Ep 4. San Juan Islands

Rock The Park is a television series that takes its viewers on a journey across the United States, exploring the beauty of national parks filled with natural wonders. The fifth season of the show features an episode named San Juan Islands, wherein Jack and Colton discover the magic of an archipelago situated in the northwest corner of the contiguous US.

The episode begins with Jack and Colton traveling to the San Juan Islands, situated in the Salish Sea in northwestern Washington. They meet a local kayaking guide, Dan, who takes them around the islands to explore the serene beauty and wildlife of the place. Starting with the San Juan Channel, Dan shows the duo the largest island in the chain, San Juan Island, which has a rich history and is home to American camp, English camp, and the famous Pig War. The Pig War, incidentally, was a boundary dispute between the US and the UK, and it got its name from an incident wherein a pig wandered into a potato patch and was shot dead, leading to both the countries sending soldiers to the island, who ended up co-existing peacefully.

Moving ahead, the team explores the Patos Island, which is also a historical island, and the last island to receive Washington State Park status. The island served as a guiding point for ships entering the straits of Juan de Fuca, and its location has been marked by a lighthouse that stands tall to date. The team hikes around the island and gets close to the lighthouse for an enthralling view of the island and its surroundings, including stunning views of the Canadian border.

Next on their adventure, Jack and Colton go kayaking near Lime Kiln Point, where they encounter the beautiful and majestic Orca whales. The San Juan Islands are known for their Orca population, and seeing these creatures up close in the wild is nothing short of breathtaking. Dan explains the characteristics and habits of the Orcas, and Jack and Colton get to see a mother Orca whale and her baby nurturing in the wild, a sight that they both will cherish for life.

Lastly, the duo goes for a thrilling dive at the infamous Deception Pass, which lies between Whidbey Island and Fidalgo Island near the San Juan Islands. The current and turbulence of the pass have been notorious among sailors and divers alike, but the challenge is an exhilarating experience for Jack and Colton, as they get to experience the underwater beauty of the place, including giant cod and rockfish lurking through the kelp forest.

In conclusion, the San Juan Islands episode of Rock The Park showcases the serene beauty, magical history, diverse wildlife, and thrilling experiences that the islands have to offer. The episode offers a unique lens to nature enthusiasts to explore and experience the hidden gems that the US National Parks have to offer.