Blind Island State Park

Located at the entrance of Blind Bay, just west of the Shaw Island ferry dock is a small island with just a few trees. Blind Island is a perfect lunch stop or campsite with a view. Just across the channel is the Orcas Island Ferry Dock so watching ferries arrive at Shaw and Orcas is ongoing throughout the day and night. One can explore Blind Island in just about 10 minutes. Blind Island offers primitive camping (around 7 sites), picnicking, scuba diving and bird watching. If camping, there is no water on the island, little shelter, and you'll likely have others passing through your campsite to reach other parts of the island. Camping is first-come, first-served. Boaters with motors are not allowed to camp at this park, but may use the island for day use. There is one composting toilet. There are also 4 moorage buoys just off shore toward Blind Bay. With Shaw and Orcas Islands so close by, you have some services. One camper even spent the morning paddling over to Orcas to get some coffee after her portable machine broke.

In the early 1900's, a squatter built a small house and storage sheds on Blind Island. He lived as a fisherman and tilled a small garden spot, evidence of which still remains today. The man dug several holes into the rock, evidently to be used as cisterns. There is a small spring, around which he built a concrete retainer that still is in place. The water is unsafe to drink. All buildings were removed in 1972 due to their unsafe conditions.

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