When we moved to the San Juan Islands in 1974 I was just a little girl. It was, for my mother a noticeable change from the mainland. For my brother and me, it was just another small town. Like most places San Juan Island has changed dramatically since the 1970’s. It was a quiet little fishing community as I remember it. After living in Friday Harbor for a couple of years we moved again, this time we went out to Stuart Island. This was a noticeable change to all of us. Stuart had no electricity, no running water, no cars or paved roads. It was remote and the only way to get there was by a small boat or, a small plane which would land on a dirt airstrip. No ferry ride over on any scheduled sailing. There were no stores or outside sources for amenities of any kind. There were very few people, but those that were there were very community minded and into living off the land. There was a big garden down by the well and pond, all of which was just up the hill from the cove where we arrived. The docks were old makeshift floats hobbled together. The well had a hand pump that took quite an effort to get a gush of water. There were hand pulled carts to use for hauling groceries and stuff to our respective homes.

When we first arrived we were showed to a little cabin on the point of Reed Harbor, it was one of two that were out there and I believe that they were there from around the early 1900’s when the island had a ‘thriving community’ of settlers.  There wasn’t much to it, it may even have been considered a chicken coop to many, but to us it was our first home on Stuart Island. The location was beautiful right there on the point; the sound of the ocean lulled us to sleep. The reef netters would drop there nets just a stones throw away. By day I would roam free along the shoreline encountering a multitude of marine creatures, birds and other assorted wildlife. Our curiosities were peaked. I found numerous arrowheads and spear points along the bluffs. By nightfall we would tuck into bed as the only source of light was candles & kerosene lanterns. It was an experience like no other I had had and, still to this day, have never experienced anything else like it.

Stay tuned more to come…