Kayak Camping: Stewart, Orcas, Jones: Stewart
2025 Apr 28Encountering orca in the Puget Sound is a numbers game. The odds are improved by paddling often in areas they are known to frequent. This trip I hit the jackpot!
My kayaking buddy was still looking for a coastal kayaking weather window. It seemed like this week could be good, but again it was not to be. Since I had already taken vacation and prepped myself for kayak camping, instead I decided to do a solo trip in the San Juans. (Interestingly it was almost exactly a year from my previous trip there.)
This was the float plan. (Red is on the ferry.)
I got up early, drove to Anacortes and walked on to the WA State Ferry, towing my kayak on wheels. •••
I custom-made this wheels set. The wheels are from a discarded medical device from work. They are attached to a carbon fiber cross beam from some material Andrew gave me while he was working at a composites fabricator company.
It rolls well, although it doesn't have much clearance. However, its fantastic feature is that it can be broken down and stowed inside the boat - even when the kayak is filled with gear for camping. So it is perfect for a trip like this.
By the time the kayak was ready to go at Friday Harbor, it was already late. (Currents would turn against me later.) I was without breakfast and I forgot to get out snacks for the trip. (I have a strange body that forgets to get hungry.)
At Spieden Island (after mi 10), the current had changed, against me. For a bit over a mile I had to work to advance against it. Once I was in the lee of Stewart Island though, I could relax. Because I was tired and had eaten nothing, Stewart’s Reid Harbor seemed so long! I landed right by my camping spot and got out food.
Stewart has a number of interesting places I wanted to see: There is an historic school (turned public library) and teacherage (teacher housing, turned island museum) with an adjacent newer school. (The newer school is in session with island students this year!)
There is a restored light house at the NW tip of the island.
There are big hills with views over other islands. It would be nice to stay a while up there.
So after 15 miles of kayaking, I walked another 12 miles! Early to bed.
In the morning, coffee and sitting on the beach.
