Lopez Island Event - Odlin to Blind Island - RT - L2

When
August 22, 2025
8:30 AM
Location
Odlin County Park Day Use Beach Area
Spaces left
6

Registration

Members with wet exit certification
Active club members with wet exit certification, including kayaking professional and lifetime.
TO and Safety
Password Reserved for TO use

Full Name: Brenda C Brewer
Narrative: Let's go explore Blind Island.
We will launch right from the Odlin County Park Day Use Beach - meet at 0830, launch by 0915. Parking is very tight here - you may wish to wheel your boat down, or drop it off and park up closer to the campground.

Blind Island Marine Park is a lovely 2.8 acre island, just north of Shaw Island. We will launch, paddle north a bit, then cross a ferry channel to Shaw Island. Once there, we will paddle North and then turn West, following the shoreline to the Shaw Island Ferry Dock area. From there, looking due west, we will see tiny Blind Island.

According to the BLM brochure: "Approach the island from the northeast (Shaw Island ferry terminal) to access the four mooring buoys located on the south side of Blind Bay. Note the reef marker 200 yardseast of Blind Island. DO NOT approach from the northwest as there is an extensive reef in that area. Best access to the island is at a small pocket cove at the southwest side of Blind Island (look for the State Parks and SJI National Monument
logo sign onshore)."

Once there, we will take a bio- and snack break, and if we wish, walk the trail around the island. Once we are ready, we will retrace our path back to Shaw, paddle around the North end, and head south. There is one small beach (Hank's Point Beach) if we want another brief break, and if we can find it. Due to Washington's laws, we cannot land just anywhere - only on public access lands. Once we are paddling South, we will have a 1.5 - 2 knot current to contend with, and a bit of wind. But we are OOPS and we are strong :-) We will paddle a little over a mile, until we get to our crossing spot - a ferry channel, close to a mile wide. We will cross up-current of the park, as we will have a side current of close to 2 knots. Once across, we will drift back to Odlin.

If you know how to use a tow line safely, please bring it. Other things to bear in mind include, there are few places for bio breaks, due to Washington laws. Also, we will be doing an open crossing of almost a mile, twice. The second one will have up to 2 knot side current. We will also paddle against an up-to 2 knot current for about a mile; hugging the shoreline as much as possible, to catch Eddys.
Meeting Time: 8:30:00 AM
Launch Time: 9:15:00 AM
Type of activity: Paddle Trip
Put in: Odlin County Park Day Use Beach Area
Take out: Odlin County Park Day Use Beach Area
Route Alternative for bad weather: Shorten the trip, skip the crossing.
Required equipment:
Minimum Immersion protection: Drysuit
Primary Organizer: Brenda C Brewer
Co-Organizer(s): TBD
Has organizer paddled here before? No
Has organizer led an OOPS paddle here before? No
Organizer's first aid and CPR current? Yes
First Aid /CPR Person: Brenda C Brewer
Maximum number of paddlers: For one TO: 5. For two TO's: 10.
I certify that I understand and will conduct this activity in accordance with the OOPS Activity Policy: Yes
Estimated Air Temperature: Mid 50's in am, low-mid 70's by afternoon.
Estimated Water Temperature: low-mid 50's
Estimated Water Time (including breaks/lunch): About 5 hours
Tide times & heights: Upright Head, Lopez Island.
High Tide: 2.47 am: + 6.9 feet
Low Tide: 10:43 am: -1.3 feet
High Tide: 6:31 pm: + 6.9 feet.

Current information: Mostly up to 1 knot. Afternoon in Upright Channel and Crossing: up to 2 knots.
Hazards: Shipping traffic
Wind strength: Level 2: 7-12 knots (14 mph) – wind noticeably effects movement of paddle
Swell/Surf size: Level 2: Waves up to 2', no breaking waves
Sea state: Level 2: Waves up to armpit; light to moderate chop, scattered whitecaps
Landing types: Level 3: Bad footing, rocky shores, or surf up to 1.5'
Currents: Level 2: Mild currents (up to 2 knots): current increases / decreases group speed by half
Total distance: Level 2: 6 to 11 miles
Open crossing: Level 2: Between 0.5 and 1 miles
Paddling Environment:
Overall rating: Level 2
Rating Comments: Landing Types a level 3 only because there are few landing opportunities.
Location: Odlin County Park Day Use Beach Area
Photos (Optional):
COVID-19 Status of Trip: Participants of this trip may, or may not, be vaccinated for Covid-19
Tide Station: Lopez Island: Upright Head, # 9449911.
Shaw Island: Harney Channel, Ferry Dock, # 944990
Link to map of route (Optional)

Oregon Ocean Paddling Society
Portland, Oregon