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Archive for the ‘Tours and Itineraries’ Category
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Last month a crew from Thurston High School in the South Redford School District in Michigan arrived on San Juan Island for an educational experience of a lifetime.
 Student's Photo of a Whale Breaching Media Studies Educator Kara Clayton shares her passion for Orcas and their struggle for survival with her students. For the past three years she has brought a contingent of budding broadcasters to Harrison House Suites and Tucker House Inn to learn about the whales and their connection with our precious ecosystem. Her ultimate goal is to have the students produce media messages which they can spread around the world to create an awareness of the Orcas and how human actions affect them.
 Students Captured More Than Whales on the San Juan Visit “We might not all live near the Salish Sea but we are all connected by our habits,” Kara remarks. “For example, if I dump something into the Rouge River which runs through the Detroit area, it may eventually impact a living creature in a body of water far away from Michigan.” The students will produce a minimum of eight public service announcements and news/informational videos.
Of course, just getting 13 students and four chaperones all the way from Detroit to San Juan Island was no inexpensive feat. This dedicated bunch of students sold cookies, held bowl-a-thon fundraisers, sponsored bottle and can drives, and video taped and edited events, all to raise the $25,000 price tag for the trip.
 Student Photo of Harbor Seal Though their trip is now captured on video and and they are back at home, their work on this project was not ended. There was still an editing retreat planned to pull the elements together. The results hopefully will be distributed on the internet, to San Juan Island’s Whale Museum, to Orcanetwork, and to anyone else who might be interested. For more information about the project, check out their website, http://southredford.net. During the school year they post their daily show on Facebook. You can also contact Kara at clayka01@southredford.net, and can see more of their photos on Photobucket
Kara notes, “This was not a commercial effort. It was an effort driven by love and stewardship for our planet.” Brilliant!
 The Tell-Tale Whale Tail Ends the Breach You can read on-going news about the island’s top restaurant at Cohorestaurant.com and Facebook; or follow news on our two inns at Harrison House Suites and on Facebook; and Tucker House on Facebook.
Posted in News, Photos, Tours and Itineraries | 1 Comment »
Thursday, June 24th, 2010
We recently had the pleasure of hosting a large group of divers at Tucker House Inn who came up to enjoy one of the weekend packages offered by Nak Nek Charters and Diving. Who would have thought this area was reportedly Jacque Cousteau’s third favorite place in the world to dive? With reefs, coral sponges, Puget Sound king crabs, heart crabs, octopus, rock fish, huge lingcod, wolf eels, greenlings and more to see in generally 20 to 30 feet of visibility, it’s no wonder the Pacific Northwest was voted “America’s best year-round cold water diving destination.”
The strong currents bring nutrients to feed the abundant marine life, but it’s the vertical walls that will amaze you. At Stuart Island for example, there are places where the bow of a boat can be literally touching the rocks and the depth sounder will read almost 600 feet! Layers of the wall are completely filled with different kinds of anemones. At some dive sites you can’t even see the rocks from all the sea life there. Pirates Cove on the north side of Long Island has solid walls of Plumrose Anemones, Puget Sound King Crabs, and nudibranches. At Gull Rocks on the north of Flat Top Island, this pinnacle is host to a colony of cloud sponges down around the 100-foot mark; Strawberry Point on the west side of Long Island has a whole wall of cup corals and strawberry anemones – a very colorful site, and one of everyone’s favorites. Wolf Eels hang out on the west side of Bell Island, and the nooks and crannies along the north wall of Stuart are home to several octopi and the ledges lazy ling cod.
For those who enjoy reef diving, Christmas Reef is a Reef counter’s dream, and one diver at Bell Island reported he added 20 invertebrates to his list. Nak Nek Charters and Diving is now an official REEF Field Station, so you can join them on July 16 for the Great American Fish Count with Seadoc.
Almost all the dives are current dependent – some done on ebbing currents, some on flooding currents, and others only at slack water. At most sites you have to go at least 40 feet down to get past the broad leaf kelp that covers much of the rocks, though during the winter this kelp dies back a bit. Of course, dry suits are the most comfortable way to go, and a live boat dive, where the boat drops you at one site and picks you up at another, allows you to spend more time enjoying the dive rather than fighting currents to get back to the boat.
For frequent San Juan Island visitors who feel they’ve “done it all,” or those looking for something different, diving the waters of the San Juans offers a whole new avenue of exploration and fun. There’s so much more to the San Juans than meets the eye!
Tags: Puget Sound Diving
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Saturday, May 8th, 2010
My husband and I are in the process of designing a home. We want a bungalow style, and spent a month walking and driving around the neighborhood where I grew up, studying the beautiful architectural details of those old homes. Certainly some of them were no great gems, but the majority had distinct, appealing characteristics rarely seen now-a-days. These embellishments give a home its architectural personality and have been lost over the years. They are expensive, take a specialized craftsmanship to design and fabricate, and do not necessarily add practical functionality. But they do add a huge aesthetic value to a home. Unfortunately when homeowners weigh the myriad factors in their new home’s design, oftentimes, these elements are priced out.
That’s why it’s so important to preserve the old buildings that we have. Though only one square mile in size, Friday Harbor boasts nearly 150 historic buildings reflecting the community’s civic, commercial and residential history. In 2008, it was selected as a Distinctive Destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Being one of Washington’s few seaport villages to survive the turn-of-the-century fires that engulfed early Seattle and other cities, its authentic downtown streetscape and postage-size Memorial Park are the gateway to discovering the rich history, rural character and pristine marine environment of the San Juan archipelago.
Looking at old black and white photos of the town leaves the impression that all the buildings were drab and lifeless, though I doubt that is true.
 Beautiful Historic Home Now Houses a Cafe Harrison House Suites, Tucker House Inn, and Coho Restaurant, just a block and a half off the main street, are all century-old historic wooden buildings, lovingly restored and surrounded with beautiful gardens. They look so pretty with the multiple trim colors and the vivid ornamentation of the gardens, I can’t help but wonder if they ever looked this good even when they were new.
This month, in honor of National Preservation Month, there will be plenty of activities to highlight the town’s history. Five museums – American Legion’s War & History museum, the Museum of Flight (near Ernie’s Café at the Port’s aviation site), the Whale Museum, the San Juan Historical Museum, and the Islands Museum of Art – are collaborating on special events for visitors, and free guided walking tours are available throughout the month. For more information, contact Sandy Strehlou, sstrehlou@fridayharbor.org, or call (360) 378-2810. You can also check out www.historicfridayharbor.org
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Saturday, May 8th, 2010
Saturday, May 1st, 9-10:30am, Free Guided Walking Tour of Friday Harbor’s Historic District. To celebrate May 2010 National Historic Preservation Month, the Town of Friday Harbor conducts free guided tours of the downtown historic district, and May 1st is the first tour of the season! Join historic preservation coordinator, Sandy Strehlou, for an insider’s look at Friday Harbor’s colorful past. Tours begin at Memorial Park, located at Front and Spring streets. Participants will need to be able to walk comfortably on town sidewalks, including some hills, for 1.5 hours. Please wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Tours happen rain or shine and are free to the public. Contact: Sandy Strehlou Email: sstrehlou@fridayharbor.org Phone: 360.378.2810 More Info: www.historicfridayharbor.org.
Saturday, May 8th, 2pm, Walking Tour of Historic Roche Harbor Village. Join Roche Harbor Lodging Director, Sam Jacobson, on a free guided tour through historic Roche Harbor village, formerly the site of a substantial lime quarry and kiln operation that lead to the creation of a company town, known today as Roche Harbor Resort. The resort is home to the Hotel de Haro, the chapel and former school house, Our Lady of Good Voyage, and other historic buildings, and lime industry sites. Roche Harbor is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sign up for the tour in the lobby of the De Haro. Free to the public. Contact: Sam Jacobson Email: sam@rocheharbor.com Phone: 360.370.7743 More Info: http://www.rocheharbor.com.
Wednesday, May 12th, 7pm, Casting the First Stone: The History of Concrete Block Buildings in Friday Harbor, San Juan Historical Museum, 405 Price Street, Friday Harbor, WA. Discover the intriguing history behind this often underappreciated building material. Concrete block, or “cast stone,” was molded to resemble carved or chiseled rock. It was a popular ‘cheap, quick, and easy’ building material, typical of the early 19th century. The Friday Harbor Brick and Tile Company manufactured the blocks and bricks used to build significant local buildings in downtown Friday Harbor. Guess which historic downtown buildings boast this masonry? One is on the National Register of Historic Places and another will be the future home of the permanent farmers’ market. Architectural historian, Boyd Pratt solves these stone-cold mysteries and more! Admission: no charge to Museum members; others a recommended donation $5. Contact: Kevin Loftus Email:museum_admin@sjmuseum.org Phone: 360.378-3949 More Info: http://sjmuseum.org/.
Saturday, May 15th, 9am-10:30am, Free Guided Walking Tour of Friday Harbor’s Historic District. (See May 1st tour for more details)
Saturday, May 15th, 1-4pm, San Juan Historical Museum Silver Tea and Quilt Show. An island tradition, the Historical Museum’s Silver Tea celebrates island parlor teas of an earlier time. This year a sampling of the Museum’s impressive collection of over 50 historic quilts will be on display. Admission: no charge to Museum members; others a recommended donation $5. Contact: Kevin Loftus Email:museum_admin@sjmuseum.org Phone: 360.378-3949 More Info: http://sjmuseum.org/.
Sunday, May 16th, 2-4 pm, Historic Christian Science Church and Reading Room Tour and Open House, 506 Guard Street, Friday Harbor. Take the insiders tour of the former Seventh Day Adventist Church built in 1900, later used as an additional elementary school classroom, and in 1923 purchased by the local Christian Scientist congregation. The Christian Scientists have used the building for church services for the past 87 years. No charge for this event. Contact: Fabia Schriber Email:fabiajohn@hotmail.com Phone: 360.378.2256.
Thursday, May 20th, 6pm, Partners in Preservation Awards, 860 Guard Street, Friday Harbor. Every year the Town of Friday Harbor’s Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) recognizes a project, group or individual for exemplary achievement in preservation. This year’s award goes to Steve Schramm and Jean Turner of Island Gardens Company for faithfully preserving the c1900 Smoots/Gerard House. Join the HPRB, as we congratulate Steve and Jean Turner, reception to follow. Contact: Sandy Strehlou Email: sstrehlou@fridayharbor.org Phone: 360.378-2810.
Friday, May 21th, 2pm, Guided Tour of the Historic San Juan County Courthouse, 350 Court Street @ Second. Court and government business have been conducted in the formal red-brick San Juan County Courthouse for over 100 years. Today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Join District Court administrator, Marion Melville, for an insider’s tour and historical account of this great building. Meet inside the Second Street entrance. No charge for the tour. Contact: Marion Melville Email: MarionM@co.san-juan.wa.us Phone: 360.378.4017.
Saturday, May 22nd , 9am-10:30am, Free Guided Walking Tour of Friday Harbor’s Historic District. (See May 1st tour for more details)
Saturday, May 29nd , 9am-10:30am, Free Guided Walking Tour of Friday Harbor’s Historic District. (See May 1st tour for more details)
Sunday, May 30th, 2-4pm, Historic St. Frances Catholic Church Tour and Open House, 425 Price Street, Friday Harbor. Take the insiders tour of historic St. Frances Church, built in 1875 in San Juan Valley, and relocated to Friday Harbor, sans its steeple, in 1959. There is no charge for this event. Contact: Jan Steckler Email: stfrancisfh@centurytel.net Phone: 360-378-2910.
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Wednesday, March 25th, 2009
A Scenic Travel Itinerary from Friday Harbor Around San Juan Island By Car, Shuttle (May – September) or Bicycle
Take Spring Street away from the Ferry Terminal and turn left onto Mullis Road. Mullis turns into Cattle Point Road. Follow Cattle Point Road all the way to the turnaround where you can park your car. There you will find a pathway to the cliff side where you can walk around and view scenery of the southern part of the Island.
As you leave Cattle Point and head North, stop at Jakle’s Lagoon and South Beach for scenic views, photos, a picnic or to rest and read a book. Stop at the Ranger Station in American Camp, one of our National Park sites, for an informative short film about the Pig War, to visit the Encampment and view a large eagle nest. There are several nice hikes to Grandma’s Cove and Mt. Finlayson.
Continue North along Cattle Point Road until you come to False Bay Drive. Turn left onto False Bay Drive and in about one mile or so the road will become dirt . False Bay will be on your left. There are a few spots to park and an opportunity to walk about and take some very scenic photos. This is a great place for Tide Pooling.
Continue along False Bay Road toward the left and the west side of the Island. This is Bailer Hill Road. (NOTE: If you turn right on Bailer Hill Road you will go to Wold Road that takes you to Pelindaba Lavender Farm.) Follow Bailer Hill Road up to Lime Kiln State Park. This is a good whale watching location, especially in the summertime and also a great place for hiking, picnics and sunsets.
As you leave Lime Kiln State Park take West Side Road. If you turn left it will take you to Mitchell Bay. If you turn right then West Side Road will dead-end into West Valley Road. Turn left on West Valley Road and along the way you will see Crystal Acres Alpaca Farm. You will see some very cute Alpacas and a great gift shop with wonderful hand knitted clothing.
States Inn and Ranch, next to the Alpaca Farm has a petting ‘zoo’ and a nice farm store. Continue along West Valley Road to English Camp, the other National Park Site. There is a very nice encampment along Garrison Bay and several nice hikes – one to the historic cemetery and to Mt. Young, with sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains, Victoria and the northern San Juan Islands.
As you turn left off of West Valley Road you will end up on Roche Harbor Road which will take you directly into Roche Harbor. Here you may go kayaking, exploring, shopping, and to dinner at some quaint restaurants. There is a historical chapel, mausoleum, lime kiln and the Hotel de Haro where President Teddy Roosevelt stayed.
After you leave Roche Harbor, there is the Westcott Bay Sculpture Park on your right. There are about 130 outdoor sculptures on a large 5 acre property. As you head south on Roche Harbor Road stop at San Juan Islands Vineyards on your left. They make some wonderful estate wines. You can also visit Mona, the Islands beloved Dromedary Camel that lives in the pasture across the way from the winery.
Continue south on Roche Harbor Road back to Friday Harbor. Take a left at the stop sign onto Guard Street to Second Street. Go to the next STOP sign and make a left on Spring Street. Friday Harbor is a wonderful seaside village with lots of great shops, historic buildings and restaurants. Consider a wonderful dinner after your tour of the Island at Coho Restaurant - Fresh from the Islands Cuisine.
Lodging and Dining Friday Harbor, WA San Juan Island
Harrison House Suites and Tucker House Inn
Coho Restaurant
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