San Juan Islands

Our tour of Washington couldn't be complete without a ferry trip. Anacortes is a terminal for several ferry routes, including one to Sidney, British Columbia. We weren't quite up for that far of a ride, so we chose a route that stopped at several of the San Juan Islands. This region was completely unbeknownst to us. A few of the islands are visible from the various vantage points in Anacortes, but the ferry gave us a much better perspective of the number and variety of the 172 islands.

The day started off very chilly, with lots of fog. By the time we drove over to the terminal, several ferries had already departed and the large lower parking areas were packed. We drove up the side of the mountain to an overflow area and were pleasantly surprised to meet this doe with her fawns.

The waiting area was busy, but not terribly congested. Linda got her second cup of coffee and found comfy seating with a view of the receiving area for the ferries.

We waited only about 30 minutes and the ferry arrived on schedule. A sizable number of bikers (not motorized!) were boarding along with the walk on passengers and vehicles. The three islands along this route; Shaw, Orcas and San Juan each have great bike trails.

Craig took special interest in the loading process and capacity of the ferries. The Washington folks definitely have a lot of experience and are very efficient!

We had no problem finding available seating and with windows on all sides, every seat had a fantastic view!

Craig and Linda ventured downstairs to check out the vehicle area. Tightly packed, the need for reservations was obvious! One of the vehicles was a truck loaded with some type of compost - whew! The entire parking level reeked!

Needless to say, we didn't take a lot of time looking around the area. We did see fifth wheels and motor homes on the ferry, but knowing the fares involved, we were happy to be foot travellers!

The 1 1/2 hour ride passed quickly as we took in the new sights of the islands, fog and many boats and yachts sailing along the way.

The fog lifted as we neared the larger islands. The vast expanse of the water remained very calm and more varieties of sailing vessels joined those already out in and around the channel.

The temperature was chilly, so we only captured one boy out on the open decks. He didn't stay out very long either!

We had chosen Orcas Island as our destination. Without wheels, we were a bit limited on what we could do on the island. We enjoyed a nice lunch and guess what Cory selected? You're right! Clam chowder again! We all chose various fish entrees at a casual waterside cafe, then browsed the few shops at the harbor. The islands were rather enchanting and held quite a bit of charm. We can't imagine what they're like during the very cold winters, but the summer is definitely a fine time to visit!

We then caught the ferry back to Anacortes and enjoyed completely fog-free panoramas all along the way. We tried to enjoy being out on the deck with the sun.

Mount Baker was visible on the horizon, but the cold breeze off the water drove us all to choose the warmer view from behind the windows inside the ferry. We all enjoyed the tour tremendously.

Our journey turns to the east now. We made one more stop in Washington at Cle Elum for an overnight stay on our way to Idaho.

The RV park abuts both the highway and a river. The river was flowing very fast and full as the upstream lake required relief from the heavy snow melt.

We found it interesting that the owner of the park had converted the property from a junk yard. What a terrific second life this piece of land now has!

The mature trees provided privacy and such a nice aroma. The highway traffic noise wasn't loud enough to close our windows and we loved the fresh air!

The Clark guys show their stuff with the now routine breaking down and packing up!