Kayaking Strawberry Island and Orcas Island

July 1999

Tim H, Tim S, Kari, Julie, and Karen coming ashore on Strawberry Island. The island is very small and offers beautiful views in all directions out to the larger islands. It is also a protected bird sanctuary, and a great place to eat lunch after paddling! We continued to Eagle Harbor on Cypress Island for camping and an evening hike to the top of Eagle Cliffs.

 

Karen, Kari, Tim S, Tim H, and Julie around camp by the shore at the Obstruction Pass DNR campground on Orcas Island. After rounding the heavy chop and currents of Obstruction Pass, this was a peaceful place from which to take day trips, watch the Sun set over East Sound, and check out life up close in the tidal zones.

 

Check out the high fashion threads on that guy! Karen and I paddled up East Sound to the town of Rosario on Orcas Island. We checked out the local resort, walked around the little waterfront town, and gorged on ice cream, cold drinks, and a good meal (while everyone else was back in camp munching backpacking food...).

 

Julie, Kari, Tim H out in the water, Karen, and Tim S all getting ready to set out from the Obstruction Pass camping area on Orcas Island, heading around Obstruction Island and toward Blakely Island. We were joined the evening before by some traveling sailboats that anchored in the protected cove.

 

Karen and I in a double, with Julie and Kari up ahead and Tim H in the white single. The crossings from island to island went well and relatively quick except for one solid lesson in the power of currents that once sent us struggling way off course. The important things were: look out for large vessels in the shipping lanes, and be sure to pee before leaving land.

 

 

Stuart Island and San Juan Island sea kayaking