George Island

The island we visited for kayaking and hiking today was granitic, with lovely round pebble and sand beaches. The calm waters, giant kelp and wonderful views of the sheer cliffs on the north side of the island made for a great kayaking experience. George Island played an important role in the defense of the United States during World War II. Two of the hikes went to one of the old gun emplacements that was never removed from the island. The history of the place spoke to us as we walked in the footsteps of the defenders of this great land. Along the way the hike traveled through a spruce-hemlock forest with skunk cabbage and many small flowering plants in the understory. Different hiking groups explored the other side of the island, where they found large tide pools. A great heron was enjoying the bounty by fishing in the water. The pools were filled with thousands of small animals waiting for the return of the nourishing seawater of the high tide.