Last Night - Fidalgo Bay RV Resort

Site #135, West Park, Fidalgo Bay RV Resort

Our two week Tulip Festival trip that turned in three weeks to better align with the progress of the bloom required some creative reservations.  During those three weeks, we were at four sites:

• #44 (1 night, $35/night)
• #13 (14 nights, $64/night)
• #5 (6 nights, $64/night)
• #135 (1 night, $52/night)

We don't tend to put out a lot out when we set up camp, so there doesn't tend to be much to put away when we have to move.  For our last night, we were in site #135, which looks across a large stretch of grass towards the bay, Cap Sante, and Anacortes.

Looking towards Fidalgo Bay.

Fidalgo Bay RV Resort is organized into an East Park, which sits on the shores of Fidalgo Bay, and a West Park that is situated closer to Highway 20 (the white noise is not an issue).  The Tommy Thompson Trail runs between the two parks.

West Park at Fidalgo Bay RV Resort.

 Another feature of West Park is that the resort permits extended stays at reduced rates.  The resort's office and laundry are also in West Park.

This photo shows the closeness that some reviews of the park complain about if one's awning is out and another rig has slide-outs.

Old Town

We headed back into Old Town to stroll the streets, enjoy the architecture, and browse the shops.  Anacortes's Old Town is thriving with retail, restaurants, and services from haircuts to spas.

Stop and enjoy the flowers.

Harkening back to an earlier time, Old Town invites the visitor to window shop.  With wide sidewalks and streetside building overhang providing both shade in the summer and protection from the rain, Old Town is truly all season.

Commercial St. runs through the middle of old town.

Lots of new paint in Old Town for 2018

Laura and I have watched Anacortes hang onto Old Town through the years.  The vision of what it could become always seemed to preserve, even during the Great Recession  On this visit, Old Town was visually probably the best we've ever seen it, both in terms of the cosmetics, and the number of businesses filling the storefronts.

Yes, bookstores still exist in America.

Laura expressing the joy of three weeks in paradise.

For three weeks we had visited the familiar and explored the previously undiscovered.  We'd eaten some great meals out, and share some wonderful meals in.  Our time on land and on the sea had been spectacular.  Tomorrow we'd be heading home, richer for the experience, and grateful for all the joy in our lives.

Live well, Laugh often, Love much

Ghost Ship

Parting shot as one heads home to Anacortes.

The San Juan Islands have a population of about 16,000.  Most folks live on the four largest islands (Orcas, San Juan, Lopez, and Shaw) which are serviced by the Washington State Ferries.

Our ride.  Built-in 1967 and rebuilt in 2005.  It can carry 144 autos and 2000 passengers.

Ramp up and underway to Anacortes.

Some of the lucky residents that have Friday Harbor as a view out their bedroom window.

Watching the setting sun.

Underway on the Salish Sea.

I love riding ferries.  Whether it is the Star Ferry in Hong Kong, the Steamboat Slough "J-Mack" ferry in the California Delta, or the Wahkiakum County ferry crossing the Columbia River between Cathlamet, WA, and Westport, Or, ferries create a sense of anticipation within me. 

Something to see around every bend.

Sunset from the deck of Yakima.

Dining room with food service at the other end.

Our gray 2012 Honda Fit tucked away on the automobile deck.

Laura after a long day in the islands.

M/V Hyak

A view through Obstruction Pass with Mount Baker fifty miles away in the distance.

The M/V Hyak disappears.

A brief stop at Lopez Island to pick up more passengers, and then onto Anacortes.

Our journey home had us sharing the M/V Yakima with very few guests.  Beyond the tourist like Laura and me, were the commuters.  On this trip, there was a group of construction workers who had spent the day working on San Juan Island and were now heading home to the mainland.

Ghost Ship

As an alternative to sitting and looking out the window, I like to walk the two passenger decks.  With an ever-changing view, and a temperature controlled cabin, one can easily do laps.

A very different view when compared to high season during the summer.

It had been an absolutely marvelous day in the islands.  Our day trip had been more than thirteen hours start to finish, so we were feeling it, but it had been a blast.

Live well, Laugh often, Love much

Friday Harbor - San Juan Island

Spring Street Landing

Our practice for catching the ferry back to Anacortes is to arrive early and walk the waterfront.  Preseason in the islands, especially on a Thursday afternoon, found things pretty quiet.  The clouds experienced earlier had moved on, so we got to stroll about in the sparkling sunshine.

The ferry terminal is the light green building to the left.

The mirror-like reflections of the water convey a sense of the peace and quiet of the moment.  You heard birds and the voices of strangers across the marina.  Absent was the white noise normally associated with modern life.

The marina.

Dale wearing his Tilley and Laura crushing her Pixar baseball cap.  The cap was actually purchased at Pixar were our son Sean was working as an animator on the film Incredibles 2.

Fairweather Park.

From the ferry terminal, we headed northwest along the waterfront, past Spring Street Landing, through Fairweather Park, and eventually arriving at the pier that services the marina.

Pier leading to the marina.

Ferry Landing.

Reversing course we headed back to the ferry.  Tied up a Spring Street Landing is the Spike Africa.  The schooner is in the charter business https://www.sanjuansailcharter.com/

The schooner Spike Africa

The Anchorage.

Live well, Laugh often, Love much

Cattle Point - San Juan Island

Located at the southern end of San Juan Island is Cattle Point Lighthouse (est. 1935).  The grassy dunes are apparently the work of rabbits that denuded the area.

Some form of navigation light has operated from Cattle Point since 1888.

Cattle Point sits atop fifteen feet of cobles, gravel, and sand left by glaciers.

San Juan Channel running between San Juan Island and Lopen Island.

All that remains of a radio compass station that operated in the 1920s to aid mariners to establish a bearing to Cattle Point.

Located 9.1 miles south of Friday Harbor, Cattle Point offers visitors great scenery and spectacular walks.  It's a peaceful kind of place the invites you to bring a picnic basket and a blanket.

Homes at Cattle Point

Sculpted by the ice age.

As we departed Cattle Point, on the way back to Friday Harbor, Laura and I stopped by South Beach.  Located new Cattle Point Light House, the beach has an amazing collection of driftwood.

South Beach.  Cattle Point Lighthouse in the background.

Live well, Laugh often, Love much

Lime Kiln State Park

Lime Kiln Lighthouse

Located on the west side of San Juan Island is Lime Kiln State Park.  Besides its lighthouse, the park is worth visiting for its walking paths and the beautiful view across Haro Strait to Vancouver Island.

  

The path leading from the parking lot down to the water.

Scattered along the shoreline are picnic tables.

No beaches here.  You can imagine what winter storms must be like.

Laura at Kiln Lime State Park

Dale with hiking stick in hand.

Haro Strait

Kiln Lime Lighthouse

Modern-day sentinel warning mariners of the rocks.

One of the two homes near the lighthouse occupied by park staff.

Laura and the Orca.

The walk down to the shoreline and eventually back up to the car is very gradual.  The peacefulness of sitting at a picnic table and looking out over Haro Strait is not to be missed.

Live well, Laugh often, Love much