Long weekend in the San Juan Islands
Last weekend, we hopped on a ferry bound for Friday Harbor and spent our weekend visiting both new and familiar places, eating delicious food and being reminded the intense charm a small town life has to offer.
Jasper has been on more ferries in his short life than I imagine most Seattle residents have in their lifetime. When he is on the ferry he can hardly sit still because he is so very busy checking out all the free brochures, magazines and ferry schedules. He is so confident navigating his way around the boat and has grown accustomed to jaw dropping views outside his window. He has become an expert at spotting all the sailboats, wildlife and ferries passing by.
Once on the island we spent our time breathing in the fresh air, taking in every gorgeous vista we could and searching for every sign of spring we could find.
It is not difficult to find beauty in a new destination, but the real challenge as a photographer is seeing a familiar place with new eyes.
One of our absolute favorite places to be in the San Juan Islands is on a boat. This past weekend we went on a wildlife cruise with San Juan Safaris. Although it was a little early in the whale watching season we were still able to see a variety of animals and had a lovely afternoon on the water. If you are ever in the San Juan Islands and want to see the islands from a different vantage point a kayak trip or whale watching tour is just the ticket to turning your weekend getaway into a spectacular adventure you will be talking about for years to come. This was the first time we have taken Jasper out on a tour and he was so excited to use his binoculars, wear his life vest like an explorer and read all the books they had on board about whales.
The weekend was filled with glorious Spring weather, beautiful beaches all to ourselves and possibly the most thrilling event of all Cameron and Jasper being able to ride a tractor together at Heritage Farm. This trip was a good reminder how it is the locals who make our time on the islands special. Our time was enhanced by those who use their talents to create beauty in all forms from the artwork we took home, to the delicious food we consumed and the farms we visited.
Money just cannot buy this kind of happiness.
Dinner at Downrigger's in Friday Harbor.
As effortlessly as we came we rode home on the ferry and eagerly discussed the next time we will be visiting here again.
