Blogs from San Juan Islands, Washington, United States, North America

Filling in the blanks a little. My sister asked a question why they call Deception Pass just that and I couldn't look it up on the internet because I didn't have any. Here is the explanation. In the spring of 1792, Joseph Whidbey, master of HMS Discovery and Captain Vancouver's chief navigator proved that it was not really a small bay as charted by the Spaniards (hence the name "Deception"), but a deep and turbulent channel that connects theStrait of Juan de Fuca with the Saratoga Passage, which separates the mainland from what the... read more

It was in the back of everyone's mind at the welcome dinner the evening prior, though nobody dared mention it. The rain was pouring on Saturday, and we were going to drag our poor international guests across Puget Sound and to an exposed shorefront park in this weather? We might as well have rebooked their flight home for Monday morning! We woke up to a brilliant surprise however... Sun! Our biggest concern turned out to be sun burn. We met at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal at a quarter to nine, or thereabouts, and proceeded to fill the diminutive walk on waiting area with rambunctious students primed for a day of adventure. This would be a harbinger of things to come for our fellow passengers on the state ferry Kaleetan. We made our presence felt on board ... read more

Oh dear, my love for Montana has found a rival, Washington State’s northern islands close to the border to Canada: San Juan Islands. One of the best campgrounds I’ve ever stayed at. Right on the beach, each camp had its separate terrace and hardly anyone around. These islands seem to be the playground for the rich and famous. The town of Friday Harbor is so pretty and clean I dared not walk on its bitumen. Just kidding, but sort of true. I drove around the island (tiny) and most of the coastline is private property,’ no trespassing’ signs everywhere. Bit shocking really and I snooped around the houses a bit from the beach with my binoculars. Jeez, they had helipads and some of their fronts where only glass … money dripping from the ceiling. I talked ... read more

Portland came and went! It's beautiful and green! We seem to be taking the sun every place we go. But not in Portland! It was nice to see overcast! The people are really nice and super laid back! There are all types of people in Portland. For example when we were driving through Astoria we saw a young girl with bright purple hair on her bright green bike....then walking behind her was an older lady with long hair weird looking parachute pants and baggy shirt "earthy grandma" haha.... We spent some time with good friends. The congregation there was very refreshing and warm. We did little sight seeing...but mostly relaxed and sipped on our coffee! =)... read more

After an uneventful drive from Seattle to Anacortes, we took the ferry to Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands. The skies got increasingly gloomy during the hour and a half ride. After docking in Orcas Village, we drove up the left “lobe” of the island to the larger town of East Sound. We were surprised by the variety of micro-environments we passed through during the less than 30 minute drive: rocky coast, rain forests, fishing villages, agricultural valleys, tree studded mountains. It’s as though Orcas Island is a complete world packed into a very small area. After lunch and grocery shopping in East Sound, we headed on to the vacation home of our friends Bob and Wendy Lucas from San Luis Obispo. The Lucases were in residence, but had taken a brief trip over to ... read more