Burrows, Allen Island Trip 10/9/2019
Five paddlers were met with rain and calm winds for an
adventure leaving Washington Park in Anacortes with a plan to take a clockwise
route around Burrows and Allen islands.
After a brief safety discussion
including an anonymous risk assessment, we headed out promptly at 9 a.m. Departing
on the first hour of a flood tide with a moderate exchange, we encountered a
small current as we headed east through Burrows Pass. As we crossed the channel,
we met no other boat traffic.
Coming
around the NE corner of Burrows is where you will encounter the most current as
water converges into the small channel. This can be a challenging area with a
strong current. We made a brief stop to
checkout the campground on the east side of the island then continued on to
Allen Island.
Our Burrows and Allen island adventure was pleasant, not sunny! |
As our group neared the island, some construction activity on the
dock caught our eye and we decided to take a closer look. It appears there is
some work being done to the dock and possibly some tree clearing to help with
the view for the residents. Continuing on, we paddlers were greeted by many
seals and an abundant variety of sea birds. With a nice push from the current
and light wind, good progress was made heading north to the light house. We
approached the beach through a dense patch of bull kelp. Access to the light house is sketchy -- paddlers have the
choice of climbing a rope up a slippery, steep incline or climbing slimy rocks
to the dilapidated steps. The lighthouse is undergoing an ambitious renovation, and visitors should take care not to disturb the hard work the volunteers are doing. They might even consider donating to renovation.
After a nice break, our group took a
leisurely pace back to Washington Park taking time to enjoy the peace and
solitude of an off-season paddle. We were back at Washington Park by 1 p.m.
-- Steve Phelps
-- Steve Phelps
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