San Juan Island

San Juan Island
Great little place to go for a weekend - can be crowded at times so plan on a backup campsite. Tends to get a little windy and cool... unless, of course, you're staying indoors.. Would be interesting to stay at Friday Harbor and take some charters out.
Reference: Betty's 99 Dives page 98-100	Friday Harbor Web site	Heheh you gotta check this out: How To Behave When You're Here
Campsites: apx 3-4	Small Pox Bay & Snug Harbor	Water: yes in some form or another
Restrooms: yes		Showers: doubtful
Food: usually a snack candy bar		Parking: at campsite
Ferries: Anacortes- see sched	There's a Victoria Ferry that comes out from Victoria to Friday Harbor to Anacortes, but you'll have to deal with customs which took me an hour once off the boat... so figure that in.. Where are the Ferries now? Boy, I have to hand it to the DOT. They now have map Tracking for the ferry's if you really HAVE to know where they are... Current Position is??

Washington State	Other Ferrys	British Columbia, Canada
Route map
How to Get there: Driving to: Anacortes Ferry Ferry Schedule: Anacortes - San Juan		WA State Parks

Comments: Good diving, not spectacular that I've seen. It's just a good campout weekendy type of trip. Good to get outta Dodge City for awhile. As mentioned earlier, would be a nice weekend away by staying in a hotel B & B or whatever and hiring a charter.

...and so the trip begins.. certainly on the ferry ride, and during the peak season you'll need to get here ahead of time.. suggest taking the early afternoon ferry arriving about 1 hour minimum to get on... the Ferry Web site has mini cams that might help if you're a Yuppie with an internet Laptop to see the pretty cars parked as your driving up I-5... (joking here)

On your left is a live cam of Anacortes if the live cam link is working. I'll be checking back as I'm not sure it will continue

	Of course some just don't like the ferry and prefer doing it the "Old Fashion Way" Swimming or diving to San Juan island....
Checking things out along the way.... as a stop light?
	...once arrived, it begins.... the set up... (yesssss ...it all fit into the truck) The campsite at Small Pox was filled up by kayakers so had to move on to the top part of the island to Snug Harbor campsites... more like a spot. Not something I'd make a special trip to camp at, but a good back place. Fairly limited in campsites from what I could see and nothing with a view. Small Pox is a little nicer - see next pic.
Campsite from Small Pox looking west. You can dive right past those logs. a little steep 15' drop, but workable.
Meanwhile, back at the Ranch, Snug Harbor, the kitchen is setup... ready and rar'n to go... ''twas a little wet - rainy and windy there... still working on that problem... believe a Quick Canopy is in order... does it never end??? Hep me... ;-))
	1st day, Friday eve, to late to dive after arriving and setting up the site. so a short walk down to the Marina proved worthwhile.
Here's a view of the harbor where some others of the group joined us with their boat.. Tim and Karen
	but... back to the Oyster Bar and Beer.... what a combination... especially for those that can really enjoy them.... It's making me hungry.... so it's Supper time....
soooo with a little of this and a little of that we begin my favorite part - eyebrows Flambéed... the menu was Orange Brandied Chicken and the next night Blackened Spencer Steaks or something like that
We be kewl, Sho-sho-sho... Jest a flipp'n and a flopp'n being kewl...
	and sometimes a little too carried away... That Grey pullover that I'm always wearing is actually a flame protection suit... (joking)
but din-din gets served to a few hungry ones....
	...and then a wet night at the campfire.... about the only thing that was dry was the fire... but it wasn't pouring, just a little lite? rain at times...
The next day was diving and exploring
	to the stone wall going to the Lite house
out to the Lite house ...
	and the Lyme Kiln Quarry a restoration of sorts believe this was some super-fine lyme used for cement... Hmmmm interesting?
and finally a dive ... took long enough... to see the Good....
	the bad....
....and the ugly....
	Let's see... Should I jump in a and play with the kelp??? Whooopeeee........ Just can't keep the young at heart from playing
and of course those who are lurking in the kelp... Some people just have to get into the thick of things.. (it was a pretty limited visibility day, so had to make due with what we had.... also considering the experience level of the picture taker (Moi) I was lucky these shots came out...)
	That nigh, back at the ranch, we had a contest on the most creative way of Tarping... notice the design angle (blue tarp) to keep the rain from pooling up... ingenious to say the least... and WELL? crafted....
and breakfast the next day... now this was a treat as you'll notice that some among us were just a happier than a clam in mud, but others were just..... (it was French toast with rum and the usual whipped cream with grand Marnier made into a little happy face ;-) well it almost worked...
	...and Some were "Leeetal Protective" of the morning's meal..... Fortunately no one came closer than 10 feet from "Ms Happy Face"... even the squirrels and ravens stayed away... Me thinks it was also due to the "Grrrrr..." that seem to increase in volume as one came within the 10' perimeter... Not sure, but wouldn't this be someone you could always wake up with and have that nice warm cup of coffee before the Sweet Sunshine comes beaming into the kitchen.... (just joking here... she's actually a world renown bull rider... ain't no Bull gonna Stare her down... especially in the morning at breakfast time) heheh... good people she is...
and that's about all for this trip... below are some pic's of the Small Pox campsite from the previous year... Definitely the better of the two campsites...	Snug Harbor Pic from the dock area. Nice cabins, apx 3-4 , so it'd be a good stay if you just wanted to sit...
Small Pox campsite, on the bluff. Good sites all around with a boat launch in a quiet bay.	... and the afternoon set up... a little less stuff than this current year.. but more on the way....
and the beginnings of the campfire... Tim, the Woodsman, thought we were building a Log Cabin... thanks to his Woodsman's skills, we had one heck of a much needed fire... Just don't drink a lot of his coffee if you want to sleep at night... ;-))	and of course can't let you get away without the Flambéed eyebrows....
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