Stuart Island

Headed up Tip Top.

December 2, 2013

One of our favorite local trips is to Stuart Island to explore the trails to the Turn Point Lighthouse, school, cemetery and the vistas from Tip Top. I go there often in the winter, when the island is free of the flood of visitors. The trip from Orcas Island generally takes 2 hours. Prevost Harbor is my preferred anchorage, offering good protection from winds from the North or the South.

The trails for hiking are extensive and I never tire of the glimpses that the island offers of its history and people back into the 1800's. The lifestyles of the earlier generations are maintained by a hearty group of year round residents, living off the grid without ferry service.

Stuart Island's one room schoolhouse.

Looking West to Vancouver Island

Carolyn and I enjoyed spending Thanksgiving with a group of friends from Orcas Island on Stuart this year. Ovens and stoves worked overtime to produce the spread of food that we enjoyed around the campfire. We took advantage of the reasonable weather and hiked the trails with leftovers in our packs. The 2 young girls added a rich element to the group. With their bows and arrows fashioned from driftwood from the beach, they ran ahead or lagged behind while working on the daunting task of creating and recording their own new language. Their carefully applied face paint completed the picture. It was wonderful to be in their company.

Jenny Wren, Sassafras, and Tomahawk.
Thanksgiving 2013