Whale watching out of Port Townsend, Washington

Day 40: 2 July 2021

We go whale watching: Port Townsend to Friday Harbor and back

Dan and I tried something new today: we got two tickets on a whale watching cruise. Our captain looked way too young to be responsible for all of us but he was very knowledgeable about the geology, animal life, and history of the area and explained it to us in a nice way. We saw no whales before lunch, but were able to see two Killer Whales, traveling as a team, in the afternoon. The entire ship was mesmerized by them—especially when they breached and smacked the surface! I have no good photos of them. Let’s just leave it there. (It’s all up here, she said, tapping her noggin….)

The entire trip was enjoyable (maybe the fumes from the engine were less so but that came with the territory), with overcast in the morning and sunshine on the way home. Both Dan and I got windburned. We found Catherine’s Bistro in Friday Harbor for lunch and then I made a bee-line for the Island Wool shop. Normally I would’ve resisted, but the woman sitting across from me on the ship is a knitter and she mentioned that there were TWO yarn shops on the island….so, what was I to do but check one of them out?? 😬 (Usually I play the role of enabler!)

The Friday Harbor Whale Museum was another small local museum filled with interesting finds. We both enjoyed it even given that we didn’t have that much time to really explore it thoroughly. We ended up being nearly the last people back on the boat!

We spent so much time watching the sister Orcas that we didn’t get back to Port Townsend until after 5. We looked around town and decided to stop at the The Old Whiskey Mill for a local beer on tap and some food to go with it. Lovely authentic old bar setting. Good food and service. Dan needed to get some exercise (haha…I had to walk off that beer!), so I suggested that we see what photos I could take on the Main Street in PT. What a CUTE town! And the sun was just right. 

From Port Townsend to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA

Docks in PT

Our ship, the Red Head 🥰

Steller Sea Lions

My vacation home (Hey! A girl can dream, can’t she??)

Approaching Friday Harbor (on a Friday…hehe)

The ferry arrives in Friday Harbor

Friday Harbor Sculptures

The Whale Museum

Conjoined harbor seal recovered from necropsy of the mother seal found dead on the beach.
Very rare finding.

We DID see killer whales breach after lunch, but this stained glass representation does a better job of showing it than the pictures I didn’t capture. (“It’s all up here….”)

Friday Harbor back to Port Townsend

Bridge connecting Fidalgo Island and Whidby Island

California Sea Lions

Get ready to be underwhelmed by the photo: here they are: the killer whales!
There are two sisters, 76 and 77, identified by differences in their dorsal fins and white patches near their fins. One was born in 2003; the other in 2006. They travel as a pair. We were able to spend time watching them feed, breach (several times), blow, swim on their back (!!), and play. It was great. The boats have to cut their engines back to try to not disturb the whales and are supposed to be no closer than 200 feet. Here is where carrying a “real camera” would come in handy as it would’ve been relatively easy to get good photos. I was amazed at how fast they were! We were keeping up with them and the boat was traveling at 8 knots! There was a line of 8-10 boats behind us to watch…all the captains of competing companies share information when they see whales, so there is a bit of a boat convention when whales are spotted!

Manzanita growing on the side of an embankment. I’d never seen this species as large as this; they were even larger on the drive in to Port Townsend. Their red/orange trunks are very distinctive and if you put your hand against the trunk, it feels cool to the touch.  One of the first arid-growing plants I learned when I moved to California in 1980.

Lazy steller seals taking a break

Point Wilson Light, Port Townsend, WA

Port Townsend for dinner and a stroll

The gorgeous bar at The Old Whiskey Mill

Beautiful scull becomes ceiling art

No; I don’t know any of the history of these wonderful old buildings….
but they are really well-kept and pretty!

These bowl patterns in the window made me want to buy a couple of each pattern. So cheery!

Carved and weathered wooden door on a bicycle shop; also, neat light fixture

Port Townsend Totem Pole

This made me think of Greece….don’t ask why….

Tomorrow: we leave this beautiful area and head to Cannon Beach, OR. I’d love to come back and explore some more. So much to see and do and such wonderful sights everywhere you look! Stay tuned; the adventure continues!