Exploring the Bellingham area: a whale watch and the San Juan Islands

Exploring greater Bellingham: A whale watch and the San Juan Islands 

One of the perks, (ok, let's be realistic,  the major reason we were in north-west Washington) was so that we would be close to our son and able to spend time with Martin's sister.   On Father's Day Ethan joined us for a whale watch cruise.

Not our typical Father's Day activity and  the whales were not overly cooperative, but it was a gorgeous day, the weather was perfect and the scenery divine.

We took the tour out of Annacortes, (about halfway between Seattle and Bellingham).  

The harbor was a busy place complete with tour boats,                                stacked kayaks reflecting in the water 

and many personal vessels. Here's a fishing boat making its way into the harbor

Mt. Baker 

A ferry                                                       (I'm so impressed with the extensive ferry service that is provided in this area. I guess that's what happens when you have lots of islands and lots of water)

The orcas tend to travel and “live” in small family pods. We watched this family of 6 or 7 for quite awhile. At one point the pod split and we had a few on each side of the boat. You can see 6 in this shot.

swimming off into the distance 

If you look closely along the waterline you can pick out Vancouver's skyline.

heading back to shore


This very northwestern corner of our country's most northwestern (in the lower 48) state has a whole bunch of islands that were “discovered” and named by Spanish explorers from Mexico. Of course, indigenous peoples had been living there forever and had names for islands, waterways, etc, but at that time and mindset, those didn't count and the Spanish named the islands after their exploring party, the San Juan Islands. There are over 400 islands and rocks with over 478 mi of shoreline, but only 128 have been named.  I love spending time in these islands.  On one of our days off we took our bikes onto the ferry and explored Lopez Island 


a baby wren, I think, or maybe a sparrow??  So fluffy ❤️

a goldfinch

a female goldfinch with a male in the background 

bald eagle 

looking for fish 

it spotted something ( notice the flip of feathers and intensity of gaze)

farm fields with giant round bails of hay

dandelion fluff

sedum (I think)

fish sculpture 


Another day we took the ferry to San Juan Island, rented scooters and explored that island for the day. We checked out the San Juan Island National Historic Park, home of the infamous Pig War in the 1859 while the British and Americans were trying to sort out the border through the myriad of islands strewn about the Georgia straight. Part of the problem was that the treaty where the 49th parallel had been agreed upon as the border, also referred to a water channel for the continuation of the border through the San Juan Islands but … There were two water channels and naturally, some disputed islands in between, San Juan Island, for one. So, each country laying equal claim to the islands, it went to arbitration. In the meantime,  the British and American troops each maintained garrisons (camps) on either end of San Juan Island. The story goes that each camp was minding their own business and relations were fine until an English pig got out and started rooting around in the American Camp's garden, making a mess and eating the potatoes. This was not only trespassing, but the destruction of necessary food.  The American, being an American, shot the pig. Tempers flared and we nearly had another war. But cooler heads prevailed and the British were compensated for the loss of their pig.

American Camp.                                    They certainly had nice views.

British Camp had a formal garden.

Sylvia Hot Lips. I, of course, thought this was a very funny name and all I could think of was Hotlips Houlihan from MASH. Haha

Catmint

The delphiniums were striking against the surrounding white fence.

Zebra Swallowtail butterfly 

Yarrow, Saucy Seduction (I mean, really, where did they get these names? haha)

I love peonies ❤️

masses of delphiniums 

The formal style of the gardens

Block House at English Camp

The views from the islands never get old.

Sunset ❤️


Next blog: Port Townshend:  East Jefferson County Habitat for Humanity and more 

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