Thursday, our first full day, began with a ham and cheese croissant, chicken pesto croissant, and a large latte to go from Cafe Demeter in downtown Friday Harbor. Our goal for the day was to visit Lime Kiln Point State Park in the west, Pelindaba Lavender Farm in the middle, Cattle Point Lighthouse in the south, and Roche Harbor (recommended by Bob’s boss Bob) in the far north. But first we had to stock up on provisions (2 chicken tenders, 1/2 a pound of jojos, a packet of ranch dressing and barbeque sauce, and a bottle of Coca Cola) from our favorite local grocery store for the two-hour day trip around the island.
The first twinge of melancholy happened on Bailer Hill Road, the thoroughfare that cuts across the lower half of San Juan Island and leads to Lime Kiln Point State Park. The gently rolling hills in the distance and farm houses dotting the landscape reminded me longingly of the Austrian countryside.
Lime Kiln Point State Park is located on the west side of the island and is a great (not to mention, affordable) vantage point for seeing Orca Whales traveling down the Haro Strait into the Salish Sea and beyond. Incidentally, a whale watching boat tour is big draw of San Juan Island (and I suspect also of the other islands in the vicinity); we counted at least four tour companies while walking around Friday Harbor that morning. The only other (non-dining) businesses that could rival in number were the amount of real estate agencies.
Aside from the breath-taking view of the Haro Strait and Victoria Island BC in the background, the park also has a small lighthouse overlooking the bluff, which I thought a perfect subject for a future blog post background image.
TRAVEL TIP: The annual Washington State Discover Pass can be used to avoid the $10 fee for visiting the park. If visitors do not have one, like we did, there is a kiosk that accepts credit cards. A day pass as well as the annual pass can be purchased.
While there were no Orca Whale sightings (or other marine mammals, for that matter) to be had, we were fortunate to come across a lot of other wildlife. The mesmerizing image of a vixen and her young pup crossing the road not included as the co-pilot was too slow on the uptake.
The next stop on our grand tour of San Juan Island was Pelindaba Lavender Farm and melancholy episode two. Oh those beautiful fields of lavender perfuming the hillsides of Provence. How I wish I was there still.
A hidden gem was the otherworldly False Bay on route to Cattle Point Lighthouse on the southern tip.
The descent down to the southernmost part of the island from False Bay made me wish the Pandemic was a thing of the past and we could once again travel to places like the White Cliffs of Dover in England or the Hebrides Archipelago off the northwest coast of Scotland, where we have never been.
The almost fluorescent orange flowers made a stark contrast against the pebbly gray beach below the Cattle Point Lighthouse.
A quick detour to English Camp before heading to our final destination brought up another welling of emotion. Even in the farthest reaches of the British Empire, the troops managed to carve out a beautifully manicured garden, probably to remind them of where they came and where they hoped to return.
The dénouement of the emotional rollercoaster was seeing the cobble-stoned street and tree-lined parking of Roche Harbor.
Next on the docket? A well-deserved dip in the jacuzzi at the yurt to contemplate dinner. We enjoyed the vintage iced tea from the previous night so much we decided on the robust full-sugar small batch version to pair with our meal that evening. I was so desperate for seafood that we had to make due with what we could find at our go-to, King’s Market. Nouilles Japonaise Aux Crevettes for moi and Qu’est-ce Que La Tarte Au Poulet for my dining companion. Bon Appetit!
I am noticeably sullen when our trip nears it’s end, whether it’s a simple trip to visit family in Hawaii or Wyoming or a three-week tour of Western Europe. The reality of having to go back to work slowly creeps in and my mind immediately starts planning our next vacation. None of this happened as we waited to board the ferry back to Anacortes. In fact, I think I wanted off the island more than I did a salad overflowing with chunks of Dungeness crab.
Breakfast on our last day spoke volumes about our staycation. We thought we’d try Cynthia’s Bistro as the pictures on Google Maps showed mismatched chairs and kitschy ornamentation; the kind of place your gut tells you will probably have strange food combinations but will all be prepared deliciously. What a disappointment! I’ll spare the reader my sardonic critique of the french toast and fried egg harbor sandwich with bacon and offer instead my raving review:
Post Script. Strangely enough, the hankering for seafood grew the farther we moved away from San Juan Island. The Osam Jumulleok (Korean calamari and pork belly with house spicy sauce) from Hae-Nam Kalbi & Calamari in Shoreline comes highly recommended.
You have me intrigued! I want to take a day trip! Looks like they have some cool stuff to see!!
If you aren’t going on a whale-watching tour, a day trip is all you need. I think our three-day-two-night staycation was a little too long! Might have worked if we started on San Juan Island and moved eastward to the other major islands (i.e. Orcas Island, Lopez Island). Remember that you pay for the ferry ride every time you travel westward but free when you go towards the east.