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Sucia Island Marine State Park.(Washington State Parks)
- Article from:
- Oregon & Washington: A Guide to the State & National Parks
- Article date:
- January 1, 1996
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 Hunter Publishing, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Location: The Gulf of Georgia, 2 1/2 miles north of Orcas Island. Accessible by ferry or private boat.
Sucia Island lies isolated in the Gulf of Georgia, giving this 562-acre park a unique, primitive quality. Located in the Olympic rain shadow, the area experiences an annual rainfall of 25 inches. Northwest winds bring sunny dry summers, while the southwest and southeasterly winds accompany wet winter storms.
History
Traditionally used by the Lummi Indians as a summer hunting and foraging area, Sucia was "discovered" in 1791 by the Spanish Eliza expedition. The island received its name--which means "dirty," or, in the nautical sense, ...