Who would think that a heat wave would hit Friday Harbor? It has though and while this is not one of those melt-your-shoes-to-the-sidewalk kind of heat waves, it has had an affect on life here. For one thing, there is no such thing as air conditioning on San Juan Island. Maybe not in the whole of the Pacific Northwest, I am not sure. Next, everything is in rapid bloom mode. Flowers are practically faded before they can even escape the confines of their sepals. Lastly, it makes for glorious days of "wildlife" watching. Everywhere you look around town you see visitors, unaccustomed to the outside world and especially to air so clean that it offers no protection from the sun, glowing in various shades of red, pink and fuchsia. The glare on the waves hurt one's eyes as you desperately try to look away. And energy is drained by the lulling effects of the warmth and water. For a misplaced girl from California, this is the next best thing to a Central Valley summer day when it is 100 degrees out and just breathing the air can kill you. I love it!
The orcas do not seem to care one way or another though. It undoubtedly has an affect on their foraging, since I would suspect that the salmon will seek deeper, cooler waters. But, the sun also causes more creatures to bloom in the sea, which means more food for the bait fish, etc. Maybe all of the denizens of the deep are just as excited as we are that the great orange orb in the sky is finally here. Of course, I am writing this while a layer of high clouds or fog has settled in. Apparently even the sun needs a break from all of that shining. C'est la vie, we got to see orcas and spend some quality time with friends all the same.
So, from Capt. Mike, Lauren and all of us at San Juan Safaris, to all of you out there on the road to contentment, thank you and we will...
See You In The Islands!
~Tristen, Naturalist