Tag Archives: San Juan Islands
Turn Island – A Washington State Marine Park
Boat camping in the San Juan Islands is a lot of fun! Toss a tent, sleeping bag, and cooking gear ashore and sleep under the stars beside the sea. Sound idyllic? It is—especially after sailing, paddling, or kayaking to your … Continue reading
Sailing by Washington State’s Cactus Islands
Moisture sweeps in from the Pacific Ocean, tumbling down as rain or snow on the western slopes of the Olympic Mountains on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Heavy clouds spill 12 to 14 feet of rain each year in the Hoh Rain … Continue reading
Watching the World Float by–or Not–on Crane Island
A column titled “No Grief on a Reef” caught my eye. Two articles explained how to navigate a boat through Wasp Passage, the narrow channel separating the western tips of Orcas and Shaw islands, and Pole Pass. Both waterways skirt Crane Island, … Continue reading
Posey Island – An Easy Sea Kayak Adventure
Venture into the San Juan Islands by sea kayak for a few days and the inevitable question arises about where to camp overnight ashore. One favorite destination is Posey Island, a one-acre marine state park located north of Roche Harbor on … Continue reading
Canoe Island – Parlez-vous Français?
Winter sailing? You betcha! Snowflakes, like feathers from heaven, fell from the sky and blanketed our sailboat anchored on the west side of Canoe Island. Imagine evergreen trees flocked in white and the island’s rocky shoreline fringed with frost. Seabirds call to … Continue reading
Saddlebag Island – Camping, Crabbing & Kayaking
An impromptu invitation to go crabbing on the north side at Saddlebag Island by a fellow boater introduced us to his favorite seafood spot. I’m no crab lover, but I enjoyed the experience of traveling the Swinomish Channel past La … Continue reading
Sinclair Island – A World Apart
Not everyone desires to live on an isolated island, but it may surprise you that islanders have their limits. In 2012, a fierce January storm swept away a major portion of Sinclair Island’s public county dock, leaving its U.S. Post Office perched … Continue reading
James Island – Sentinel of the San Juan Islands
Standing guard at the entrance to the San Juan Islands, south of Thatcher Pass, is James Island. For several years, we confused James Island with Jones Island, another marine state park near Deer Harbor on Orcas Island unless we consulted a … Continue reading
Burrows Island – A Lighthouse-Saving Mission
Threading our way through Deception Pass at slack tide and motoring north past Anacortes, WA, I was surprised to glance up and find an historic light station perched on the southwest corner of Burrows Island. From Skyline Marina, I can … Continue reading