Posted by Sandi
You’ve read our posts about Indian Island, the curious tiny island in Fishing Bay, Eastsound. Well there’s another tiny island off the west coast of Orcas Island that I’m curious about: White Rock.
Located halfway between Flattop Island and Waldron Island, White Rock is just one of 172 islands in the San Juan archipelago. But I happen to look out upon it every day. And therein lies its magic: Depending on time and type of day and season, it takes on a completely different mood. Take a look:
-
- White Rock on a typical day
-
- The Rock takes center stage
-
- A lone soldier at sea
-
- Shortly after sunrise, White Rock begins to glow
-
- Aha! White Rock must’ve been named at about 11 am on a summer day!
-
- Obliterated by a fiery sky on in late September
When we first got a boat a few years ago, one of my first requests was a closer investigation of this magical rock, actually the tip of an ancient submerged mountain.
The red arrow is pointing to White Rock, southwest of Disney Point on Waldron Island. Part of the San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge, boaters need to stay 200 yards away – no landing ashore.
The Rock is more interesting than I thought — some vegetation and lots of orange stuff — a lichen perhaps?
To give you an idea of scale, note the harbor seal hauled out on rock
Soon we’ll be moving higher up the hill when our house is finished. While I won’t miss our current cramped quarters, I’ll miss gazing upon an ever changing face of White Rock, my trusty friend and focal point through all seasons.
Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty – we’ll help you find your way home.
How cool that it’s the tip of a mountain! I love little facts like that!
Yes, it gives a whole different perspective when you look at and see these rocks appear to be floating but they’re all really tips of ancient mountains carved by glaciers. My husband likes to scuba dive here but it’s way too cold for me!
Yeah, for me, too. I like to wade in the water, but only on really warm days! I’ll be on Orcas for my 25th High school reunion in July and I can’t wait!
Used to commercially dive this rock for sea urchins …. must have been used as target practice at one time, cause there are bomb fragments there, the kind you see dropping out of planes in old WW2 footage
Hi Glenn, thanks for that tidbit. Someone else told me he believed White Rock was used for target practice in WW2 but I wasn’t sure if it was just island folklore. Now it seems indisputable. Thanks for adding history to the story!