Waiting for Whales

It never seemed to get dark last night. The sky was more of a dirty grey and the heavy dark drapes had the one crack where they didn't quite close so the little bit of light shone directly on me. On West Coast time we went to bed relatively early, 10:30, but we're still on east coast time so things are moving slow this morning. Roche Harbor is a drop dead gorgeous place ... a seaside harbor with quaint shops, houses on mountain sides and a retro hotels that look like a movie set. The restaurant sat above it all, off a cobblestone street with paroramic views of the boats, the mountains and the harbor town. It's a chore to get here. Fly to Seattle, drive 80 miles north, and then you catch a Ferry for an hour. The Ferry has a bar so it was a easy glide across Puget Sound. Sea Lions swam beside the Ferry and I found myself on the constant lookout for whales. Getting up front and personal with a whale has long been on my bucket list and this is my chance. When Conner first asked me to conduct the wedding of his son, he said that the service would be in Key West. Island Boy that I am, I immediately said I was available. Of course this is Conner. We've had many adventures together and this is the opportunity for a new one. I would have done it for him and Hania regardless of where and when. Plus, I love Key West and have been wanting to take Sarah for a while so this made for the perfect opportunity. Things don't always go according to plan in life so when Conner called me to say we would now be going to the San Juan Islands in Washington state, I cussed. I'd never heard of them but Washington state sounded cold ... even in late June. I hate cold. My enthusiasm for the entire thing suddenly was something that I was no longer looking forward to. Until now. First it is uncommingly warm here (though last week it apparently wasn't). There is plenty of snow but it's all on top of the mountains and luckily I'm at the bottom of the mountains. Mountains are everywhere. So is water. The mountains are covered with trees that reach for the sky covered in green. The water is grey and flat. The sun shines brightly sprinking diamonds on the sound. Bald Eagles are keeping an eye on things. I'm sipping coffee watching for whales. The house we're in sits at the base of a mountain so when I look to the left, the glass walls display a wall of stone and trees covered in lush greens. When I look to the right, the glass walls display a smattering of trees that hang over the water highlighted by the sun. There is a solitude and peacefulness here that I hadn't anticipated. Refreshing my coffee, I walk outside on to the deck and breath in a cleanness that I've rarely smelled. I'm used to salt hanging in the air. Sitting back in one of the deck chairs, I become one with it all. Steam rises from the coffee mug. Everything is still and the quiet roars. I keep my eyes open. I do not want to miss the whales.