Morning Light

A buoy between Geuemes and Samish Islands catches the morning sun.  

Rain Shower

The view of a rain shower during a recent visit to Guemes Island.

Guemes Island View: Anacortes Ferry Dock

Clouds over the Anacortes Ferry Dock as viewed from Guemes Island.

Guemes Island: Kelly's Point and Yellow Bluff

Kelly's Point Conservation Area is a Skagit Land Trust area of 27 acres on the south west side of Guemes Island. It includes a half mile stretch along the beach and Yellow Bluff. The bluff is a "feeder bluff" as it feeds sand and other sediment into the tidelands as it erodes. The sediments span 70,000 years of earth's history.

Guemes Island: Guemes Mountain Trail

Guemes Mountain rises 680 feet.

A 2.3 mile round trip trail weaves through forest to the top.

There are views to the north and the resort where we were staying.

There are also views to the SW, Anacortes and the San Juan Islands ferry dock. I've been up this mountain twice, both times on cloudy days. I think there is a view of Mt. Baker from the top. Perhaps next time.

Guemes Island: Peach Preserve

Guemes Island is a short ferry ride from Anacortes. Just to the west of the ferry landing is a 64 acre area of wetlands, beach and grass land. The trail is less than a half mile. We could hear various birds and got a good view of Anacortes across the channel.

Nature's Art

Detail of a small stump on the Guemes Mountain Trail.

Guemes Mountain Summit Views

The summit, at about 660 feet elevation, offers partial views from the northeast to the southwest. We spotted several of the San Juan Islands and parts of Fidalgo Island.

Guemes Mountain Trail Views

The well maintained trail is 2.6 miles, round trip, with an elevation gain of 610 feet. We hiked to the summit February 24.

The upper half of the trail had about two inches of snow.

The views along the trail were worth continuing up the slippery slope. The walking sticks provided at the trail head were a plus.

Guemes Island Resort

The resort is at the north end of the island and is a popular location for crabbing as well as sport fishing. Even on a winter weekend, with no crab nor fishing seasons open, it looked like all the cabins were occupied. No, this is not one of them.

Guemes Island Beach Treasure

While we found some human painted treasures on the beach, we also found some natural ones.

Guemes Island Rocks - Part Two

Someone provided little treasures for beach walkers to enjoy near the Guemes Island Resort.

Guemes Island Rocks - Part One

We saw this rock on the drive to our cabin on Guemes Island. How it got there is a mystery to me.

Morning Light - February 24

A morning view from the North Beach Park on Guemes Island. Jack Island is at the left.