We had two reasons for visiting the San Juan Islands: visiting family and seeing Orcas. Only the first of those things was easy. We took the ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor on Saturday, which was nice because we were able get out of the confining truck for a while. Once on the island, we headed to Snug Harbor Resort where Matt’s parents and sister’s family were waiting for us. This beautiful resort is on Mitchel Bay and has kayaks and paddleboards available. We had a cabin with a kitchen, toilet and, the most important quality at this point in our trip, our own shower! It was like being in a dreamland. The next morning, Saturday, we set off on a six-hour kayak trip in search of Orcas. The waters around the San Juan Islands, the area we kayaked in, are known for having the most Orca sightings than any other area in the world. However, after many hours of kayaking, all our money bought us was a sunburn and a backache. We headed back to the resort to eat, watch some TV (yes! TV!) and sit by the campfire with our family. The next day, the boys explored the island and fished while the girls went to a lavender festival. That afternoon, the kids paddle boarded and kayaked with their cousins, Josh and Katie, while the grown ups played cards, and talked together. On Monday, the boys went fishing at a local pond and afterwards drove to Lime Kiln Point where they saw a few Orcas in the distance! Finally, Matt, after being in Alaska, Antarctica and Washington, got his first glimpse at Orcas! We had a lovely time with Matt’s family. Everyone loved the island, the resort and spending time together. It was difficult to say goodbye to Matt’s parents, but we made plans to see each other again, making the farewell a little less sad.
