San Juan Journal: We've Arrived

Olympic Mountain Range from American Camp

Steven

​Greetings from San Juan Island National Historical Park. We've been located in American Camp since traveling over from Anacortes, Washington to Friday Harbor, Washington via ferry on the 2nd.

Arriving early afternoon, we spent most to the rest of the day setting up camp in a more permanent fashion than we would normally.

I purchased wheel covers for the sprinter and a bike cover for our electric assist bikes anticipating we'd want easier access to the bikes than storing them in our KOMO carrier gives us.

Ranger Jeff gave me the code to the tool storage shed and I was able to rake and clean up debris from both our campsite, our neighbors' site (they'd not yet arrived) and our driveway. We even swept the porch of the rearing lab for the endangered Island Marble Butterfly that sits adjacent to our campsite.

Afterwards, Melanie and I enjoyed an adult beverage and our view of the Salish Sea and the Olympic Mountains across the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  I believe we're going to like our five months here.

On the 3rd Melanie walked down to nearby Grandma's Cove to check it out while I continued to set up camp. She came back excited at having had a seal sighting and brought a shell and a piece of sea glass for our table.

We then got on the bikes and headed north along the west coast of the island. Taking False Bay Drive we took our time stopping along the way to take in the views of the Salish Sea and wild flowers.

We stopped briefly at Westside Preserve and spoke with a woman from Bellingham whose daughter was visiting from North Carolina. They were watching seals.

​We then stopped briefly at Lime Kiln Point State Park for a restroom break. Our friend, Nancy Crowell, took us to Lime Kiln when we visited the island with her a few weeks back. That time we hiked down to the lighthouse located there and she told us the park was a great spot for Orcas sightings.

Continuing on the Westside Road we rode past San Juan County Park eventually connecting with West Valley Road. From there we rode past San Juan National Historical Park (English Camp) where we will be volunteering one day a week and then on into Roche Harbor where we had lunch on the pier.

After lunch we stopped briefly at San Juan Islands Sculpture Park Nature Reserve then we chose the shortest route back to American Camp (15 miles) and proceeded with our ride back home enjoying another nice spring Pacific Northwest evening. Our total ride for the day was 36 miles.

Yesterday morning Melanie wanted to show me Grandma's Cove so we hiked over to the Visitor's Center at American Camp and just past it to the trail head. The trail is a half mile out and back and moderate. We saw seals, an otter and met a few local folks along the way, The wild flowers are nice and we located a spot for future sunset views this summer.

We then got on our bikes and rode on Cattle Point Road south towards the Cattle Point Lighthouse, stopping along the way for a great view of the prairie where we spotted a few foxes meandering.

Stopping at the trailhead of the lighthouse, we walked in towards it immediately spotting a fox who appeared to be on the hunt for something. We met a nice couple from Ann Arbor, Michigan and talked to them briefly then made our way on to the lighthouse where a bald eagle was perched on the top of it. 

We then cycled into Friday Harbor for lunch, picked up a few grocery items we needed and cycled back to camp. Temperatures were dropping as we approached camp so we secured things outside in anticipation of a rainy day today and moved inside for the evening.

Today's been mostly a rest day as rain moved into the area after midnight and has been pretty steady throughout the morning and afternoon. 

We had our monthly phone call with family back east in Kentucky, something to which we always look forward. It's a good day for a bit of journaling and down time.

We are eager to have a few more days to explore before we engage in more work training the first of next week. We begin our volunteer duties on the 15th.

Two eagles watch as a fox traverses the prairie at American Camp

Fox and the ubiquitous rabbits on the prairie at American Camp

Lime Kiln Lighthouse

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Moth along Grandma's Cove Trail

Melanie

So much gratitude comes with us to this place.   Our dear Nancy Crowell sent us the job listing for our VIP position back in March, and if she had not thought of us, and acted swiftly, we would not even be here.  As a nature photographer, Nancy's love for this place and its creatures is all the endorsement we needed to leap with trust towards this new opportunity.  She has generously shared her deep knowledge of the plants and animals of the Pacific Northwest with us -- even drove us out here for a little sneak peek a few weeks ago -- introducing us to the foxes, rabbits and bald eagles which are now our nearest neighbors.  Her friendship is grace to us.   It will probably take me some time before I stop thinking about her every single time I locate a red fox with the binoculars, wanting to share the moment with her and wishing I had her talent with a camera.  I'm just lucky enough to be married to a very talented photographer of my own.  I hope that by the end of the summer, I won't need her beside me to name the blooming things that dot the landscape.  (Nancy is also a master gardener, and a patient teacher!)  I'm also quite grateful that she and her husband, Michael, are just across the Sound in La Conner, WA, so we can work in some visits over the summer, perhaps even a kayak adventure to see the resident orcas.