Kayaking the San Juans

From the rocky tip of Sucia Island’s Henry Point, the views in every direction are rewarding. To the west, the sun drops behind Patos Island, casting an orange beam across the Olympic Mountains in the distance. A glowing Mount Baker towers above Matia Island to the east.

Matt Nelson, an Orcas Island resident and employee of the kayaking school, Body Boat Blade International, described his first trip to Sucia.

“I thought it was beautiful,” Nelson said. “The low topography had this feeling of openness which I had not felt since I left Alaska. When you’re there you can see in a lot of directions, so it makes you feel like you’re in this vast space. I am in love with the whole area.”

Sucia though, is just one of countless islands in the San Juans, located east of Bellingham, Wash. Kayaking among the islands is the best way to discover their rich character. From day or overnight trips from Orcas to Sucia, to week-long excursions exploring the intricacies of as many islands as possible, the options are multifarious.  – John C. Davies