Knowing that we only had a day and a half to explore San Juan Island before we’d be meeting up with our paddling group, Steve and I had to accept that there was no way we were going to be able to experience everything the island had to offer – but one thing I did insist on was a visit to Lime Kiln Point State Park.  The locals call Lime Kiln “Whale Watch Park” because with its rocky vantage point, and expansive views overlooking Haro Strait – prime southern resident killer whale hunting waters – it’s an ideal place to spot orcas from land.  J, K and L Pods are known to swim within feet of the shoreline!

I wasn’t especially hopeful that we’d see whales – the southern residents had not been spotted in these waters for months, and the Biggs (transient) killer whales don’t wend their way over to Lime Kiln nearly as frequently – but I still wanted to see the park that featured so prominently in the multiple killer whale updates I receive each month.  And – I’ll confess – a tiny part of me still thought she might spot a dorsal fin.  Alas – no orcas, not surprisingly, but we did see a few porpoises rolling through the waters off Lime Kiln Point.  (As I learned later in the week, this isn’t surprising; porpoises are most often found swimming off points.)

We ended up hitting the park on probably the busiest day all summer – the centennial celebration for the Lime Kiln lighthouse.  There was live music and entertainment, and the park was crawling with people.  (I know it looks like we were the only ones there.  That’s strategic photography, my friends.)

We approached through the trees and took our time picking our way along the bluffs, taking in the stunning views of the Olympic Mountains in the distance.

Less talk, more pictures!

(Getting closer to the lighthouse, you can see the people clustered around, jamming to the music and collecting literature on the history of the lighthouse and on the killer whale communities around the islands.)

We went inside the lighthouse at one point and talked to the park rangers staffing some information tables.  They had a very depressing chart on which they were recording the killer whale sightings for the year – just a handful of “T” sightings, and no SRKWs at all.  Sob.

But it’s impossible to be disappointed in such a beautiful place, with sunlight dancing on waters you’ve been dreaming of seeing for years.

Shiny happy people holding hands.

Lime Kiln was breathtakingly beautiful.  I hope to return someday, and to see J Pod cruise by when I do!

Next week, we check out a hike with views great and small.