Round and flavorful, Island Belle grapes were well suited for Puget Sound weather and soils. Developed locally from crossbreeding of Concord-type strains, Island Belle grapes produce well, ripen before the frosts and have thicker skins to resist splitting in the rainy conditions of the Puget Sound area.

You can still see the remnants of the furrowed ground and a few gnarly vines from the original Island Belle grapes, clinging to the trunks of some Douglas-fir trees.

So proclaimed the reader board on the trail to the care-takers cottage. Somehow I had missed this little bit of interesting history on my previous visits to Hope Island. Perhaps I was always focused on the pre-European history of the island. The Squaxin tribe had used this island both for it’s abundant marine resources and medicinal plants. Apparently the island had been purchase by Louis Schmidt in 1898 who had established a small farm and vineyard on the island before returning to his native Germany. In 1990 the State Parks and Recreation Commission acquired the island as one of it’s 6 south sound marine parks.

I had some time to kill while I waited for Kiwi to join me, so I continued up the trail to the caretaker’s cottage and looked for good vantage points for photographs. Although I had made the trip earlier that morning under gray skies and drizzle, the sky had cleared to a dazzling blue.

Our trip to this little gem of a destination was going to be a quick one; a single overnight stay. Shorter then either one of us would like to make, but you take what you can get. And even though Hope Island sits just off shore of Arcadia, once you walk the trail into the old growth you feel miles away from rural Puget Sound. In fact, the island has a much more remote feeling then the more popular San Juan Islands.

When I returned to camp for a quick brew before I headed back to the beach to await Jason’s arrival, I found some of his gear already in camp. Guess I wasn’t the only one anxious to get away! The sun was out in full force and we couldn’t resist the temptation to relax on the beach followed by a twilight stroll through the old forest taking photos.

I prepared a simple meal of pasta with a Caesar Salad for dinner, but Kiwi really out did himself with a Dutch Oven fratada the next morning and fresh brewed espresso. It’s always a bonus to have a paddling partner who double as a gourmet chef!

The temperature had dropped 15 degrees from the previous day as we packed our boats. The wind had a pronounced bite to it, and as we shoved off from shore we looked as if we were paddling in the dead of winter again.

Hard to imagine that just half a day before, we were shirtless and in shorts.

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