Kayaking,
San Juan Islands, WA
July 16, 2006  

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... off the tip of Henry Island ...
See Trip Plan Below

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It was a very long day ... I woke up at 4:30am in the morning and started start driving south to the US border. After a brief stopover at MacDonalds, Gan and I continued to drive to Anacortes, WA to catch the ferry to San Juan Islands. In fact, I was really tired and sleepy because I went a party the night before ... hehehe.

It was a very sunny day. As soon as we arrived at the Friday Harbour terminal on San Juan Island, we could feel the heat. Another 20 min short ride on the bus, we got to Roche Harbour. Roche Harbour is a very clean and unqiue neighbourhood, surrounded by a hugh marina full of boats.

We got to our kayaking trip outfitter by the marina, and suited up for the trip. Our trip was advertised as a 5-hour whale searching kayaking trip. We were a bit oversold on the "whale searching" part of it. It was a very nice trip paddling along Henry Island, a smaller island off Roche Harbour. We saw a few bald eagles, lots of seals and a purple sea star, but no whales.

At the end, we actually spent more time in driving and getting to and from San Juan Island than in kayaking ... how ironic is it?


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Ferry terminal at Anacortes.
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Ferry terminal at Anacortes.
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Ken and Gan .. the stupid dudes.

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We're getting on this ferry.
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This looks more like a legion hall than a ferry passenger deck.

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Ferry arriving at Friday Harbour
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Roche Harbour .... .

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In front of Roche Harbour Hotel.
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Front garden of Roche Harbour Hotel.

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Canadians are well respected here ...
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...we are not getting on these nice kayaks ..unfortunately.
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Gan and I in action ...

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Leaving Roche Harbour.
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Look at those big boats ... !!
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8 of us plus an instructor.

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We were on the collision course ....
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We are heading for the sea kelps

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:P They don't look too pleasant ...
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If we were Japanese, ..."yummy" !

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I had a bite on this guy, ... taste is not bad ....
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Darn it, ... get away from us !!

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Gan was secretly eating .....
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The water here is so clear ....
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Heat up the BBQ, we got some seal sausages ......

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Bald eagle flying by ....
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This is a bald eagle nest .

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I am going in ...
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... right ...
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... left ...

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Purple sea star.

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Purple sea star.

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Just a barge full of garbage.
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More seal... sausages ...
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Back to Roche Harbour ... nice church.

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Hi everyone, this is the bus station.
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The only 2 passengers ....
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Getting on the ferry back to Anacortes.

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Georgous blue sky ....
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Waiting for the ferry to load cars was painful.
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... but beautiful.

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I wish I was on this boat ....



Location: San Juan Island, Washington

Resource(s):
San Juan Island Safari - Kayak Orca Search
               San Juan Island Transit (www.sanjuantransit.com)
               San Juan Island Ferry Schedule (Washington State Ferry)




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