Port Susan

Rating: SKII

Distance:  13 NM

Date: October 27, 2001

Leader:  Pete Schwab                       Participants:  9

Launch:   10:15                                   Return:  4:45

Weather:  Overcast, ~50F, light breeze in the afternoon.

Description:  Port Susan is a body of water, not a town, sheltered between the east side of Camano Island and the mainland.  The north end is especially interesting and needs to be seen on a day when the tides are going to be high (the higher the better) as you approach the north end.  The entire north end of this body of water is quite shallow and is home to a lot of marshland filled with tiny estuaries.  With the rising tide you can venture into the estuaries but, look out, the tide floods into them rather rapidly and you might have some problem paddling out against the flood.  On the west side, along Camano Island there's Livingston Bay and Triangle Cove to explore.

We launched from Cavalero County Park and headed south for about a mile or so before crossing over to the mainland in the neighborhood of Warm Beach.  Heading north, in the vicinity of the 2 small islands on the chart just south of Hat Slough, we ran into the marsh.  The islands are apparently little more than high spots in the marsh at low tide.  We ventured into one of the estuaries looking for a lunch spot without success.  Fortunately we met a gentleman along a stretch of private beach front who allowed us to stop on his land.  There didn't seem to be a way to navigate through the marsh so we backtracked a bit and paddled around it to the west and crossed back over to the Camano side to explore Livingston Bay.  From Livingston we headed for the barn, stopping briefly at Triangle Cove, on the way.  If one were to round the spit and enter Triangle, it'd have to be done on the highest of tides.

All in all, this is a really nice, relaxing trip.  It's well worth repeating.

Tides/Currents:  Plan your trip for the highest high tides so you can venture all the way north in Port Susan.  The fetch to the south is big, so watch for south winds, especially where they run into the shallows at the north end.

Charts:

Waterproof Chart #30 – Puget Sound – International Sailing Supply.
Puget Sound Current Guide – Island Canoe, Inc.
Chart # 18423 - Bellingham to Everett, Page E.

Directions to Launch Site: From I-5 at Highway 16 in Tacoma, it takes about 2 hours (90 miles) to get to Camano Island (Cavalero Beach County Park).  Drive north on I-5 towards Vancouver until you get to Exit 212 and take WA-532 West towards Stanwood/Camano Island.  From there, it is about 15 miles to the County Park.  Just stay on 532 and, after it becomes E Camano Drive, go 5 miles until you see Cavalero Road, turn left, and drive down to the launch site.

Facilities: 

1.  Parking at Cavalero is really good. Gravel spaces for 10-15 cars.
2.  There are no bathrooms at Cavalero, just woods.
3.  Places to stop for lunch on the east side are few and far between.  All private.
4.  The west side has more places to stop even though private.  We took a quick break on the tiny spit on the south end of Livingston Bay on our way back to the barn.

Sample Magazine Submittal:  Port Susan - Camano Island (SKII). 13 NM RT. We’ll ride the flood on the east side of Camano Island, visiting Triangle Cove, Livingston Bay, and Warm Beach.  Call Pete Schwab 253-735-9402.

References: 

Scott, James W., and Melly A. Reuling. Washington Public Shore Guide. Seattle: University of Washington Press. 1986. pp. 140-141.

Mueller, Marge and Ted. North Puget Sound, Afoot and Afloat. Seattle: The Mountaineers. 1995. pp. 108-109.