A nice surprise is seeing other Fidalgo Bay neighbors, Courtney and Gary Webb of Florida, also on the ferry headed for Friday Harbor.
Our first stop on the driving tour is the American Camp. In the 1700s both the United States and Britain had staked claims in the San Juan Islands and the Pacific Northwest. The Treaty of Oregon set the boundary between the British and U. S. lands at the 49th Parallel, but there was a dispute as to whether it went north of the islands through the Strait of Juan de Fuca or south through the Haro Strait -- with the San Juan Islands lying between. When a pig from the British side damaged the garden of a U. S. settler, the settler shot the pig and the Pig War started. Troops and weapons were brought in; the U. S. established the American Camp as their headquarters, and the British established the English Camp on the other end of the island. For twelve years nothing was settled.
Eventually, the emperor of Germany was asked to arbitrate and ruled for the United States. During the long war not a shot was fired, except the one that killed the pig.
A high point for Jake is the group of boys who want to pet him.
It is the young people who tell us about the fox roaming in the park of the American Camp. Apparently he is tame, as he just walks around looking for food. Maybe he, too, wants to be petted, but no one dares!
A thrill for Harriet and me is the lavender farm. Cut your own! We have no way to keep them fresh for the rest of the day, so we just enjoy and take pictures.
The lesson we learn today is cars need to stage as soon as the previous ferry leaves, in order to claim space on the next boat. We missed one. It is hot! So we park the car in line, find refreshments and a cool place to wait, and watch people.
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