Over the last two weeks we have moved from operating only weekends, to our current 7-days/week service. The whale watching has been very good over the last two weeks, with Orca and Minke whales seen most often, along will occasional Gray and Humpback whale sightings. The weather continues to be great as well, with calm waters and lots of sun!

The Black Cat Farm of Eliza Island
 
Eliza Island is the first stop we make on our San Juan Islands cruise to Friday Harbor aboard the Island Commuter 2. Now home to over 100 summer homes on the 141 acre island with only five year-round residents, this island has a storied history. Named after the daughter of Spanish Expedition Commander Francisco De Eliza in 1791, an interesting part of its history is the Consolidated Black Cat Company of James F. Wardner.  Wardner’s resume is long and varied: rabbit raiser, miner, orange grower, pig farmer and owner of a cat ranch. His goal was to raise the felines on the isolated island and sell their pelts for $2 to compete with the sale of seal and otter furs that were so popular at that time. He even brought in a cat rancher by the name of Sam Weller to feed the cats and take care of them until their pelts were needed.

Needless to say, the ranch did not survive (although the number of unlucky cats before retirement is unknown) and the only remnant of black cats seen near this northern port is the eatery “Le Chat Noir” in Fairhaven.

One of the most popular activities on San Juan Island is bicycling. The island is relatively flat, with rolling countryside and just a few gradual hills. With our San Juan Island Commuter service to Friday Harbor, you have nearly 5 hours (on a day trip) to explore the island. For many cyclists, it is possible to do a round-trip to just about any point on the island.

A great trip, which is only about 12 miles round-trip, is from Friday Harbor to American Camp and South Beach. The ride takes you out of Friday Harbor, past the airport and into the rolling countryside that makes up the interior of the island. As you pedal southwest along Cattle Point Road you reach the west side of the island, feeling the breeze and salt air that is a welcome relief.

American Camp is worth visiting for at least 30 - 60 minutes, perhaps longer if you’d like to walk along the interpretive trail. To reach South Beach you continue about a mile south on Cattle Point Road, then take a right onto Pickett’s Lane. It’s just a quick coast downhill to South Beach, where you can have lunch, walk along the beach, and view the many fishing boats, cargo ships and occasionally, Orca whales, that pass by this area.

Make sure you allow plenty of time for the 6 mile return ride back into Friday Harbor, It’s also a good idea to bring plenty of water, sunscreen and snacks - there are no stores or restaurants along the way.

The whale watching has been excellent over the last two weeks, with frequent Orca and Minke whale sightings. Just as impressive is the weather we have had, calm conditions in the islands and lots and lots of sun! Temperatures are supposed to sneak into the low 80’s this week, and will hopefully extend into our scheduled trips this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Now is a great time to visit the islands, or go whale watching, before the summer vacation crowds hit Bellingham and the San Juan Islands.

Our San Juan Island Commuter service to the San Juan Islands, as well as our whale watching tours, began this season on Friday and it’s been a great start to the season! The weather has been perfect, with lots of sun and temperatures in the mid-to-upper 60’s. Best of all though, the Orca whales have been seen on all of our whale watching trips so far! They started off just off shore of San Juan Island, but have been seen further north more recently, close to Pt. Roberts. We currently have seats available for our tours next weekend, May 22-25, but space is limited, so call or book online soon.

Bellingham Cold Storage has a webcam with a great view of Bellingham Bay and Fairhaven (off in the distance). Note: The view will look better when you click through.

Each year the local Lions Club takes the Victoria Star 2 out into the San Juan Islands, bringing cheer to the kids in the San Juan Islands and Gulf Islands in British Columbia. This year they are set to go December 13th and 14th. Last year’s trip was filmed by Lions Club International - to see the video - click here.

I just came across a great Orca whale blog site called Whale Of A ‘Purpose’ written by a local whale enthusiast that is packed with great photos and lots of tips on identifying whales. With the sun out today, looking at this blog makes me wish we were still running tours….spring is just around the corner though!

The resident Orca pods have become a little more difficult to find this past week, however, we’ve been luck to find transient Orcas just outside of Victoria. The weather has been beautiful too, making this possibly the best time of the season to see the San Juan Islands and Victoria. The forecast is good through the upcoming weekend, with lots of sun and temperatures into the lower 70’s.

Yesterday was the last day of the season for our Friday Harbor / Whale Watching tours aboard the Island Commuter 2. The season ended on a big high note, with several Superpod sightings through the week, as well as a few transient Orca sightings.

We are still running our trips to Victoria daily through September 28th. On this tour we pick routes in both directions with the best chance of seeing Orca whales along the way - this season we have seen them about 75% of the time. We offer a low season discount of $25 off the regular adult round-trip cruise fare between September 8 - September 28, so now is a great time to book a trip to Victoria before the season ends!