One of the most amazing experiences in the San Juan Islands is to go whale watching. Our favorite tour operators are Dan and Denise from Eclipse Tours orcasislandwhales.com. The boat is large, warm, and well-equipped. It was another wild and carzy day on the water which meant that the wonderfully kind naturalists, Deb and Mary, had to issue me wristbands that prevent you from upchucking. We were informed that if you get sick, go out on the side with the wind blowing away from you. YUCK! Unfortunately, the little baby didn't get that message and what a mess! But then, a peaceful sleep overtook the baby and I was kind of envious.
Speaking of babies, the cutest thing we saw was the new baby playing with her family. She actully looked kind of orange. Very sweet! Looked like mom, dad, uncle, aunt, etc. You know...black and white, fin on the back...
We took tons of video, but pretty much this is the best shot. I like it becasue it's unique. It looks like the orca is waving at us.

Creepy Caterpillars

In tonight's "Orcas Issues",  an online local newspaper, there was an article on the tent caterpillars that are invading Orcas. They are doing harm to trees, roses, raspberry bushes...just about anything their little tiny teeth can bite into! So far, here on our property on West Sound Bay, we have seen very few. However, according to Lin McNulty, the writer of this story, there are places on Orcas were they are like a plague.

I love McNulty's last lines, "There is a soft sound that accompanies this blot on the landscape. It sounds like rain. It’s not. It is the caterpillar waste dumping on the ground."

Creepy.

I received a wonderful poem today, If Once You Have Slept on an Island, by Rachel Field. I immediately put it in a frame and placed it in the living room. It is about never being the same after sleeping on an island..."you'll see blue water and wheeling gulls" and "hear ship whistle and lighthouse bell." How true!

And how changed are us who have now chosen to live on an island?

This summer, when it is so crazy busy here at the Blue Heron B&B, you will find me taking ICE CREAM breaks at the Deer Harbor Marina. They have the best hand-dipped ice cream on the island!
Yes, I was there today having my first cone of the year...peanut-butter fudge! YUM!

We were able to get away before our busy season begins here at the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast. We took our RV to Lopez Island and I do believe we were the only campers in all of SPENCER SPIT STATE PARK. We stayed 2 nights, bicycled into Lopez Village, had a chocolate malt at the Soda Fountain, toured the museum, cooked dinner over a campfire and hiked in the rain.