San Juan Islands Sea Kayaking from Anacortes

Wow! it's been busy these last couple of weeks. The weather has been terrific and lots of people have been calling to join us on a kayaking trip.
Spring has most certainly arrived here in the San Juan Islands. The grass on my lawn is growing faster than I can keep it mowed, the Tulips are officially in bloom in the Skagit Valley, and the Peregrine falcons on Burrows Island have fledged another chick. That is the sixth consecutive successful year of nesting, that I know of, from that pair. We heard the adults chattering for a couple of days, a sure sign of fledging for these generally quiet birds, but we couldn't find the chick. But on Friday we got lucky. The chick was sitting on a rocky outcrop just a few yards away from the nest. What a great thing for us to be able to witness! These birds seemed doomed to extinction just twenty years ago, and now they are poised to have their "Threatened" status removed. A great success story for conservation, to be sure.

Friday's kayak trip also saw coyotes (twice) foraging for their lunch in the inter-tidal zone. They seemed to have a knack for prying Limpets and Chitons from the rocks. I've eaten both Limpets and Chitons before, and I'm hear to tell you, those Chitons are tough to chew! In fact, we had to tenderize them like Abalone before our teeth could handle it.

On Saturday we had a great combination of mirror-calm water, and a low tide. We took out some family members of one of our regular guests, including Adam (6 yrs old) and Evan(4 yrs). As we explored the exposed shoreline, inspecting cracks for sea stars and gently petting an urchin, I was again reminded of why I love this job so much. It's the act of discovery that makes sea kayaking so rewarding, and it's the kids who bring this point home so clearly. Thanks Christine, we'll see you again soon! Another thanks goes out to Darryl and Jackie, another couple who joined the group. You two were great sports about having the little ones along on the trip. (In fact, these two were like two big kids when it came to exploring the intertidal zone, proving that you are never too old to have fun.)

The Bald eagles seem to be back in the San Juan Islands in full force now, and Turkey vultures have returned from their southern ranges to ride the thermals above the San Juan hilltops.