After all that hiking, we needed a break so it was Captain Max to the rescue. We boarded his new ocean-worthy vessel in Anacortes and sailed to the northernmost area of the San Juan Islands. Our destination was a tiny 145 acre island called Matia Island.
We had reserved reservations at one of the few campsites on the island, and once we were docked, we quickly began exploring the beautiful little cove and beach area.
Just a few steps from our camp were some of the best tidepools we’ve ever encountered. The wildlife was abundant, with some of the most beautiful starfish and sea urchins, and some of the most disgusting abominations of nature we’ve ever seen. We had the area all to ourselves until a couple other boats pulled up to also spend the night.
Matia Island has only one dock and one area to camp. The rest of the island is a nature reserve of old growth forest and over 20,000 feet of untouched shoreline with several small coves and trails.
We took an evening stroll around the main trail which brought us to the eastern shore of the island. The views were beautiful looking across the Strait of Georgia, and we had a competitive rock-throwing contest. Not sure of what the goal was, Max eventually won and we walked back to camp towards the slowly setting sun.
Shortly after arriving we had set out some crab traps, and along with our stockpile of instant noodles, we had a couple nice crabs for dinner. It was such a peaceful, beautiful place and dinner was delicious. Facing directly west, we watched a colorful sunset over the water and finally took the boat out to recover some traps that were further out in the water.
I don’t remember how we decided on staying on Matia Island, but it ended up being the absolutely perfect choice for our small group of adventurers. We loved being able to spend time with Max and Ayhan in a quiet, unique and beautiful place. Hopefully we’ll be able to return someday.
Sadly, the final day of our trip had arrived.
Before returning to Anacortes, Captain Max took us on a scenic boat ride to the northernnmost point in the San Juan Islands, and past the Patos Island lighthouse.
The islands were beautiful in the early morning light, and we were able to take a quick break on Patos Island before returning to Anacortes.
We were so happy that we finally decided to take this trip to Washington State. The hiking was incredible, spending time on the islands was a fun way to see Puget Sound, and we had a blast spending time with Max and Ayhan. This was a good reminder that we don’t always need to travel halfway around the world to have new and unique experiences.