Friday in Friday Harbour
Sharen is flying to Austin today, so I catch a ride to the airport and get the shuttle to Anacortes to catch a ferry to San Juan in northern Washington State. The bus takes a couple of hours, then it’s onto a big passenger ferry for another hour and a half. The ferry pulls in to Friday Harbour on San Juan Island. It’s a beautiful little harbour town. Very little. I walk to the hostel and book in. The lady tells me I will probably have the six-bunk room to myself. Nice. The room also has its own bathroom. Nice times two.
In an attempt to organise my next couple of days, I go to the bike rental shop to check the rates and get directions to the kayaking place. It’s quite a way from town, which seems a little odd, and when I get there, it is on a residential street. It’s not a shop front at all, but there are a lot of kayaks and a guy standing outside, so I ask him how I can book. It turns out everyone books by email or phone – I’m their first, and probably only, walk-in customer. Two friendly girls book me in. They also warn me that cycling the island is hard work as it is quite hilly and it can be dangerous as the roads are not wide enough for cars to overtake. I stop at the moped hire place after this conversation and book a motorised vehicle for tomorrow.
I spend the rest of the afternoon sitting in a café called The Doctor’s Office with a coffee and a sandwich, researching cruises to Alaska. I’d like to get on one, but they want to charge me double since I am travelling alone.
For dinner, I move to the Crabhouse next door and have a simple prawn salad – the only thing on the menu that is not fried. I also order a glass of wine so I can sit on the outdoor deck and watch the sun set over the harbour as I sip. A pleasant end to a relaxing day.
Back at the hostel, there’s a guy called Sam trying to check in, but he’s having trouble getting hold of the owner. He finally gets through and they ask to talk to me to see if I’m ok with him sharing my room. Of course, I’m fine with it, although after a brief chat with Sam I realise the wierdo magnet is throwing me curve balls. He’s working on a summer camp on one of the other islands, is only 21, describes himself as a good Christian boy, and wants my advice on his poetry (not so good) and the girl he has a crush on (slightly more hopeful). Why me?
Circumnavigating the Island
I get up early and collect my moped. I have to do a couple of practice tests before I’m allowed to ride away, all of which I pass with flying colours. I stop in at the supermarket for picnic supplies then head along the east coast on my loop of the island.
My first stop is the San Juan Vineyard, but I’m too early, so I ride on to stop number two, which is a roadside stop to say hello to Mona the Camel. Yes, a live camel is on the tourist route of San Juan. This tells you a lot about the place. Mona also has an alpaca friend. The thrills are never ending.
Roche’s Harbour comes up next. There is another branch of the moped store at the entrance to the town, so I park there and cross the road to the Sculpture Park. This is a large park with a pond in the middle and numerous artworks scattered across the grounds. Wandering here gives me a chance to warm up, as the wind whistling through my jacket has left me a little chilly, despite the sun shining. I then walk down the hill into the town itself, which is beautiful, although even smaller than Friday Harbour. Roche’s Harbour used to be a lime-producing company town, all owned by one man, John McKinley, and then his son, who then sold it on to another family in the late 50s. The buildings are all original and there is a little craft market by the yacht marina. There is also a traditional English-style garden, not far from the remains of two of the lime kilns. My mother would be impressed with the two bocce pistes in front of the kilns. They have bocce balls for visitors to use, but I have no-one to play with. I grab a coffee and sit in the sun by the harbour, snacking on cherries from my lunch provisions.
My last stop here is the McKinley family mausoleum, which is kind of odd. It is set in a forest and built according to Masonic beliefs, with pillars surrounding a table with six chairs, one for each of the McKinley family members. The chairs are also the crypts. One of the pillars is missing the middle segment, to represent the unfinished nature of life. All very mystical and metaphysical and slightly creepy, since I am the only person there.
I collect the moped and ride on to the English camp. This opposed the American Camp at the opposite end of the island. Apparently, years ago, each of the countries had troops stationed there, but at one stage they came close to war over a pig. One of the American soldiers shot a pig belonging to the English and this was enough to cause international tension. There are a couple of buildings at the English camp, along with a telescope set up at the visitor centre so you can see an osprey nest with two chicks. After a quick look round, I power up the Mount Young hike. It’s a half hour hike up, nowhere near as bad as the Grouse Grind. At the top, I have my picnic of chicken, hummus, a demi-baguette and more cherries. I’m the only person there and it feels like I am on the top of the world. I can see the coast, islands, yachts and mountains, some of which are actually in Canada.
Back down the hill and back on the bike, my next stop is San Juan County Park. This is another nice picnic spot by the water. The beach here is nothing to write home about though – it is grey sand with driftwood placed strategically as benches. I move on to the Lime Kiln State Park, which is beautiful. The road in winds through forest and then opens up to the coast. There is a lighthouse on one of the cliffs and this is a well-known whale-spotting point. Orcas often migrate this way and are spotted every couple of days, but they’re in hiding today. I do spot a porpoise, but as soon as I point it out to other people, it disappears, so I look like I’m making things up. The water here is a pale blue colour that sparkles and merges into the blue of the mountain range in the background.
Back on the bike, I whip up to the Lavender Farm, but decide I can see enough of the fields from the road, so I turn around and go down to the end point of the island, called Cattle Point. On the way, I stop at South Beach, which is driftwood central. The entire beach is covered with driftwood logs, and quite large ones at that. Cattle Point also has a lighthouse, but once you get to the point you can’t see it any more as it is around the bend. I’m running out of time and have to motor back to Friday Harbour. Filling the tank costs me a grand total of $1.42. I drop the moped off then head back to The Doctor’s Office for some pre-dinner internet time. By the time I finish, the Crabhouse is closing, so I move one more building along to Blue Water. I’m not too hungry due to my late picnic, so I have three oyster shots and some clam chowder. The oyster shots are not what I expect. They are massive oysters in a large shot glass with a splash of lemon and a spicy tomato relish. They are good, but messy if you try and eat them that way – they are much easier with the help of a fork.
I end up talking to the couple next to me for a while, then hear a girl’s voice call out “Hey Giselle, go to bed, you have kayaking tomorrow”. It’s the girls from the kayaking office. We chat and then I walk back to the hostel. Sam has gone and there is a girl in his place. She seems more normal.
Seals and Anchors of Kelp
I’m up extra early as I want to buy a hoodie I saw in town yesterday. I’m so early the shop isn’t open yet, so I start with coffee – I’m becoming a regular at The Doctor’s Office. By the time I finish, business has started for the day, so I grab the sweater and go back to the hostel to finish packing.
The kayaking crew has agreed to pick me up on the corner so I don’t have to lug my rucksack into town, but they are early and meet me at the hostel. Bonus. We drive down to San Juan County Park to prepare. As we set up, there is a seal frolicking in the bay in front of us. He’s still there when we paddle out. We cruise along the coast, past the Lime Kiln Lighthouse, and see eagles nesting, purple sea stars on the tidal edge, and another seal so close you could almost pat it. There are also giant beds of Bull Kelp. You can pull up a strand of the kelp and put it across the kayak as an anchor. It is heavy and the head and stem are solid, almost like wood.
We stop at a small bay for lunch which is DIY bagels. I’m taught a new combination – cream cheese with strawberry jam. It’s not bad, or maybe I’m hungry. After this, it’s back on the water for the trip back. The excitement on this leg is a couple of harbour porpoises that swim slowly past.
Back on shore, we jump into the mini-van to get back to town and for me, it’s straight to the ferry to head back to Seattle. I make it with 10 minutes to spare. Seattle, here I come.
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