Bellingham to Jones Island — A Surprisingly Quiet Gem

/

With a flawless forecast stretching out in front of us, we cast off from Bellingham and pointed the bow toward Jones Island State Park.

The dock-talk crowd thought we were nuts.

“On a day like this? Jones will be packed.”
“Don’t even bother—no chance at dock space.”

They weren’t wrong—on paper. Bluebird skies in the San Juans usually mean every cruiser within range descends on Jones. We fully expected to get skunked.

The Arrival Surprise

As we eased into the east cove, we scanned the dock…

  • One cruising boat on the east side

  • Three small boats on the west

  • No obvious space for OceanFlyer

We idled off the dock, waiting it out. Then, a bit of quiet choreography:

A group returned from shore, hopped into their 18-foot runabout, and headed out. Almost immediately, another small boat shifted position—just enough.

That was our opening.

Making Room

We slid in and tied up, leaving the forward third of OceanFlyer hanging past the end of the dock to maximize space for whoever came next.

And then came the real surprise:

Even the mooring balls were empty.

On a day that should’ve been standing-room-only, Jones Island felt… almost private.

Luck? Maybe.
Or maybe the fleet had other plans.

A Walk Worth Slowing Down For

One of the joys of Jones is its shoreline trail, especially along the south side.

  • Sweeping views of passing boats

  • Quiet coves and weathered rock

  • That unmistakable San Juan mix of wind, water, and evergreens

The short loop is just over a mile—but we took our time. About an hour, unhurried, stopping often. Around here, you don’t rush scenery.

There’s also the “difficult” trail up the island’s northwest lobe. The switchbacks on the way up will get your attention, but the descent? Worth every step.

Why So Quiet?

If you had to guess, the answer was blowing right at us:

A steady northerly.

That wind pushes a bit of fetch into the north cove, making things lumpy until it settles. On days like that, many cruisers opt for the south anchorage instead—more protected, but it comes with a tradeoff:

  • Two mooring balls (this season)

  • Dinghy ride ashore

  • Beach landing required

For some, that’s enough to tip the scales.

Final Thought

Jones Island on a perfect-weather weekend—with open dock space and empty moorings—feels a bit like magic.

It happens… just not often.

And when it does, you take it, tie up, and go for a long walk.