San Juan Island, Washington: Island Time

 

There is something special about island time ...

and I thought that we would experience more of those "laid back" feelings when we visited Vancouver Island. But Victoria and the southern half of the island seemed to have more of a "hustle and bustle" atmosphere.

We experienced a better sense of "island time" when we visited one of the smaller islands that make up Canada's Gulf Islands National Park. Their sandy beaches, green forests, and solitary lighthouses made us want to stay a while longer.

But it was time to end our Canadian travel adventures for now and cross the border back into the United States. As the ferry took us back to the Canadian mainland, we could see some familiar landmarks like Mount Baker rising high in the distant Cascade Mountain Range of Washington State. Beautifully framed in front of the mountain were the San Juan Islands, an archipelago that lies on the United States side of the border.

We had heard about the beauty of the main island of San Juan, and since we were going to be so close, we had made reservations for the ferry and campground a few weeks prior. After crossing the border, we drove down to Anacortes, Washington and  boarded the Washington State Ferry. One hour later we arrived at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island ready to find ...

island time.

The quaint seaside harbor and village of Friday Harbor greeted us. While it was bustling with tourists during the day, it became quite tranquil once the last ferry left.

Blooming flowers decorated its streets. 

Colorful shops, B&Bs, and vacation homes lined the village streets.

And ... happy day for Doug!

San Juan Island Brewery invited him to sit for a spell and enjoy a cold one.

The main island of San Juan and its smaller neighboring islands are accessible only by boat or plane. They are popular tourist destinations due to their sunny and mild year-round climate as well as their sea kayaking and whale-watching opportunities. We reserved a spot at the fairground campground on the outskirts of Friday Harbor and quickly sensed that we were in the right place to enjoy some "island time".

From Friday Harbor, it was easy to explore the island as it is only 14.5 miles long and 6.5 miles wide. During our five days on the island we checked out the local sculpture garden,

... admired the colorful flower gardens,

... enjoyed some of Washington's famous coffee at the many cute cafes,

... traveled to various locations where people had reported whale sightings in hopes of spotting a spout or two,

... enjoyed amazing scenery during our various coastal hikes,

... found a perfect location for "dinner with a sunset view" on the west side of the island,

... and learned about how the death of a pig almost caused a war between England and the United States on San Juan Island in 1859.

Yes, this "Pig War" could have been a really big deal. The dispute over the dead pig raised tensions that resulted in the British occupying the north end of the island, and the Americans occupying the south end. During the thirteen years of mostly peaceful co-existence, negotiations over who owned San Juan Island continued. Finally both sides accepted the ruling of a German arbitrator, and war was averted. The British pig that was shot by an American in 1859 remained the only "casualty" during the dispute, and the islands officially became a part of the United States in 1872.

Elegant Victorian gardens still adorn the former British end of the island which is now a part of the San Juan Island National Historical Site,

and memorials remind us of how diplomacy is still the best way to reach agreements

so that future generations can continue to enjoy ...

island time.

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