Sea Magazine – May 2017

The First European record of Cypress
Island comes from the Spanish expedition
commanded by Juan Francisco de Eliza,
in 1791. It was charted and identifi ed as
Isla de San Vicente. The island has escaped
most development because of access issues,
rugged terrain and poor agricultural soil.

MOOR YOUR VESSEL

Despite the lack of a protected anchorage

and marine amenities, boaters visit all year

long. Cypress has few anchorages, and

none is very good. There are three moorage

areas: Cypress Head, Eagle Harbor and

Pelican Beach, with a total of 25 mooring

buoys maintained by the Department of

Natural Resources. Fifteen of the buoys

reside in Eagle Harbor, which shoals in the

middle on low tides. It’s possible to anchor

in the entrance of the harbor but the better

protection from northerly breezes and wash

from passing boats is deeper in the harbor.

STRETCH YOUR SEA LEGS

There is an extensive trail system on

the island, approximately 20 miles in

length, based mostly on old logging roads.

Others, constructed by Outward Bound

PNW-2 SEAMAGAZINE.COM MAY 2017

CYPRESS

LAKE

REED

LAKE

EAGLE

HARBOR

PELICAN

BEACH

CYPRESS

HEAD

DUCK

LAKE

BRADBERRY

LAKE

ISLANDORCAS

SAN JUANISLAND

ISLANDLOPEZ

CYPRESSISLAND

GUEMESISLAND

FIDALGOISLAND

ANACORTES

FRIDAYHARBOR

Cypress

Island

Cypress Island

is untouched by

development — so

much so that there

are no restaurants or

shops on the island,

just an extensive

hiking trail system

that is about 20 miles

long.