The Iowans Visit James Island

Summer in the San Juans is beautiful. I love getting out on the water with friends and family, feeling the cool air brush past you and visiting an island somewhere for a picnic, hike and occasionally a swim. The Iowans expressed an interest in going out on our boat to see the San Juan Islands and we decided to take them to one of our favorite stops in the locality, James Island. The sky was blue and the water was calmer than we thought it would be once we got out there. Those two facts made it a nice day for cruising and we ended up traveling over 100 miles in the boat that day. It was so much fun, so come again soon Iowans!

Enjoying the salty air through our hair.

Smooth "Sailing"

James Island is skinny in the middle. If you click on the link in the first paragraph, you can see what I mean by looking at the Google maps image. When you dock the boat and walk onto the island, you can immediately tell. The view is pretty through the extremely tall trees.

Our boat at the James Island dock.

Mt. Baker

Kat bravely picked up a Jellyfish. It looks like a Moon Jelly but I can't say for sure. The beach was littered with them.

Kat

Mr. n' Mrs. Iowan

Lunch is served! Chicken taco salad with a drift wood table to serve it all up on. Grab a nearby rock, sit down and enjoy yourself. :)

We saw three steamboats while eating our lunch. They were most likely making their way either too or from a steamboat festival, as I know there is one in Blaine each year and I am guessing there are meetups in other places as well.

Instant air conditioning out in the San Juans is to dip your feet in the water. The water is SO cold! I like Mr. Iowan's nautical striped shirt, I think it's very fitting for the event. Now if only The Mr. wore a Captains hat. :)

This little beauty was too pretty not to photograph. She crawled around beside me for a bit before scurrying under a rock for some shade. It was a hot day!

Boy B discovered how cold the water really is! I love how clear the water is too.

Boy C was in the water too, but got out fast to warm up!

Natures version of Hello Kitty. It's a type of seaweek called Rockweed or "Popping Wrack."

View of Mt. Baker.

Harvest Lily

Looking down in one of the bays from our hike I noticed how clear the water was.

Indian Pipe

A tree with a crook in it's branch. It's a huge one, too - notice Kat at the bottom.

The same tree as the above photo, but looking at the crook from below.

Boy B found a snake on our hike. I can't believe he picked it up, shudder.

Madrone Trees

Nodding Onion

Not a Dandelion, but not in my field guide either.

Also not in my field guide and I really want to know the name for this because it is so cute.

See how tiny it is?!

Kat leaps off the swim platform.

Later on, The Mr. dove in too, but this was way out in the open where the water is colder. I'm pretty sure a couple of the kids jumped in here too, but I can't remember for sure.

We went to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island for dinner. We ate at Haley's Bait Shop and then got dessert at Friday Harbor Ice Cream Co.

The water was just about as smooth as glass on the way home.

Matia Island lighthouse with some Canadian mountains in the background.

Boy C was so tired out that he fell asleep sitting on the floor with the icebox as his pillow.

Back at Blaine Marina the Cormorants were sitting on their nests as usual.

Four little gangly seagulls following their mommy around. They were kinda squawky and reminded me of this scene in Finding Nemo.