Hola people Lindsay here. B made an accurate depiction of me yesterday as soon as we entered Washington. I was like a sea lion clapping my flippers together with the biggest smile on my face. I was jittery I was so excited. In fact I love the rocky beaches and rocks of the pacific northwest so much that I didn’t at all care that we had to wait for the ferry. I got out to walk and explore that beach right away. I know it sounds weird but Washington really has the prettiest pebble beaches. I found some great green granite and amber colored quartz, I may have to get a rock polisher LOL. I’m such a dork but it’s ok. I found plenty of sea glass as well so it was a successful walk on the beach.
We did the sunset kayak trip and our guide Dana had just us. Intimate. Unfortunately it was pretty cloudy and windy and the tide was confused. I have kayaked each time I’ve gone out there and it has always been good to me, but this trip was a little bit of a let down. We saw one harbor seal head and some birds, oh and some crazy deer doing laps around a patch of trees. HILARIOUS! Seriously it was doing laps then it would stop and stare at us and then start running again. Did you know deer squat to pee? Me either learn something new everyday. Pooped and sweaty we both went to bed. I did after I cleaned the car a bit and took care of the cord mess (1 of my biggest pet peeves). Tomalina’s cord is now electrical taped to the car so it can’t be tangled with anything else. You see Brittany has this uncanny ability to manage to tangle even the smallest cords. She told me it was her “calling card” like the “wet bandits” from Home Alone. She’s a silly sally.
Anyway in my excitement I got up at 5:15 got as much packed up as possible while B slept a little longer. I also made myself some oatmeal and us some hot chocolate. Then I burnt my tongue really bad, jolted my hand away from my mouth and spilled the hotness on my fingers and then knocked brittany’s cup over and spilled it all over the map. AWESOME way to go grace. Made B another cup woke her up and may have lied about the time because I really wanted to get to the lighthouse. Lime kiln state park lighthouse San Juan island WA, it world renown for seeing orcas in the wild. Besides the Haro Straight is a designated federal wildlife area for the whales. Back to the point. I got her up and going so early because we had planned on taking the 8am ferry which didn’t leave much time. In 2005 I had two of the best weeks of my life on this Island during a course offered through my college. Maymester classes. This class was a big factor in which college I chose. I saw this class and it clinched it for me, Ripon let’s go. The class is actually taught by a psychology professor and oddly enough is a psychology class because it has to do with animal behavior. Professor Bob Otis is the one who teaches it and he stays out there every summer has a class for 2 weeks every summer and is the sweestest man ever. He is a great man. So, needless to say I had to say hi! We got to the park at 6:15 and it didn’t technically open until 8 but again I broke the rules. The park ranger that was walking through didn’t seem to mind and when she walked through the second time I asked her when Professor O usually gets here, she said 8. Brittany didn’t have the heart to pull me away from my place. After she’s seen me so low and broken I think she could just see the joy in my face and body. I greatly appreciated it more than she will ever know because when I go there it’s really hard for me to leave. So I explored tide pools, they had anemones in them! I really just like them because they are like their own little all inclusive environment. There is actually so much life in those small pools. B told me, “ This takes time out of your bird viewing since we are staying longer. I think that a fare compromise.” I agreed. She also said “if we stay and we don’t see any whales I’m gonna be pissed!”. So I was praying for them wishing for them to come.
After some tidepool exploring and rock climbing and hoping Floyd the harbor seal would come in closer, while B took a nap in the sun of the beautiful day it was turning out to be. Everyone says seattle/washington is so rainy, but this was the first warm day we were turning out to have after a lot of dampness throughout this trip. Washington was working it’s magic. I climbed these beautiful trees they have out there ( I forget what they are called but they get really big and really red bark). Well actually I got almost up and B had to push my but and she told me to climb it. I was hesitant since I have already fallen off a tree on this trip. I have the bruises and scabs to prove it. I got down gracefully this time and we sat on the rocks in the sun Waiting for Profesor O, while I internally called the whales because I wanted B to see them and I didn’t want her to say we can stay longer and then they not come. I wasn’t long that after we sat down B said “he’s here”. I got up turned around and he saw me and was just shocked and gave me a big hug. It was as if no time had passed at all, like I was still in that class. I was in May 2005 and it was comforting. I was like b said about Jenni, it just didn’t feel like that much time had passed. I introduced Brittany to him and he said come on in the light house. He asked if we had seen the whales and we said “no”. I said “we were hoping you could tell us where they were”. So he checked his email and said they were spotted south heading north towards us at 8 they could be here at about 9. We caught up a bit and he agreed that it had not been 6 years since we saw each other and that neither of us had gotten any older. He left us in the lighthouse to go get something. While he did I was starring south out the window saying “they are gonna come”. Minutes later I saw something. I found a pair of binoculars took a peak and YIPEEE blowhole spouts they were charging our way! We ran outside stood on the rocks with the binoculars and cameras ready. Professor O came back and asked if we saw them? I proclaimed “yes they are coming”. We sat watching them from about a mile out slowly get closer. 9am right on time. There was a youngster doing tail slaps and one who kept breaching (B caught it on camera! That’s my girl!). They passed by pretty close but not close enough that B could recreate Free Willy the way she wanted. They passed and we watched them fade farther in the distance and my heart sunk a little, it wasn’t enough time I thought. Not that I wasn’t grateful and excited that we actually got to see them because not everyone does when they go out there, but I feel like they are family in a way or like children or pets with free reign. You feel connected to them. Maybe that’s why I tattooed a Salish orca on my leg, no? I don’t know if they sensed it but as I watched them through my camera lens fading away, all of a sudden I said “I think they are turning back around”. I saw the white under side of their head, they turned around and came back! It was neat because Professor O was documenting for the studies he does with his intern and they were trying to identify which whales they were (they have 3 resident pods out there J, K, and L). Brittany was getting so into to it trying to help and bringing up her pictures to try to match up the “finger print” white mark they have behind their dorsal fin. I felt like she was finally seeing the wildlife the way I did. I felt her grow a little closer to me at that point, and it was good.
It was almost 10 when they started to fade in the distance to the south. Being greedy I was hoping they would turn around one last time but they kept on. We were lucky they came at all in the short time we were there so I was ecstatic. I announced that unfortunately we had to leave and we said our good byes and I got another big hug from one of my favorites and Britanny even got one too. She got their email to send them the pictures we got and we were off. Oh and I forgot to mention, one night when we were packing the tent up there was a big black slug that B found on the tarp, maybe and inch and a half. When I saw that I suddenly remembered San Juan Island had the biggest slugs I’d ever seen in my life. Banana Slugs, and I told Brittany about them. We saw one 6 inches and inch thick of slimey yellow banana slug. I of course picked it up and put it on my hand. I still had slime on my hand by the time we got to Seattle. To the ferry dock we raced (we have now been on quite a few ferry excursions together, oh Ireland). The guy monitoring the lines told us “no worries you’re ok you can stop stressing, I saw it in your face”. We laughed and said thanks. We had enough time to hop out and run a little errand, san Juan Cellars Reisling…I needed some. Got some of my favorite wine from my favorite place and rewarded myself with 2 scoops of icecream in a waffle cone for brunch. Ferry ahoy and away we went and hour on the ferry and off we go to “on the road again” and Seattle here we come.
We enjoyed the lush green drive and yellow, there were there shrubs just covered in yellow flowers and they were everywhere. I sea of gold at times. Woodland Park Zoo was the first stop in hopes of meeting an Alpha Chi Omega alumni that works there. I was being gung-ho and proactive just trying on a whim. NOT THERE. I had her phone number from headquarters and got a hold of her at home. She was very nice and cordial which I was glad because I thought I was bombarding her but she didn’t seem to mind. She gave me some advice and her email. Next space needle. Yup sacred of heights and up the space needle I go. Great view. Got our pic taken and got a free digital sent to our email. Back to the car and Pike’s Place Market, this whirlwind of life and chatter and fruit samples and food and trinkets and booths and music and the smell of fresh seafood and of course fish throwing. We spent an hour there, found the gum wall which smelt like bubble yum bubble gum, bought some more pink lady apples since ours got confiscated. Bitches. Blessing in disguise because these wicked good pink lady apples way surpassed the walmart produce. Sorry walmart you dropped the ball. Also got some fresh pasta, and B got her Washington shot glass. Then off again and on our way to Portland. Speed tourism we call it. A mere 3 hour drive a vwalla Portland. I had gotten in contact with my cousin Kevin who lives there earlier in the day to see if he wanted to meet up. We ended up seeing house and having some great pizza and beer, talked and had a great time. I haven’t seen Kevin in forever so it was great to catch up. The older I get the more I appreciate all my boy cousins. When I was younger I have to say being the only girl on that side I felt a little out of place. I mean I know I was a tomboy but still. After eating we got in the car drove to the other side of the street and parked the car. LOL. Kevin said there was a great tire swing in this tree. So we revisited childhood and decided we’d hit it up. So funny I pushed Kevin and he pushed me we were bonding J and with the other side of the family too. I think B is part Bucholz now. We crashed at kevins met his room mates and one of his friends and chatted more. B and I passed out. Kevin had to work early and told us we should stop by breakfast and coffee would be on him.
It was a really great day! It was gorgeous outside and the pacific northwest treated us well.
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