Hope Island | Solo Packraft Camping in the Salish Sea

Hope Island sits quietly in the middle of Skagit Bay. For this trip, I packed the raft and made the short crossing for an overnight camp. What looks like a simple marine state park carries deeper layers: late 1800s homesteading, a military reservation that never saw construction, and a proposed nuclear site across the water that never broke ground. Much of the island is now protected as a Natural Area Preserve — old growth forest, serpentinite bedrock formed deep at tectonic plate boundaries, and a shoreline constantly reshaped by the Skagit River delta. There was also a reminder along the way that confidence outdoors needs to be earned. A mushroom I thought was a Chanterelle turned out to be something else entirely. Fortunately, the lesson was short-lived, but the point stands: “pretty sure” isn’t the same as certain. This is a slower piece. Tides, wind, and quiet stretches between crossings. Music by Jameson with a song from his old folk band, The Hoe & the Harrow. 00:00 - 03:27 Preparing for Launch 03:27 - 05:38 The paddle over 05:38 - 10:28 Settling in to Camp 10:28 - 20:32. Exploring the Island 20:32 - 36:14. Evening in Camp 36:14 - 43:11. Morning in Camp 43:11 - 59:57. Paddling around Hope Island Thanks for paddling along! — Jameson