Days
<1
Motors Allowed?
Yes
Difficulty
Easy / Class A
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Eastsound is Orcas Island’s largest population center, though it is an unincorporated community. Only San Juan Island has a larger population among the islands in the area. Conveniently located at the south end of Eastsound is Fishing Bay. This picturesque bay is flanked by the Orcas Island land mass on both sides with Indian Island in the middle.

Paddling in Fishing Bay will likely lead to the sighting of seals, starfish and jellyfish in addition to the deer, bald eagles and other birds of prey. Pull up on Indian Island for a picnic (it’s a bit rocky) or paddle around to the nearby Judd Bay to the west or Ship Bay to the east. The ideal time of year for this destination is May through September when the average highs and lows range from the low 70s to mid 40s.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Summer
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Wildlife. Solitude. Relatively sheltered from open-water winds.

Cons

Not in the popular whale-watching areas of the San Juan Islands.

Features

Fishing
Picnic tables
Bird watching
Wildlife
Wildlife

Site characteristics: Water

Sound/Strait

Portage required

No

Location

Comments

08/28/2019
I wanted to try this trip when visiting Orcas the last week of August, but low tides were against me; one would have had to pack the kayak through a lot of seaweedy, mucky beach to get to the water. Also, although there's a nice little grassy, shady park at the west side of town (Eastsound), the small parking lot was continually full, so just to get a kayak to the park would be tricky.
Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment?
Sign In and share them.