populated of all the islands and shops were abundant.  But what I had hoped to see the most, were the Orca whales off the coast of Lime Kiln State Park…AN D I DID!!!  Amazing experience to see them (about 4) swimming in their natural habitat.  There were 100-200 yards off the coast but close enough to hear them when they came out of the water!!  I can’t imagine how loud they would be close up if I could hear them blow from that distance.  So surreal.… You can’t see much of the whale in the pic…But he was there!!  I just walked away, smiling…thank you God for that experience!!  After touring much of the island, I hit the shops…didn’t buy a thing but I always like looking!!   Came back on the 6pm ferry and to the inn at 7:30 for an Heirloom Tomato Caprese salad and Pinot.   YUM!  Best tomatoes I’ve ever eaten have been on this island!!  I tootled around this morning and hit the 1205 ferry back to Anacortes.   They really do make it easy---I think this is my new fave form of public transportation!  Too bad they are only used for water!   I picked the boys up around 330 after checking our downtown Anacortes.  Got a few new bumper stickers for my Thule storage rack….so far have about 20 stating places I’ve been…pretty cool.  I added some slogans this time.  “ I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned” & “May the Forest Be With You.”  Or "Goddess on Board” J  I will send a pic of the unit soon as it is becoming its own being!!! 

The boys did GREAT!  I know they didn’t get the love, attention or exercise they had been used to but Vicki said they were quite the “gentlemen”!  Even giving an example or 2…WHOA?  And AWESOME!  They act fine, just a little needy for mama right now.   Tomorrow we are off to a different area of Washington…I believe 4 more days and then into OR for a week.  

Pics are the Outlook Inn, View from the inn, Cascade Lake Trail, Ferns, Slug, Ferry passing our ferry, Lighthouse on Kiln state park, The WHALE!!  & Ferry at Friday Harbor.

What a great personal  experience the islands were for me!!  Loved every minute of it….Thanks for those emails and comments and please keep ‘em coming……