DAY-27 Whales, Eagles and Great Scenery

Day-27: Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Starting Location: Highland Inn B&B, Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA

Ending Location: Highland Inn B&B, Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA

Helen had offered breakfast anytime between 8 AM and 10 AM; we opted for the middle and at 9 were seated for a great breakfast that began with a fresh fruit & yogurt plate followed by a Potato & Cheese casserole topped with poached eggs with BACON and home-made biscuits on the side.

After breakfast I grabbed the camera and headed out to the deck overlooking Haro Strait hoping for a whale sighting. I was not disappointed as soon the tell-tale puff of mist on the surface betrayed the location of a pair of Orca whales. Once spotted they were relatively easy to track and photograph though the distance was still quite far.

Our plan for the day was simple, we would tour San Juan Island taking time to visit the locations we had quickly passed yesterday. Along the way we would spend time at overlooks again in search of whales and other wildlife.

Around 11 AM we headed out for the wildlife search. At the Haro Strait overlooks and Dead Man's Cove as recommended by Helen we stopped and soon were witness to more Orca activity. As in any wildlife setting when one car stops it creates a cascade effect and soon one viewer becomes many. That wasn't a problem here as there is so much space and relatively few visitors. In addition to the whales we found a pair of bald eagles soaring along the beach line.

Around 1 PM we returned to the inn where we came upon a covey of about 12 California Quail. At the lodge we simply sat back and relaxed.

Later in the afternoon we took to the road again, taking more time along the way and ultimately heading into Friday Harbor for dinner. Along the way we ventured to the south end of the island, Cattle Point and came upon a National Park Service site, the American Camp. You may have noticed pictures in the past two days of the English Camp and the American Camp.  Seems the two countries set up garrisons on opposite ends of the island in the mid-1800's and as would be nearly came to blows over something as simple as a pig.  In the end saner heads prevailed and an American contingent led by Captain George E. Pickett (then of the U.S. Army, later noted as the Confederate general leading the charge at Gettysburg, Pickett's Charge) stood their ground allowing for a negotiated settlement that ultimately resulted in San Juan Island becoming part of the Washington Territory of the United States.

Continuing toward the island's end we glimpsed a red 3-wheeler and a red fox and on the water many Surf Scoters thus ending our wildlife viewing for the day.

Around 6:00 PM we arrived in Friday Harbor and though we thought about the Cask & Schooner, we selected The Place as our dinner setting for the night. The Place is located adjacent to the ferry docks and offers a nice view of the harbor and its associated activity.

For dinner I had a salmon dish and Sheila had mushroom ravioli. The ravioli dish brought back memories of her Wellington, New Zealand birthday dinner and Greg's serving of ravioli, a single ravioli. In the case of The Place, Sheila had the appetizer size and it had six raviolis, a hearty American meal.

Ice Cream Shop

Tonight we decided against dessert and by about 8 PM were on the town. Well, not so fast on the "no dessert"; seems the ice cream shop was next door to the restaurant and a scoop for each of us was in order.


By 9 PM we were back at the inn and soon had another fire burning brightly to close out the day.