CRUISE WEST TRAVELOGUE NO. 11 - FRIDAY HARBOR, SEATTLE AND DISEMBARKATION

CRUISE WEST TRAVELOGUE NO. 11 - FRIDAY HARBOR, SEATTLE AND DISEMBARKATION

SPIRIT OF YORKTOWN

GOLD RUSH INSIDE PASSAGE – JUNEAU TO SEATTLE

August 15, 2010 to August 25, 2010


FRIDAY HARBOR, SAN JUAN ISLAND, WASHINGTON

The Yorktown actually arrived at Friday Harbor earlier than expected and so we had to pass some time cruising around the islands before we were permitted to pull into the harbor. We had our last lunch on board the ship and then took off on our adventure to explore San Juan Island.

We rented a car and took off heading east across the island over to Pelindaba Lavender Farms in the middle of the island. The fields have a variety of lavender species growing – all with bumble bees busy buzzing about from blossom to blossom. In the middle of the back field, there is a rugged old wooden wagon with one broken wheel strategically located in the middle of the beautiful purple rows of lavender. It adds a unique dimension to the garden and offers some great photo opportunities. On the other side of the one-lane road is a small pond with its water so clear and still that the reflections from the surrounding trees and shrubs appear to be like that of the image in a mirror.

As you walk away from the fragrant purple fields, there is a small house that serves as a gift shop where you can purchase everything from scented sachets to lavender cooking products. Did you know that lavender is very versatile and not only can be soothing for a sun burn or itching skin but is also an all-natural cleaner and disinfectant and a potent insect repellant? I think it is as versatile as using vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.

When we left the beautiful lavender farm, we headed west towards Lime Kiln Lighthouse in hopes of seeing some of the J pod orcas. The trail down from the parking lot at the lighthouse heads down to the waters’ edge to the viewing area and then on around to the lighthouse. It is about a half a mile down the heavily trodden trail and well worth the hike. You can see across Hairo Strait over to Victoria from there. Jim and Mark hiked all the way to the lighthouse; Debbie stayed at the viewing area and I walked down to one of the tide pools and saw the jelly fish floating in the waters there. There were no whale sightings while we were there; but about an hour after we left we heard that Granny and Ruffles and several more orcas from J pod did show up for a visit.

After the lighthouse we drove back into town and visited The Whale Museum and then walked around the town going in and out of several shops. Friday Harbor is very reminiscent of Bar Harbor, Maine. The area is very hilly and lined with restaurants and shops. We enjoyed a delicious ice cream cone near the harbor from the Friday Harbor Ice Cream Co. on Spring Street before we headed back to the ship late in the afternoon. We sat on the benches near the circle at the bottom of the street and watched the people passing by. Then we ventured back across the street to a small shop and did a little more shopping before we headed down the dock to our ship. We couldn’t help ourselves when we passed by a small shack at the top of the dock selling fresh shrimp and crab cocktails. It was soooooo delicious!

The Yorktown sailed out of Friday Harbor late that afternoon alongside one of the Washington State Ferries that was transiting between there and Anacortes, Washington. Off in the distance towards the mainland we could see Mount Baker standing majestically and proud. Snow covered the top of the mountain.

Our last dinner on board The Spirit of Yorktown was he Captain’s dinner. The crew was all dressed in full uniform and complimentary wine was served to everyone. Desert tonight was served up in the lounge where the pastry chef had prepared a wide variety of caloric delicacies for our taste pallets. From white chocolate brittle to cream puffs to bread pudding and carrot cake – everything was displayed beautifully on the buffet table. People lined up immediately upon entering the lounge to make sure they were able to taste everything. We sat amongst those we had gotten to know during our cruise and enjoyed the photo presentation that David had put together of pictures he had taken and some from our fellow passengers (Yes, some of mine were included). Afterwards, they recapped our voyage and recalled what we had seen and experienced during our ten days on board.

SEATTLE AND DISEMBARKATION

The Spirit of Yorktown cruised into Seattle and into the Ballard Locks to travel from sea level into Lake Union where we would end our cruise. Many of the passengers were out on deck to watch as we made this journey. Because we had just experienced this earlier this summer, we finished our packing and enjoyed one last cup of coffee in the lounge before we grabbed our things and left the ship. We headed down the gangway and were greeted by all of the crew standing in line saying good-bye. Our bus to the airport was nearby and we said our last good bye to those we had met and were on our way back home.

To sum it all up in a nutshell – we have some wonderful memories from this cruise. Many thanks go to Mark and Debbie for traveling with us on this journey and for sharing this with us. We thank David and Alyssa for being so passionate about what they do as Exploration Leaders and for sharing that passion with us. Thank you to our server Scott and to Mark our bartender for giving us very special attention. And, as always I give my love and appreciation to Jim for a wonderful cruise to celebrate our tenth anniversary. Here’s to another terrific ten years and more! Happy Anniversary honey!