Kayak the San Juan Islands against the spectacular backdrop of the Olympic Mountains in the Pacific Northwest. Paddle the Wasp Islands, Blind Bay and Lopez Island, offering some of the best sea kayaking in the world. Explore waterways and shorelines, viewing fantastic marine life. Glimpse bald eagles fishing from the trees, seastars creeping across tidal pools, harbor seals sunning on the rocks, and possibly an orca whale breaching offshore! Enjoy a layover day to explore the rugged terrain or hike through madrone and fir forests of Indian Cove, the San Juan Channel and Jones Island. Trip fee includes cost of ferry.
Sample Itinerary
DAY 1: Your trip starts in the morning at the Anacortes Ferry Landing. Board the Washington State Ferry and arrive on Lopez Island, the first stop on your tour of the San Juan Islands. You will set up camp at Spencer Spit State Park, on the east side of the island. Repack into waterproof bags, get to know each other over dinner, and discuss your trip expectations around the campfire.
DAY 2: After breakfast, pack up camp, load the kayaks, and drive back to the north side of the island. Participate in a kayak skills orientation and don your wetsuits. This first day is a short paddle across Upright Channel en route to Indian Cove. You will stake out a campsite for the night on the south side of Shaw Island.
DAY 3: Paddle up the west side of Shaw Island into the San Juan Channel. Stop for lunch at Neck Point, then look for harbor seals sunning on the rocks as you continue your day's paddle. This night's destination is the popular Jones Island off the western point of Orcas Island.
DAY 4: Layover day! Stay on land and explore madrone and fir forests on Jones Island, or explore the surrounding area by kayak. You can paddle the scattered rocks and islets that make up the Wasp Islands, circumnavigate Jones Island, or explore the western coast of Orcas Island. Stop at Lover's Cove for a snack, then continue on to West Beach Reef for lunch.
DAY 5: Pack up and paddle the currents through Spring Passage. Continue around inlets to the north shore of Shaw Island. Stop for lunch on Blind Island and investigate the tide pools that surround it. Load up the trailer and head back to Spencer Spit State Park for dinner and one last campfire.
DAY 6: Break camp, have breakfast, and head to the ferry landing. Board the ferry and enjoy the morning's salty sea air on your way back to Anacortes. The trip officially ends at the Anacortes Ferry landing in the afternoon. Those using WI's transportation can expect to arrive in Seattle in the evening.
Travel, Terrain, Etc...
TERRAIN/ROUTE CHOICES: The Pacific Northwest's island environment is varied and unique: rocky bluff shorelines, lush green vegetation, and towering fir trees. The beaches we land on will be gravel or sand and the campsites are mostly packed dirt and gravel. The San Juan Islands offer a wide range of route options from very easy to very difficult.
TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: You will travel in 21-foot Grand San Juan sea kayaks, which hold 2 or 3 people plus all necessary gear. The average day's travel will consist of 4-6 hours of paddling, depending upon weather conditions. Travel distances will vary from 4-10 miles per day with the exception of layover days. To protect the environment, WI uses minimum impact camping techniques.
WEATHER: Temperatures in the summer months range from 45 F to 75 F. The climate is moderated by the Pacific Ocean. Rainfall can vary, but you should expect at least a day or two of rain.
LODGING/BATHROOM FACILITIES: This is a camping trip. At night, you will sleep in tents. Typically, there are 3 people per 4 person tent (although other arrangements can be made). Bathroom facilities consist of a foldable commode chair or an outhouse. We make every effort to ensure privacy and cleanliness. Bathing is done the "old-fashioned" way--by soaping up and washing with a bucket of water.
GROUP SIZE: The group size ranges from 10 to 12 participants, plus 2 or more Wilderness Inquiry staff. Each group consists of people of various ages, backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities.
CAMP CHORES: Our trips are cooperative in nature. WI staff will assist you in whatever areas you need, however most people pitch in where they can. Part of the adventure involves learning about daily camp activities.
EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: If you are new to outdoor activities, you need not spend a lot of money on gear. Wilderness Inquiry will provide all necessary kayaking and camping equipment. All you need to provide is your personal gear, such as clothing and a sleeping bag. A detailed equipment list will be sent to you upon confirmation of your participation. If you need to borrow personal gear, that can usually be arranged.
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: No previous experience is needed to complete this trip.
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Wilderness Inquiry is proud to serve Caribou Coffee on all our trips. Great food, great coffee, and great company are just some of the ingredients that make Wilderness Inquiry trips special.
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The Wild in Puget Sound
When the last glaciers receded from Washington some 15,000 years ago, they left behind a deep inland sea, Puget Sound, which today is Washington's most unique and prominent natural feature. Wedged between the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges, the Puget Sound basin is protected from the brunt of Pacific Ocean storms, giving it an ideal temperate climate. The Puget Sound region, with more than 1,000 miles of saltwater shoreline and many large islands, provides some of the most important wildlife habitat and best wildlife viewing opportunities in the western United States.
The Environment:
Ecosystem: Temperate Coastal Zone, Wetlands, Tidal Zones. The majority of the San Juans are flat and low level islands with the exception of Mt Constitution (2,407) on Orcas Island.
Flora and fauna: There are many species of flora that are specific to the Pacific Northwest (and surrounding areas). One such tree, the Madrone, is the only broad leafed evergreen tree found in quantity north of the Columbia River. The San Juan's have the highest concentration of nesting Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states (estimated at near 50 nests). There are also Golden Eagles in the area although not as abundant. Many types of seabirds are also present in this area.
Climate: The San Juan Islands are in somewhat of a rain shadow (for the west coast) and as such experience very little precipitation, sometimes as little as 15 inches annually, compared to 150 inches in rainforests on the mainland. The water temperature in Juan de Fuca Strait - which feeds into the San Juans - rarely gets above 56 degrees (Fahrenheit)
Human Involvement: A Brief History
Natives:
The San Juans are the traditional grounds of the Lummi Indians. Used mainly as summer areas, the Lummi gathered berries, eggs, roots of plants such as the camas, then returned home to their LongHouses on the Mainland. Permanent villages were developed on San Juan Island, Lopez Island, and Orcas Island. Most of the shelters were made from woven mats built upon wooden frameworks. The Lummi were a traditionally gentle people, however there were wars with other tribes from the North. The most notable battle took place in 1856 when a Haida war party came down and destroyed the people and village in West Sound Bay - this area is now known as Massacre Bay.
Explorers:
The first explorer to the area arrived in the late 1500's. In 1592 Greek explorer Juan De Fuca arrived in the straight that now bears his name. De Fuca never went ashore in this area. It wasn't until 1792 that Capt. George Vancouver arrived and did extensive exploration in the Puget Sound (which he named after Lieutenant Peter Puget of the Discovery). This area wasn't really inhabited until after Capt. Charles Wilkes of the United States Navy did further exploration of the area and extolled its virtues to the government.
Settlers:
The San Juans were settled because of their proximity to the ocean as well as the major trading areas at the time (Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle.) Forestry, mining, fishing, and agriculture were all sought after on this archipelago. The San Juans were also valued by both the British and American's in the 1850's as a "Gate" to the coastal trading posts. The two countries almost went to war over the islands, however it was put on the back burner due to the Civil War that was developing on the Eastern Coast. During the time of Prohibition (1920's), the San Juan Islands were a major transfer post for the illegal "rumrunning" of the day.
History of area as it pertains to current status:
The San Juans were the focus of the infamous "Pig War" that almost occurred in 1859 between the British and Americans. The San Juans had not been clearly defined, hence some dispute over who rightfully belonged there began to occur. In 1872 an impartial arbitrator from Germany awarded the islands to the US. In 1966 the US Congress designated the land of the two camp (British and US) as San Juan National Historic Park. This is the only park in the United States that honors the peaceful settlement of a dispute.
For more information, visit these links:
San Juan Islands Web
San Juan Islands Guide
National Park Service - San Juan Island National Historical Park
Outside Magazine Family Travel Guide WI article
San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau
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