Tumbo Island adventures

We had been looking forward to this trip to Tumbo Island ever since we were last there in June of 2011. The boys and I had gone, without Amy, during a week we were unable to do a planned backpacking trip due to the late season snows. It turned out to be a magical trip and we discovered the really special attributes of Tumbo Island. The boys had been talking it up to Amy ever since, and we had penciled in this Memorial Day trip to Tumbo several months ago.

View toward Poet's Cove from anchorage

Getting to Friday Harbor on Saturday afternoon, as the ferry schedule in spring is still dreadful for getting to the islands, we were uncertain whether we would make it all the way to clearing customs at Bedwell Harbor that night. I had checked and knew the station was open until 8pm, and we also knew it was a good 3 hour trip from Friday Harbor. We got underway at about 4:30pm and began our motor north. We figured we would head to Prevost Harbor on Stuart and make the call once there on whether we had time to make it to Bedwell. We were of two minds, with clear advantages both ways, but decided to forge ahead and cross the border so it felt more adventurous.



We made it to the customs dock at 7:30 and the Canadian border service welcomed us back to Canada with the usual warm efficiency. Given the late hour, we decided to drop the hook there in the marine park and found plenty of room in about 30 feet of water. We were glad to have dealt with the border crossing this day as any trip is never really started until you are away from familiar places. Late that night the wind came up strong from the SW, which has fetch right into Bedwell Harbor. We rocked and rolled and I didn't get much sleep after midnight, as every captain pays minute attention to every rattle and bang for any sound of trouble. We had none. In the morning the wind died down to about 20 knots, and we raised anchor and headed out toward Tumbo. Once out of Bedwell Harbor, we raised sail and tacked our way down to the tip of South Pender and then turned East and had a close reach all the way down Boundary Passage to Saturn Island. It was heaven.

Looking toward Orcas Island having just rounded East Point on Saturna

Rounding East Pt. on Saturna is always special as it marks the turn into the Straits of Georgia. Our second home.

The trip from Bedwell to Reef Harbor on Tumbo is about 9 miles, with 3 of that coming as you journey up the length of Tumbo in the passage between it and Saturna. When we arrived there were just a few other boats and we dropped the hook just off the Western shore of Cabbage Island. We were ashore right away and enjoying the warm sunny weather on the soft sandy beaches! The boys were immediately digging holes and doing boyish things, and Amy and I melted into the sunshine. We heard from a couple there that the winds the night before had blown several boats aground at Sucia Island, and even grounded a Coast Guard boat that had come to help. Winds were recorded to 33 knots. We had had no trouble, but then again we have heavy ground tackle and some folks are less experienced with their anchoring techniques.

Hours passed, and time became diffuse. Deep time emerged to wipe away the shallow detritus of the commonplace continuum. The boys and I played frisbee on the sandy beach, and every throw to Elliott was an excuse for him to dive head first for the catch or roll judo-style for an acrobatic delivery of the disc. The boys shared so nicely, and were so joyful and considerate, that it meant the world to me. The day before had been pretty dreadful with both of them, with negativity and bickering and bad attitudes, so this escape into play and nature brought out the best in them and did us all good.

Picture doesn't begin to do it justice. It was spectacular!

Later in the evening, after the boys were asleep, Amy decided to hop in the dinghy and row around for a while. She headed far away, and eventually rounded a distant islet to disappear altogether from my sight into the vastness of the Straits of Georgia. All the while, the sky exploded in the most dramatic sunset. I cannot recall a better, more colorful sunset than I saw this night, as the clouds were well spaced and thin enough for the light to scatter perfectly orange and red and yellow through them. I sat in the cockpit of Aeolus with a grand view and was mesmerized. Eventually, Amy emerged from around the islet and rowed back to Aeolus. When she arrived, we were both fairly speechless. She said she had a seal follow her much of the way.

The next morning we all slept in like the dead, and then headed out to Tumbo for the day's adventure. The walk along the peninsula is quite pleasant, with lots of Douglas Maple and even Pacific Yew. But the highlight is getting to the marsh. Boy is it magnificent. So fecund. Birds of all types, and bugs galore to feed upon, and all adjacent to vast tidal flats with their own bird diversity and critters. The scene is one of wild beauty not easily found elsewhere in the Salish Sea.

Owen hanging in space as we watch. This Garry Oak is majestic.

The boys went straight to the rope swing and had a blast. Amy and I took swings too! From there we walked out to the Eastern beach, which is so lovely and pristine it makes you think immediately of pre-Industrial wilderness in the area. Bald eagles abound on Tumbo, and one was hanging out in a trip just above the beach while we were there. We then walked the shoreline all the way out to Tumbo Point to the far East. Along the way were many discoveries, including extensive shell middens and their sense of deep history, and a perfectly clean and fresh spinal column from something like a river otter.

How cool! So much to learn! Cartilage was fresh and intact.

Out at the point we enjoyed fantastic views and came back by walking cross country on the southern shore facing Saturna. It is grassy, and easy walking, and beautiful. Crossing from there back over to the trail side is short and easy, and just enough wild feeling to make it really cool for the boys.

By the time we made it back to Aeolus it was 3pm.  We had packed no food, no lunch. We had walked about 8 miles. Neither boy said one word of complaint about the distance or being hungry. Not a word. The entire time was just play and exploring and discovery and paced the way a day should be paced. Amy and I could not have been more proud of the boys, or more excited about how great the day had been thus far.

That afternoon we were back on Cabbage for some more fun in the sand. A reprisal of the day before in all ways. Everyone had left, and we had the entire set of islands to ourselves!

On Tuesday, which we both took off of work, we headed home in the morning and had a straight shot to Friday Harbor for customs. There was no wind, and it took 3 hours non-stop with neutral current.

We've added Tumbo Island to our list of favorite places in the Salish Sea, and cannot wait to return again.