Shaw Island

The Salish Sea, including Puget Sound, was carved by glaciers during past ice ages. When sea-level began rising about 10,000 years ago, it left a maze of channels and islands in central and northern Washington. The San Juan Islands are nestled between Vancouver Island to the west and mainland Washington to the east. There is regular ferry service to four of the islands – San Juan, Orcas, Shaw and Lopez – and of these, Shaw is the least populated and developed.

I arrived yesterday morning on Shaw and made my way to Indian Cove on the south side of the Island. This county park (where I also camped last night), is about the only official place to launch a boat since the vast majority of the island is privately owned. I paddled for about two hours around the east and northeast ends of Shaw to Blind Island, a tiny rock at the north end of Blind Bay and south side of Harney Channel.

Shaw Island in northern Washington state.

Blind Island is along a “marine trail” and boaters can pitch a tent there for a modest fee. The island is mostly grass and rock and weeds (unfortunately some non-natives like English Ivy are established there), but I found about 5 tree species including madrone, douglas fir, grand fir, and apples. It was a surprise to see apple trees; perhaps a resident of Shaw tried to establish an orchard here in the past.

The return paddle was another 2-3 hours and I explored the eastern shore of Canoe Island for a time. It was between Shaw and Canoe Islands that I saw the most developed bull kelp forests of the day. With a single unbranched stipe, these annual kelps reach the waters surface where their deep brown blades spread out to gather sunlight. Along my paddling route, I saw a variety of wildlife, though it wasn’t possible to capture all on camera – a bald eagle, many other birds, curious harbor seals, river otters (!) and a dolphin. 

Skittish river otters at the edge of the water southwest of Indian Cove. From my boat it was difficult to see these
otters under the dark overhanging rocks and trees, but with my telephoto lens this shot came out great!

A great blue heron standing on a raft of bull kelps near Shaw.

Just after setting up camp yesterday evening back on the south shore of Shaw, the rains came and continued a bit into the morning. There was a so-so low tide early in the day, so I walked out to Reefnet Point on the south end of the Shaw to observe the intertidal. Only a few species of seaweeds were common, and of these, Fucus and Ulva comprised most of algal cover along the rocks. In the shallow and fairly murky water, however, I found a variety of interesting invertebrates: cancer and other crabs, shrimp, anemones and one or two species of holothuroideans (sea cucumbers).

With limited places to explore (so much of the island is private property), I’m not sure I’m likely to visit Shaw again in the near future, but being at the center of the archipelago, it is a good starting point for kayaking adventures to other islands in all directions. And, aside from the occasional noise of airplanes, ferries or other sources, the island was very quiet, a great location for solitude.

A madrone hanging over the water on the northwest shore of Shaw Island.