Ducks & Lighthouse Nuts – Patos Island, WA
The Spanish explorers named it Isla de Patos (Island of Ducks), a reference to either a duck-shaped rock or the numerous Alcid sea birds that seem to congregate in the area. Either way the year was 1792 and the name stuck. The northwesternmost island of the San Juan archipelago, Patos Island lies 26 miles from Bellingham and is about as close as you can get to Canada without actually…well…being in Canada. It’s also a Marine Preserve and it has {{drum roll}} a gorgeous lighthouse.
Oh me, oh my, the light doth draw.
Naturally I’d been scheming for months to go there, but there are no regular ferries that make this trip so I had to get creative. A tip from our volunteer coordinator got me chatting to local outfitters Outer Island Excursions and I was beyond excited when they offered a charter boat to the Island, with a special price deal for Friends of Moran volunteers. These guys not only do fabulous whale watching trips (with guaranteed sighting, no less), but also charter occasional boats to the remote island lighthouses (Turn Point and Patos). An excellent all-around outfit that I thoroughly recommend.
I was ready and set!!
And The Lighthouse Nutters Emerge….
Now, the last time I dreamt about lighthouses, fellow lighthouse nutter Suzanne appeared magically to join me. Like lemmings to the cliff, I wasn’t entirely surprised when, yet again, my in-box showed a message from her mere days before our lighthouse outing.
“In the area and planning to do some Island-hopping” she wrote “would love to see you”.
She has uncanny timing, that nut….
Unable to resist the call of another nutter I invited her along, as well as fellow Moran volunteers Mike & Kelly (not yet nutters, but I’m working on them) who have been on Orcas since June. We were going to be a cozy little group.
Oh, Dreams of Sailing
The day of our trip opened brilliant blue with glassy seas, a good omen for the more queasy of the group if there ever was one. We jumped into the tiny 22-foot skiff and motored off into the ocean with engaging skipper (and owner) Beau Brandow at the wheel. Porpoises played in the waves, sailboats crossed the water and the Islands shimmered like ocean mirages in the distance, with Beau providing history and interesting bits of info along the way. It was supremely peaceful and oh-so different from being on land.
Now, this is the way to see the Islands…
I tell you. If I wasn’t such a wimp at sea and ready to heave my innards at the slightest rocking I would be ALL over boating in the San Juan’s. With 172 Islands to temp you, many of which offer cheap to free mooring and total isolation I can’t imagine a more relaxing way to explore the area. Like boondocking on steriods, with nothing but deep blue and sweet islands to tempt you.
Darn, stupid sea sickness….
We Gawk At Patos Island Lighthouse
A mere 20 mins later we were on the beach at Patos and ready to view the light. The short 1/2 mile trail opened up to a gorgeous view of the white lighthouse silhouetted beautifully against the blue shoreline of the Island. Originally put in service in 1893 with the tower added later (1908), she was one of the last-manned lighthouses in WA.
This was a supremely isolated posting and cool stories of her history are preserved in The Light On The Island, the memoirs of Helene Glidden as a young girl growing up with 12 other children at Patos Island Lighthouse. Can you imagine living on a remote Island? Seeing smugglers? Witnessing shoot-outs? Braving smallpox? With no-one but your family to help you?
Both Suzanne and I ooohed and gushed as we peeked in the windows and admired her profile, imagining the adventures of those who tended her. She still runs at night (all solar-powered now) and has been wonderfully restored. A fine, old lady.
And Admire Sandstone Art
We played around the lighthouse for about an hour, taking some time to walk through the woods and stride along the beach to marvel at the honeycomb sandstone. Much of the shoreline here is 80-million year-old cretaceous seabed. Beau explained that salt water crystallizes in the sandstone and breaks it into a complicated rock art. The resulting shore looks much like a giant bee-hive (or perhaps a ginormous brain?) intermingled with sea algae. Pretty cool stuff.
In time we got back on the skiff and motored home. I honestly felt sad to leave the Island. I could totally see spending a few nights camping on her shores and enjoying the sunset with no-one else around. A testament, perhaps, to my hidden hermit nature (can one be outgoing and hermit at the same time?).
My time with Suzanne was also excellent as usual, and totally added to the entire lighthouse experience. Plus I think I’ve started to convert Mike & Kelly into lighthouse lovers (she DID rush back and write a post that very day…bwahahahaha…it’s all part of my devious world domination plan). We may be a predictable lot us lighthouse nutters, but we make up for it with our contagious enthusiasm. After all, once you’ve seen the light, you can never go back 🙂
Useful Links
- Patos Island Lighthouse – history of the old lady HERE
- The Light On The Island – book memoir from Patos Lighthouse. Click HERE
- Outer Island Excursions – great outfit for whale-watching & Island charters. Click HERE
Everytime I see a lighthouse, I think of you and says to myself, I wish Nina can see this. Hmm…how about pointing your beast to the east and you will see some light beauties. Even up here in the Great Lakes there are many and are historical too!
Definitely want to see the lighthouses on the great lakes. In fact MI has the MOST lighthouses of ANY state. Amazing, isn’t it? We’ve got lots to see out there.
Nina
Oh…. My! That was spectacular! I’m so sorry to learn that you are troubled by seasickness! There is surely some profound meaning in that and the way that you are drawn to the lights which are meant to keep souls safe in the sea.
And I love the Queen Anne’s ‘basket’ shot!
You know I never thought of that odd connection (my sea sickness and how I’m drawn to lighthouses). Something to ponder on, that!
Nina
Have you tried candied ginger or travel bands (available at any marine store -work on acupressure points)? We always had lots of both on board our sailboat for queasy guests, the both work like a hot damn.
Ann
I’ve tried ginger before, but not the bands. I DO need to give those a try.
Nina
You’ve got to try Sea Bands for motion sickness. They are wristbands (look like tennis bands)that have a small plastic stud that apply pressure on the acupressure point on the wrist. I discovered these on an Alaskan cruise – marvelous – no side effects associated with anti-nausea drugs. Drugstores carry – about $10.
Love your posts – keep it up!
Yup, gotta try those bands. I usually use Dramamine and it works but it totally zonks me out. I’m not real keen on it. The bands, if they work for me, would be much better.
Nina
Did you happen to visit Patos last Sunday? It apparently was its 121st birthday. https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=110123775705040
I did not, although I heard there was a big celebration with many of the local volunteers and coast guard that attended. I had a chance to go, but the scheduling didn’t work out.
Nina
I’m curious if you would experience the same sea sickness if you were paddling. I know my daughter is really sensitive but not bothered when she’s paddling her own boat. You’re in the center of some of the best sea kayaking in the world IF you could enjoy it.
I definitely get less sea sick if I’m paddling (or for that matter driving…since I get car sick too). I’ve done a few sea kayaking trips before and always felt fine. If doggie enjoyed the water a little more I think we would do more of these.
Nina
Breathtaking! I think we need to rethink our plans for next year and schedule more time for WA. Just like we have the Passport book, you need one for lighthouses. It would be interesting to see just how many are in the U.S. and how many you two have been to. Great post Nina. 🙂
Funnily enough I haven’t found a detailed passport book like the one you have for lighthouses. There IS a passport book you can buy, but it’s just a blank passport (for stamps, which you can collect at every lighthouse you visit) and doesn’t have any lighthouse detail in it. Business opportunity?
Nina
Yes, I know for a fact that one can be both a hermit and an outgoing gal…….its no fun to be just one thing.
Loved this post series, enjoy your coming fall,
Sue
Glad I’m not the only one LOL!
Nina
I enjoyed all wonderful photos – especially the last one :-). Agree that hermit and outgoing are possible, and are never boring or bored! We will have to check out those outfitters, as we love to see the shores from the water (will also have to check out those wrist bands!).
Outer Island Excursions were great, and Beau (our skipper) was a fabulous host too. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It’s SUCH a different experience to see the islands from the sea.
Nina
What a fun recap of the quintessential Pacific Northwest summer day! My best memories of this summer will be of chasing lighthouses with you two nuts! It kills me to turn eastward, as I left a part of my heart down on that Oregon coast where you are headed next. But the good news is, I will still be able to tag along virtually via the blog. Thanks for the wonderful memories of one of my best summers yet!
I’m so happy you came along, Suzanne. It’s been a fabulous summer on the coast, and even more so ‘coz I got to hang with a real nut 🙂
Nina
What a fun day! Glad you were persistent in your search for a way to get to the island. It was good you had smooth sailing because 20 mins could have made it a bad day for your stomach. What cool rocks!!
I did think of you when we saw a display with all the lighthouses around Lake Superior. You would be in heaven.
Yes I was VERY lucky with those glassy seas. Would have been a totally different experience otherwise. I did bring my drugs tho’
Nina
Such a cool experience you discovered! We’ll have to put that on our list for future explorations when we can pry ourselves away from laid-back Lopez. 🙂 Your photos of the lighthouse are stunning.(As far as reconciling the hermit and outgoing personalities, I find it essential to have inward restorative time to balance all of the outward energy of being social.)
You put that beautifully and I think it expresses exactly what I feel. Inward restorative time…I like that!
Nina
Patos Island looks like an amazing little piece of real estate that I hadn’t heard of before. And of course, an awesome and restored lighthouse is a great bonus. Thanks for sharing it.
Outgoing and hermit in one body? Yep, that’s me. About so much of the outgoing and social side of myself and I gotta go hermit. Solitude is then serenity. 🙂
Another outgoing hermit! Yeah!! Nice to know I’m not alone.
Nina
What an extra special lighthouse to add to your nutter’s list. Too bad about the sea sickness because the San Juan’s are marvelous to boat around with lots of free anchorage.
I’m outgoing and social when working then need to hermatize after.
Indeed I think boating around the Islands would be the PERFECT way to see them. Maybe in my next life…
Nina