San Juan Islands & Crossing Into Canada
This morning we awoke to the fertile forest of the great Northwest along the emerald shore of San Juan Island.
The San Juan archipelago is composed of 172 named islands (30 of which are inhabited) with a population of over 14,000. We cruised by the three largest islands – Orcas, San Juan and Lopez, which form a cluster around Shaw Island. In the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains this area receives an average of 29 inches of rain a year, versus Seattle’s 37 inches. Dense coniferous forests cover the islands with a community of species, composed largely of Douglas fir, western hemlock, western red cedar and Pacific madrone (the only member of the Ericaceae/ heath family that is a tree).
Picturesque Friday Harbor of San Juan Island boasted a marina with ferries coming to and fro. The only incorporated town in the chain and home of the county seat, Friday Harbor is home to half of San Juan’s 7,000 residents .We then circumnavigated Shaw Island, the smallest and least visited of the ferry-served islands. Passing through Harney Channel north of Shaw Island we were accompanied by harbor seals and porpoise. Pigeon guillemots and pelagic cormorants (amongst others) were steady accompaniments throughout the day. We then revisited the privately owned and exotic Spieden Island where unusual species of Corsican mouflon sheep, and Japanese sika deer and other species were introduced for wealthy trophy hunters to bag. While the game farm is no longer active the grazers still continue to leave their mark on the landscape.
From the San Juans we headed north to Sidney, B.C where we would clear customs for our journey north through Canada. Continuing along the east coast of Vancouver Island the sun shined as we basked on the bow searching for whatever, come what may. Narrow channels led us to Nanaimo where we were reminded of the forces of our consumption as the timbers rafted in the eddies which awaited their destiny of pulp and timber products.
This morning we awoke to the fertile forest of the great Northwest along the emerald shore of San Juan Island.
The San Juan archipelago is composed of 172 named islands (30 of which are inhabited) with a population of over 14,000. We cruised by the three largest islands – Orcas, San Juan and Lopez, which form a cluster around Shaw Island. In the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains this area receives an average of 29 inches of rain a year, versus Seattle’s 37 inches. Dense coniferous forests cover the islands with a community of species, composed largely of Douglas fir, western hemlock, western red cedar and Pacific madrone (the only member of the Ericaceae/ heath family that is a tree).
Picturesque Friday Harbor of San Juan Island boasted a marina with ferries coming to and fro. The only incorporated town in the chain and home of the county seat, Friday Harbor is home to half of San Juan’s 7,000 residents .We then circumnavigated Shaw Island, the smallest and least visited of the ferry-served islands. Passing through Harney Channel north of Shaw Island we were accompanied by harbor seals and porpoise. Pigeon guillemots and pelagic cormorants (amongst others) were steady accompaniments throughout the day. We then revisited the privately owned and exotic Spieden Island where unusual species of Corsican mouflon sheep, and Japanese sika deer and other species were introduced for wealthy trophy hunters to bag. While the game farm is no longer active the grazers still continue to leave their mark on the landscape.
From the San Juans we headed north to Sidney, B.C where we would clear customs for our journey north through Canada. Continuing along the east coast of Vancouver Island the sun shined as we basked on the bow searching for whatever, come what may. Narrow channels led us to Nanaimo where we were reminded of the forces of our consumption as the timbers rafted in the eddies which awaited their destiny of pulp and timber products.
