Echo Bay in Sucia Is./ Matia Island
July 15-17
• Help needed. Need a Host for this event. Ze-Man is on vacation. Call Duane
or email at 468-3152 [email protected]
• 20 NM…Our destination is
Echo Bay, Sucia Island. If
overcrowded or weather
impacted, the group can
decide to move on to Matia
Island (located 2 miles
southeast of Sucia) but
Matia can be even more
crowded this time of year
MATIA IS
ECHO BAY
• Echo Bay has 14 mooring
buoys and two linear
mooring systems, plus plentiful anchorage space with good-holding mud
bottom.
• The steep pebble beach at the
head of the bay makes for easy dinghy
access to shore and the picnic facilities
on the narrow strip of land dividing Echo
Bay and Shallow Bay.
• As you approach Echo Bay, please
monitor Channel 72 and give a call for
LIYC members who may already be moored
• What to do? Enjoy Sucia’s 564-acre park with spectacular views, lovely
artistically carved sandstone, and sunsets unduplicated anywhere else
Hi Yachties,
The “Slo-boat” cruise created by Gary (Ze-Man) Zerbst is coming up fast, this FridaySunday. Those of you have been to Sucia and or Matia Island, know how special (and
popular) these destinations are for boaters. Ze-Man is on vacation in Canada so we are
looking for a host for this event that can help with any details or plan some activities. One way distance is 20 NM.
Let’s Rendezvous in Echo Bay on Sucia Is. Friday afternoon. Unless weather or other
conditions dictate otherwise we will stay there Friday night, then the group can decide if
they want to stay put for Saturday or move on to Matia Island, a little over 2 NM to the
SE. I’d recommend some reconnaissance prior to moving since Matia Island can be even
tougher to find an open spot in the Summer. Ze-man says head for the mooring float in
Rolfe Cove at the NW end or tie to one of the two mooring buoys. Anchoring is difficult
and insecure, but you may want to try anchoring with a stern tie or bow & stern anchors in
un-named narrow nook just West of Rolfe Cove.
Monitor Channel 72 as you approach Echo Bay and call for any other LIYC members who may
already be anchored or moored to a buoy or linear mooring cable. Once there we do some
boat hopping share some nibble and raise a glass or tow. There is a gravel beach for landing
your dinghy to explore the beautiful sights Sucia offers. Or you may want to explore the
island to find hidden Geocaches..
Let’s Go!
Duane Bordvick
Rear Commodore
Lopez Island Yacht Club
[email protected]
Home..............(360) 468-3152
Mobile.............(360) 622-6464
Sucia Island Marine State Park
by John Lund and Marianne van Toor
A Natural Attraction
It is a gorgeous warm August day as we head northward on San Juan Channel.
With Friday Harbor’s busy boat traffic in our wake, we find ourselves relaxing
more and more as we get closer to Sucia Island Marine State Park. After some
busy days in the San Juan Island’s populated centers, we eagerly anticipate some
quiet time at Sucia’s park dock.
It isn’t to be. Somewhere along the way our favorite San Juan island has been
discovered. By the time we arrive at Fossil Bay, the dock spaces are two deep,
the moorage buoys long taken and even the anchorage areas look pretty full. So
with only a day to give to lovely Sucia and no dinghy to get to shore, we decide to
roam the island’s various bays until a dock space becomes available later in the
day.
The fact that Sucia Island, on the southern reaches of the Strait of Georgia and
3.5 miles north of Orcas Island, is devoid of development makes it doubly
attractive to those of us who think natural islands are the reason yachts were
invented in the first place.
All you will find spread among Sucia’s 11 islets comprising the 564-acre park are
spectacular views, lovely anchorages surrounded by artistically carved
sandstone, and sunsets unduplicated anywhere else.
Contrary to Sucia’s rather dark Spanish name that translates as “foul” or “dirty”
in the language of the 1791 Eliza expedition that first explored the region (“foul”
refers to the numerous rocks and reefs found here), to us Sucia means
everything good for Northwest boaters looking for natural beauty and a peaceful
escape from the crowded harbors of the San Juan Islands to the south. A helpful
hint: As we learned the hard way, it’s wiser to make your annual visit after Labor
Day when the August crowds have departed.
Getting to Sucia Island Marine State Park
The recommended large-scale NOAA Chart 18431 indicates that Sucia Island
Marine State Park is about as far north as you can get and still be on the U.S. side
of the U.S.-Canadian border dividing Boundary Pass. Sucia is one of the “outer
islands” that include Matia and Patos, the northernmost island 3 miles to the west
of Sucia.
Sucia’s unusual shape loosely resembles the print of a human right hand. The
fingers are made of 65-million-year-old beds of sediment deposited in a shallow
marine trough. These beds formed layers that were twisted and bent over
geological time, capturing clams and snails revealed today as the fossils of
Sucia’s Fossil Bay. The rock fingers, or eroded points of land, run in an easterly
direction; the thumb, formed by a cluster of islets and larger Ewing Island, opens
out to the north.
Sucia’s wind- and water-sculpted sandstone fingers provide many bays and
hiding places for today’s children and yesterday’s smugglers of silk, wool, opium
and Chinese laborers, and, more recently, caches for rumrunners who used the
island as a drop for Canadian booze bound for the U.S. during Prohibition’s dry
years.
While finding Sucia is easy, our navigational notes remind us to give the reef
jutting from Ev Henry Point a wide berth when rounding from the west. Anchoring
in Mud Bay may put you aground at low tide and, finally, do not attempt to enter
Ewing Cove between Ewing and Sucia islands – only dinghies should venture
through the channel.
Sucia Island Marine State Park
The park is open all year for day use and overnight camping. Facilities include
dock space, toilets, a Porta Potti dump and water (April through September), but
there is no power or showers. The park has 55 rudimentary campsites and two
group campsites that can be reserved. On the narrow strip of land dividing Echo
Bay and Shallow Bay are covered picnic shelters that can be reserved as well.
There are daily fees at the marine park’s docks and floats from 1 p.m. to 8 a.m.,
and moorage is restricted to three consecutive nights.
Only the privately owned islands of the hand’s index and middle fingers,
appropriately called North and South Finger islands, are off-limits to boaters. The
rest of the area is Marine State Park land crossed by about 6 miles of trails and
3.5 miles of abandoned logging roads. Each path offers different views of the
surrounding Canadian Gulf Islands to the west and San Juan Islands to the south.
Just like the kids who scramble along Sucia’s sandstone shores to investigate
tidepools for ocean critters like clams, crabs, oysters, sculpins and starfish, we
too have spent happy hours checking out the island’s varied wildlife and scenery.
On this trip we explored Sucia’s bays and anchorages by water. Here’s what we
found.
Fossil and Snoring Bays
Fossil Bay has 16 mooring buoys, 778 feet of moorage on two docks and
anchorage space. Here the shoreside facilities are the most developed with
camping and picnic sites, toilets and water. The park’s service buildings are
nearby, and a large sign honors the 42 clubs that contributed to the preservation
of the land for the marine park.
Smaller Snoring Bay, the next bay to the northeast, has two mooring buoys.
Echo Bay
As we idled into Echo Bay, the largest of Sucia’s anchorages, we found yachts of
every stripe occupying the 14 mooring buoys and two linear mooring systems,
plus much of the anchorage space. While it is the most exposed to winds, it is the
most popular anchorage and has a mud bottom for secure anchoring. The steep
pebble beach at the head of the bay makes for easy dinghy access to shore and
the picnic facilities on the narrow strip of land dividing Echo Bay and Shallow
Bay. There are eight mooring buoys in 10 feet of water in Shallow Bay.
Ewing Cove
Our favorite bay, mostly for its photographic possibilities and coziness, is
picturesque Ewing Cove tucked in behind Ewing Island on the north side of Echo
Bay. There are only four mooring buoys, which makes the cove feel almost
private and, if you are lucky, quiet. The little beach at the cove’s western end is a
delight, and the surrounding sculpted sandstone takes on exotic shapes as the
sun descends over Vancouver Island to the west.
Sucia Through Time
Lummi Indians first used the island as a summer fishing camp long before pilot
Juan Pantoja y Arriaga arrived in 1791 on board Santa Saturnina and left Spanish
place names throughout the gulf. The island’s first homesteaders, the Henry
Wiggins family, settled on Mud Bay in 1860 where they herded cows and sheep,
and planted fruit trees and other crops.
From 1900 to 1909, Fossil Bay was the site of a sandstone quarry employing a
company of 1,000 laborers who lived in barracks on Mud Bay, the site of a longgone dock. The venture closed when the cobblestones used to pave Seattle and
other Puget Sound streets proved to be too soft for the job.
In 1920, the deserted quarry buildings were taken over by the Herndon family.
They operated the well-known excursion vessel Tulip King in the San Juan
Islands. The family left Sucia in 1929, when the buildings were destroyed by fire.
On a previous visit we found the remains of an old cistern and chimney.
Sucia was logged from the late 1800s until the mid-1950s. The early logging roads
are hiking trails today. In the early 1950s, a Seattle yachtsman, Ev Henry, had the
vision to save the island from commercial development. He formed a consortium
of 42 Puget Sound yacht clubs, the Pacific Interclub Boating Association of
Washington (later renamed The Recreational Boating Association of
Washington). The group purchased 319 island acres and turned it over to
Washington State Parks. Additional acreage was purchased by State Parks in
1974. In 1986, the National Park Service deeded 2 acres of federal land on Echo
Bay Island to State Parks to be used as a wildlife preserve with limited access for
people.
A memorial to Ev Henry sits on the end of the southernmost peninsula forming
Fossil Bay. Named Ev Henry Point, it is a demanding but picturesque hike if you
walk the entire loop. From the point you get a good view of Orcas Island’s Mt.
Constitution rising in the south.
This is a good spot to give thanks to the man whose foresight saved Sucia Island
as a natural attraction for all. We think he would be delighted to know that Sucia
has been discovered.
Join the Outsiders
Explore the San Juans’ Outer Islands: Patos, Sucia, Matia and Clark
John Lund
Running across the top of the larger, better-known San Juan Islands is a scenic string of much smaller
ones called the Outer Islands. All of them are home to Washington Marine State Parks and are devoid of
any commercial development.
The islands are totally natural, which is
the very thing that makes them so
attractive to Northwest boaters
looking to get away from it all.
The line formed by Patos, Sucia, Matia
and Clark islands runs right into
another official line, the boundary
between the United States and
Canada. To the north lie the Gulf Islands; to the south lie the more populated San Juan Islands. The
larger islands tend to attract the majority of visitors to this region, but the smaller Outer Islands attract
boaters in search of much quieter natural pursuits.
In the Outer Islands you can explore, enjoy the solitude of a sunset, walk on a deserted beach or spend
time contemplating the fact that these islands haven’t changed much since the first Europeans named
them in 1791.
What follows is a description of how to get to the Outer Islands; where we found the best anchorages;
what secrets the islands hold, plus a little history. While we visited them all, we spent most of our time
on Sucia Island because it is the biggest and most popular of all the Outer Islands and somewhat central
to the rest.
Sucia Island Marine State Park
Sucia Island lies 2.5 miles north of Orcas Island. The 562-acre park, with its absence of commercial
enterprise, is the kind of place for which self-contained yachts were invented. Among the 11 islands and
islets that comprise the park, you will find spectacular views, peaceful anchorages and sunsets you will
remember for a lifetime.
In Spanish, sucia means “foul” or “dirty.” The island certainly isn’t that. The 1791 Eliza expedition that
first explored the region was referring to the numerous rocks and reefs to be found along the northern
fringe of the San Juans archipelago.
However, you need not be concerned. The Spanish didn’t have NOAA charts #18421, #18423, #18431
and #18432 to ease their anxieties while navigating the region as we do.
From the air, Sucia’s unusual shape loosely resembles the print of a human right hand. The fingers are
formed by 65-million-year-old beds of sediment deposited by glaciers in a shallow marine trough. Clams
and snails were trapped in these beds, which were twisted and bent over geologic time, forming the
fossils of Sucia’s popular Fossil Bay.
Sucia’s many bays are decorated by fantastic sandstone art that has been sculpted by wind and water
over time. Sandstone overhangs make hiding places for today’s beachcombing children and for
yesterday’s rumrunners, who used the island as a drop for Canadian liquor bound for the United States
during the Prohibition years of the 1920s.
Except for the two privately owned North and South Finger islands, which are off-limits, the rest of the
area is public park land. The island has 6 miles of trails and 3.5 miles of abandoned logging roads open
for exploration. The paths offer panoramic views of the Canadian Gulf Islands to the northwest and the
San Juan Islands to the south.
Lummi Indians first used the island as a summer fishing and foraging camp, long before pilot Juan
Pantoja y Arriaga arrived in 1791 aboard Santa Saturnina. The island’s first homesteaders, the Henry
Wiggins family, settled on Mud Bay in 1860. There, they herded cows and sheep, and planted fruit trees
and other crops.
From 1900 to 1909, a company of 1,000 men quarried Fossil Bay sandstone to pave the streets of Seattle
and other Puget Sound towns.
The Herndon family settled in the deserted quarry buildings in 1920. They built and then operated the
well-known excursion vessel, Tulip King, throughout the islands. The family moved on in 1929, after the
buildings burned down.
Sucia was logged from the late 1800s until the mid-1950s. About that time, Ev Henry, a visionary
yachtsman from Seattle, helped form a consortium of about 40 Puget Sound yacht clubs, determined to
save the island from commercial development. The clubs bought 319 acres and turned it over to
Washington State Parks. Additional acreage was purchased by Washington State Parks in 1974.
Today, boaters will find 48 mooring buoys scattered about the island’s many bays. Fossil Bay has
moorings, plus two docks with 250 feet of space. Moorings can also be found in Fox Cove, Snoring Bay,
Echo Bay (the largest anchorage area) and Ewing Cove (the smallest).
Shallow Bay, on the northwest side of the island, features incredible sunset views and is a good choice
when the wind is from the southeast.
Anchorages on the southern side of the island can be affected by southeast winds and sometimes get
quite crowded during July and August. There is no reservation system in the state park, but boaters can
usually find a spot to anchor in Echo Bay.
When entering Fossil Bay from the west, give Ev Henry Point a wide berth, as there is a rocky point
jutting outward. Do not attempt to anchor in either Mud Bay or Fox Cove, because they dry at low tide.
Our crew’s favorite anchorage is Ewing Cove, surrounded by deeply sculpted sandstone islets called the
Cluster Islands. This is a true place of enchantment.
Patos Island Marine State Park
Patos Island Lighthouse sits on Alden Point at its northwest end. It identifies Patos Island, the
northernmost of the American San Juan Islands. Patos is located 2.5 miles northwest of Sucia.
In 1792, Spanish explorers Galliano and Valdez named it “Isla de Patos,” meaning “island of ducks.”
Between Alden Point and Little Patos Island is Active Cove, one of the most picture-perfect spots in the
San Juan Islands. Enter the cove only from the west, as the east entrance is narrow and full of rocks. On
the way in, notice the last remains of the old Coast Guard dock, which was used to service the
lighthouse before it was automated.
Active Cove only has two mooring buoys and room for a few more vessels to anchor. If you see a spot,
grab it, as this is a special place.
Although the cove is fairly well protected from wind and tide, you may want to run a stern-tie to shore if
you plan to anchor for more than a lunch break.
Onshore, you’ll find three campsites, plus picnic tables, fireplaces and pit toilets. There is no water or
garbage collection.
Walking the south shore is tough, as it is mostly sandstone cliffs. Instead, follow the path from the
campsite to the north shore. From there, you can explore great beaches all the way to Toe Point, at the
island’s eastern end.
Matia Island Marine State Park and Wildlife Refuge
Matia (in Spanish it is pronounced Ma-TEE-ah, but we’ve only heard it pronounced May-shah) Island,
located 2 miles southeast of Sucia, is one of the loveliest of them all. Only five acres of Matia’s 145 acres
is parkland, on Rolfe Cove. The rest of the island is designated as National Wildlife Refuge. It is open to
hikers on the loop trail and has some picnic tables at several of the island’s coves. The rest of the island
is off-limits, to protect nesting wildlife.
Rolfe Cove offers two mooring buoys and a 60-foot mooring float, which is taken out in the winter.
There is a charge for mooring and docking, and visits are restricted to three consecutive nights. On land,
you’ll find six campsites and a pit toilet, but no water.
A lovely, but shallow 300-yard-long cove on Matia’s southeast corner has room for several boats to
anchor. This gorgeous spot should be entered carefully, because of rocks 200 yards off the south
entrance point.
Puffin Island, off Matia’s southern end, is off-limits as it is in the Refuge. A flashing green shoal light
marks a kelp-covered reef 300 yards east of the island.
One of the San Juan Islands’ more interesting characters made his home above a small cove on Matia’s
south shore, not far from Rolfe Cove. Civil War veteran Elvin Smith lived here for 30 years.
Known as “the Hermit of Matia,” Smith really wasn’t anti-social, because every week he would row the 2
miles to Orcas Island to pick up mail and supplies and to visit with friends.
On a calm day in February 1921, he and a friend set out from Orcas Island bound for Matia, with a flatbottom boat loaded with provisions. The two were never seen again.
Clark Island Marine Park
Clark Island is the smallest of the Outer Islands, at only 55 acres. Its nine mooring buoys (six on the east
side; three on the west) are kept busy, because of the island’s popularity with Bellingham, Washington
boaters.
Clark’s beaches are some of the nicest of any of the Outer Islands. A favorite island pastime is to go
clamming and beachcombing on the mud flats along the southern shore.
Onshore, you’ll find eight campsites on the east side and two picnic tables on the west. There is no
water or garbage collection, and the island has two toilets. Hiking is restricted to marked paths, to
protect nesting wildlife.
A half-mile to the west lies the privately owned Barnes Island. The scattering of rocky islands to the
south is called The Sisters. The wedge-shaped rock is Little Sister. To the north is Lone Tree Island.
These islands are also part of the San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge. In spring and summer,
cormorants, pigeon guillemots, puffins, glaucous-winged gulls and other seabirds nest here. You can
hear their symphony of calls on Clark Island.
Birds are about the noisiest thing you will hear in the Outer Islands. Treat yourself to some quiet time by
visiting one or all of these northern islands. Cruising doesn’t get any more natural than this.