Sound Stand Up Fitness: South Sound Paddles; Hope Island

For those of us able to get to Hope Island, we're in a lucky group. It's relative inaccesibility ensures its pristine nature. But as beautiful as the island is, the journey is almost as much fun. It includes an open water crossing, the tidal currents of Squaxin Passage, and roughly 5.5 nautical miles of paddling. Paddling towards Hope Island from Boston Harbor rewards one with views of the Olympic Mountains, and on the return, a view of Mt. Rainier.

There are still old growth trees on Hope Island. Now a State Park, the 106 acre island is complete with campsites, toilets, and a cascade marine trail campsite. The island was once owned by the Schmidts, founders of the Olympia Brewery, who ran a small farm on it. They eventually sold to the Munn family before the state acquired it in 1990. An orchard remains, and so does a caretaker's cabin. The hiking trail that circles the island is a fast, easy hike with several trails leading to the water's edge.

Crossing roughly one and a half nautical miles to and from Boston Harbor requires some attention and commitment. Pay attention to the wind and the forecast. Southerly winds will make your return challenging, to say the least. You'll also need to know what the tidal currents in Squaxin Passage are going to do. Paddling with the current is a lot of fun, paddling against them - not so much. All in all, if the conditions are right, the paddle to Hope Island is surely one of the nicest in the South Puget Sound.