(By Ken Campbell) Washington’s San Juan Island chain is made up of almost 200 islands and reefs, some of them not much more substantial than a pickup truck full of barnacle-encrusted rocks. About twenty of them have people that actually live on them, at least part-time, but only four – Lopez, Shaw, Orcas and San Juan – are connected to the mainland by the ferry system.
Cypress Island, in the eastern portion of the group, sits just north of Anacortes, with Rosario Strait on one side and Bellingham Channel on the other. Cypress is a relatively big island, almost entirely managed by Washington State Department of Natural Resources. It consists of about 5500 square acres, heavily wooded and mostly wild, and its location close to the mainland makes it an excellent weekend choice for kayakers and paddleboarders. (Note: Although both Cypress Head and Pelican Beach are great overnight options with composting toilets and comfortable camping spaces, water is not available at either area so make sure to pack an ample supply.)
Washington Park is located west of Anacortes and directly south of Cypress Island and paddling from here to the south side of Cypress is a straight shot. Another option is the Guemes Island ferry landing in Anacortes, and while this is a couple of miles further east in the channel, the big advantage to starting here is that it cuts down on the length of open-water crossings. Instead of one longer crossing from Washington Park, you’ll have two shorter crossings, one across Guemes Channel and another across Bellingham Channel. In good weather and with favorable currents, there may not be any real difference between the two options. If you’re making your trip in the off-season, however, when the weather is not as stable, you may appreciate the route with less exposure.
If you do launch from the Guemes ferry terminal, cross over to the north side of the channel right after you put in. Watch for boat traffic going to and from Anacortes as you cross, especially on summer Sundays, when it seems like every Seattle yachtsman is heading back to his slip in Anacortes. After crossing, work your way west along the Guemes Island shoreline. As you round Kelly Point at the southwest tip, you will enter the flow of Bellingham Channel. If the current is flooding, cross over to Cypress Island soon after rounding Kelly Point. If the current is ebbing, you can stay in the Guemes eddy all the way up the west side of the island, crossing over to Cypress a mile or so further up.
Cypress Head is the most easterly point of land on the island. This rocky protrusion sticks out into the currents of Bellingham Channel, creating richly varied eddylines and unpredictable whirlpools. Use caution when rounding the point at the head, as conflicting currents here can be tricky. Landing is easily done on the beaches on either side of the narrow strip of land that connects Cypress Head to the island itself. (The beach on the north side is the more accessible of the two at varying tide levels.) Cypress Head is managed by DNR and camping is available either in the woods or at a few sites on the spit and at the base of the hill. Camping on the spit or at the lower sites is convenient for paddlers, but these spots are exposed and wind often funnels though the gap between the head and Cypress Island.
Continuing north and west from Cypress Head, you’ll pass through the Cone Islands on your way to Pelican Beach. The Cone Islands are a small group of rocky islets that lie just north of Cypress, popular with marine mammals and a variety of shorebirds. Adjusting course to meander past these little gems is worth the effort.
Pelican Beach, just a half-mile from the northern tip of the island, is the other DNR camping area on Cypress. Whether you choose to camp here or not, the hike up to Eagle Cliffs is a San Juan experience that is not to be missed. A trail of about a mile leads up to an overlook that offers sweeping vistas of the entire San Juan Islands, with the shaggy green steeps of Orcas Island off to the north and the shadowy shorelines of Lopez and San Juan dancing in the western vapors. The trail is closed between February and mid-July in deference to nesting raptors, but if you time it right, there is nothing quite like watching the sunset unfold from this vantage point.
Rounding the northerly tip of Cypress and turning into Rosario Strait, you’ll come quickly to the area below Eagle Cliffs, a shoreline strewn with giant blocks and overhanging rock. At higher tide levels, it’s possible to paddle through several rocky passages right up against the vertical cliffs. A succession of small bays scallop the island shoreline as you move south, offering protection from the wind if it is blowing unfavorably.
Strawberry Island slowly comes into view as you approach from the north. This little island stands in Strawberry Bay like a rock in the middle of a big river, which is exactly what it is. The powerful currents of Rosario Strait split around the island, creating strong rips that extend far from the island itself. The rip that forms on the west side of Strawberry on a strong flood stretches almost halfway across Rosario Strait and porpoise are frequently seen here, feeding in the nutrient-rich, fast moving water.
Coming ashore on Strawberry Island is limited to a small beach on the southeast side, a beach that disappears at higher tide levels. After landing, ensure that your kayak or board and all other belongings are brought up and out of the reach of the rising water. The island used to be a sought-after camp spot on the Cascadia Marine Trail but budget cuts and sanitation issues related to the old pit toilet led to the picnic tables being removed and the two small campsites becoming overgrown and almost unrecognizable.
Reef Point, on the southwest tip of Cypress Island, gets its name from the many boulders that litter the waters just out from shore. Seals cruise the scattered rips and eagles are almost constant companions in the tall trees along the shore. Once you round the point, you’ll either head directly back across to Washington Park or continue along the south side of Cypress and over to Guemes Island once again as you make your way back to your put-in.
Access: The Guemes Island Ferry Launch is located in the town of Anacortes. Follow Commercial Street north through town and turn left onto 6th Avenue. The ferry launch will be on the right-hand side a few blocks down. Launch from the sand and gravel beach immediately west of the terminal. To get to Washington Park, follow Highway 20 west toward the San Juan Ferry. At the point where the ferry traffic descends to the right, stay to the left and continue onward. Washington Park is at the end of the road. Follow the signs that lead to the beach, which is adjacent to the two-lane boat launch and put in anywhere along the gravel beach below the picnic area. During busy times, you can expect to drop off your gear and park further up the hill, as the park can get quite crowded.
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—Ken Campbell lives in Tacoma, WA, where he is the director of the Ikkatsu Project, an ocean-oriented nonprofit that focuses on issues related to single-use plastics and marine debris. Author of several sea kayaking guidebooks, Ken is currently working on a comprehensive paddler’s guide to the southern Salish Sea. Contact him at ken@ikkatsuproject.org
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