Month: April 2014

We wanted to see more of the island so we headed north again toward Roche Harbor and stopped at K.A. Alpaca Farm and then the Sculpture Park.

18 month old baby alpaca’s.

This was the only one that was closest to the fence and it wasn’t budging!

Some of the herd on the farm.
There are over 100 alpaca’s on the farm here.

They roll in the dirt just like a dog! Isabel thought it was funny to see this.

After spending about 45 min. on the farm with the alpaca’s we headed north to the sculpture park in Roche Harbor.

The self-guided park was an awesome place to stop at, just we had more time to see the artwork. Would recommend it to anyone that heads to the island.

Alligator.

This was so awesome! Wish my photo would have turned out better.
A metal pinwheel with glass and metal moving parts that turn and spin in the breeze.

“Dogwood Repose” by Pat McVay selling for $3,500.

“Grape Leaf Gate” by Tom Torrens II selling for $6,500.

“Green Tailed Wanderer” by Lee Proctor selling for $12,000.
Love this piece!

Looking out over the lake on the 19-acre park.

Gino liked the salmon.

After a closer look, I did too.
They are for sale too, for a set of 4 fish.

Today we have spent the morning and early afternoon at our rental out in the yard.

Daisy’s been enjoying the freedom of running FREE in the huge yard. She’s over here one minute then over on the other side of the house the next, just sniffing the area.

Daisy enjoying the free range and sunshine!

Isabel spent the morning and early afternoon playing in the yard with Daddy and I. She had brought her crossbow and darts and her flying gyroscope from Grandpa.

Launching her crossbow and whistling darts.
Last year she couldn’t pull the band back, she’s got the hang of it now and can get them to fly. Not as far as Daddy, who sends it almost to the neighbors house but she’s getting there.

The flying gyroscope from Grandpa.
She was able to get it to spin through the air a few times.

She enjoyed the swing!
She flipped out one time from swinging to hard… she didn’t get hurt.

Sea Glass Cottage…

The front of our rental.
950 square feet of living space!

The cottage is on 5 acres of land and has all the comforts of home and then some!
Internet, quiet, satellite, washer/dryer, quiet, dishwasher, fire pit, quiet, patio, a dog run and quiet!

The whole island has a quiet ordinance, no noise after 10 p.m. and it’s strictly enforced.

Patio area.
We didn’t even use this area. I think this was the closest we got to the area the whole time we were here.

The fire pit we used twice, we roasted hot dogs one night and then made s’mores another night.

The dog run.

After leaving the state park we headed further south along the coastal road to the southern tip of the San Juan Island.

We stopped at Fourth of July Beach and Griffin Bay.

We combed the beach for shells and other treasures to keep. We would have stayed longer but it started to rain and by the time we got back to the truck we were soaked.

After Fourth of July Beach we headed south to South Beach. Isabel and I got out to comb the beach for shells here too but there weren’t any to be found. After South Beach we headed further south to the San Juan Islands second lighthouse at Cattle Point. It was still raining and we didn’t want to hike over to the point to get pictures so we just turned around and decided to head to town for some food.

We stopped at Kung Fu Pizza and Chinese on Spring Street in Friday Harbor. Gino had Chinese while Isabel and I had a great Hawaiian pizza. After talking with our waitress, we walked down to the pier to the fresh seafood market in hopes of seeing “Popeye” the harbor seal. Popeye wasn’t around but we further learned that she’s been in the area for over 30 years. Maybe it was the rain that was keeping her away but we did get to see a statue in the park above the pier.

Back in the truck and trying to dry out we decided to head north to Roche Harbor and watch the sun set (it finally came out as we were heading back) before heading back to our rental.

Looking westward toward Henry Island from Roche Harbor.

We stayed until it set and then it got cold because we were still wet from the rain.

Our day ended with us heading back to the rental. We roasted hot dog’s over the fire in the fire pit later in the evening.

This morning we awoke to rain on our island vacation. So we stayed in our rental until about 11 a.m. when the rain let up for a few hours.

From our rental we headed south along the west side of the island

to Lime Kiln Point State Park.
We looked out over the Haro Strait to Victoria Canada.

We took the shoreline trail along the coast to the lighthouse at the end.

After talking with a park ranger, we learned that the orca whales don’t arrive until June/July and last year they didn’t make an appearance at all. The park is known as one of the best land based facilities to view wild orcas. Visitors on shore can view them within 20 feet of breaching the surface! That sounds so awesome!

Looking north toward the lighthouse and Canada.

Looking out over the Haro Strait.

Looking west toward Victoria Canada.
I see a small patch of blue sky.

During the right time of year it would be a gorgeous place to use that picnic table and watch the whales.

Isabel is enjoying her stay on the island so far.

Today is a bit wet but we are still enjoying the sights around us.

Our fist look at the lighthouse along the trail.

Looking good family.

If you get enough people in the picture with Daisy, she’ll look at the camera (and say the word TREAT), but even then she doesn’t like her picture taken.

The lighthouse was built in 1919 and that’s about all I know since it was closed for the season.

Let the island vacation begin!

We left our house around 10:30 a.m. and didn’t get up to Fidalgo Island and Anacortes until almost 3 p.m. after stopping along the way for some lunch in Bothell. After purchasing our ferry ticket we had a hour and a half wait until boarding.

After boarding our ferry around 4:30 p.m., we had about a 2 hour ride to San Juan Island and Friday Harbor and since Isabel couldn’t remember her last ferry ride years ago, we went up top and looked around the bay and the inside of the ferry.

Looking northeast toward Anacortes and Ship Harbor Bay.

Isabel on the deck of the Hyak Ferry.

Daddy and Isabel happy to be starting our spring break vacation.

An hour into our ferry ride, we stopped at Lopez Island to unload passengers and delivery trucks.

Looking southwest to Lopez Island and Shoal Bay.

After unloading at Lopez we headed inside and back down to the truck with Daisy.

Our view from the ferry after we unloaded at Lopez Island.
When we boarded in Anacortes, a semi truck  and a dump truck full of dirt were blocking our view.

We arrived in Friday Harbor around 6 p.m. and we headed immediately to our rental in the woods.
It’s time to relax…