Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Warm days and sunny skies means it's time to go kayaking!
After a few weeks of weird weather that alternated between warm and cold days, it looks like Spring has finally pushed Old Man Winter back into hibernation. The flowers out in the Skagit Valley are finally filling the fields with incredible colors, and our kayak tours have been treated to summer-like conditions. We've been spotting sea lions on several occasions over the past week. These big guys are pretty exhilarating to encounter in a kayak, they are about the size of a grizzly bear (but not as scary). The Peregrine falcons on Burrows Island are quite active as well. Last week we were lucky to watch the male bring a kill to his mate who is probably sitting on eggs now.
We've just finished sorting out the details for a great new multi-day trip! This summer we'll be offering a handful of kayak/yoga trips to Sucia Island. Our good friend Djuna Mascall, owner of the Orcas Mandala Yoga Center, will be co-leading the trips with one of our guides. Djuna is an incredible yoga instructor and a skilled sea kayak coach who also works with the coaches at Body Boat Blade on Orcas Island. The trips will be three days in length and will include daily yoga sessions on the beaches of Sucia Island. This will be a wonderful opportunity to combine two very symbiotic activities (sea kayaking and yoga) within the breath-taking scenery of one of the most outstanding places in the San Juan Islands.
Because we are only offering this trip a few times in 2009 we definitely recommend that you make your reservation soon if you are interested in going. We anticipate that they will likely sell out quickly.
More information will be available on the Specials page of our web site in just a few days, so Bookmark our site and check back soon!
We've just finished sorting out the details for a great new multi-day trip! This summer we'll be offering a handful of kayak/yoga trips to Sucia Island. Our good friend Djuna Mascall, owner of the Orcas Mandala Yoga Center, will be co-leading the trips with one of our guides. Djuna is an incredible yoga instructor and a skilled sea kayak coach who also works with the coaches at Body Boat Blade on Orcas Island. The trips will be three days in length and will include daily yoga sessions on the beaches of Sucia Island. This will be a wonderful opportunity to combine two very symbiotic activities (sea kayaking and yoga) within the breath-taking scenery of one of the most outstanding places in the San Juan Islands.
Because we are only offering this trip a few times in 2009 we definitely recommend that you make your reservation soon if you are interested in going. We anticipate that they will likely sell out quickly.
More information will be available on the Specials page of our web site in just a few days, so Bookmark our site and check back soon!
Friday, April 03, 2009
Spring has (tentatively) arrived in the San Juan Islands!
I got a call from Shane (at Island Adventures) the other day, he was watching two Turkey vultures soaring over his house. I know it sounds a bit strange, but those much maligned birds are a harbinger of the changing seasons. When we see them here we know that warmer weather is just around the corner.
Turkey vultures are big, heavy birds and are relatively weak at flying. Like Bald eagles they depend on rising air columns (thermals) to lift them high in the air giving them enough altitude to soar long distances in search of their next thermal. In the summer months the San Juan Islands heat up enough to create these important air columns and so the Turkey vultures are able to take up a temporary residence in search of carrion. Some even nest here in the islands. In the cooler months those same thermals disappear and so do the vultures. Usually they head south to California and Baja, Mexico where the warmer temperatures create the rising air columns that are so important to the birds.
We have had some great trips this last week. Although it looks like the wildflower bloom is still a few days away, the seals have been incredibly social with us. On Thursday I had one individual following us for about two hours! Also, the Bald eagles appear to be returning in large numbers to the San Juan Islands. We rarely go more than a few hours between sightings!
Turkey vultures are big, heavy birds and are relatively weak at flying. Like Bald eagles they depend on rising air columns (thermals) to lift them high in the air giving them enough altitude to soar long distances in search of their next thermal. In the summer months the San Juan Islands heat up enough to create these important air columns and so the Turkey vultures are able to take up a temporary residence in search of carrion. Some even nest here in the islands. In the cooler months those same thermals disappear and so do the vultures. Usually they head south to California and Baja, Mexico where the warmer temperatures create the rising air columns that are so important to the birds.
We have had some great trips this last week. Although it looks like the wildflower bloom is still a few days away, the seals have been incredibly social with us. On Thursday I had one individual following us for about two hours! Also, the Bald eagles appear to be returning in large numbers to the San Juan Islands. We rarely go more than a few hours between sightings!
