Destruction Island

Is it legal to camp / fish on Destruction island?  Has anyone on NWKA ever been there?

Hi Lee,  I have known kayakers who paddled out there but never landed due to the rough conditions.  Here is a link for a paddle report of someone going out there in 2006.  I know that there are some seabird refuges out that way but don't know how the island is classified.  Best bet would be to call WDFW and ask rather than risk a hefty ticket.
http://www.kayaker.net/php/journal.php?id=060810

take care if you head out there.

The shoreline does not look hospitable.  Google Earth has a pretty good image too.  From where would you launch?  Around Cedar Creek?

There is a campground nearby, kalaloch?  There are also several pull outs on the 101 in that area, but they may not be useable.  If you look at the pictures in the link he posted, there are clearly lots of places you can land on the island if the swell is not up.   Looks like a great place to adventure and fish.  Kalakoch ricks is also near, so there is good structure all over.

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It is a US F&W Refuge, and its beaches are populated with sea lions. I don't think they allow any camping there, or any landing, either, unless its official business.
I sure do like the beaches north of Kalaloch Lodge, including Ruby Beach, though.

Washington Islands are included in three NWRs: Flattery Rocks, Quillayute Needles, and Copalis. All islands, except Destruction Island, are included in Washington Islands Wilderness Area.

Source:  http://www.fws.gov/washingtonmaritime/Quillayute_Needles/

I just phoned the Fish and Wildlife Service and asked them if it was OK to land and/or camp on Destruction Island, and the answer I got was that its off limits. Person I spoke with said that one would be trespassing if they went out there, and the Coast Guard regularly patrols to check for violators. So head out there at your own risk. She said that it is now part of the Copalis National Wildlife Refuge.

I called because the info that google barfed up seemed a few years old, and outdated.

Actually, the person I spoke to was in error, as on this map (scroll down a bit) Destruction Island looks to be included within the Quillayute Needles National Wildlife Refuge:

The whole area looks like Ling heaven.  The Kalaloch campground is close enough for fishing there. 

The whole area looks like Ling heaven.  The Kalaloch campground is close enough for fishing there.

Kalaloch surf is huge. We go out there every year for smelt and perch.

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Dang, I can't upload the link. Tried about ten times and i give up.  I think the confusion come because it isn't considered a  Wilderness Area due to the lighthouse, etc. I guess that doesn't mean that it isn't in the Refuge.

It just doesn't have a Wilderness Area designation. It took some digging to nail this down.  Below is the link if you want to type it into your browser. Scroll down to the maps. There is some discussion near the end of the text which yields info on the matter.

http://www.fws.gov/pacific/planning/main/docs/WA/waislands/draftccp/3%20Chapter%201.pdf

wow, the link works!

The whole area looks like Ling heaven.  The Kalaloch campground is close enough for fishing there.

Kalaloch surf is huge. We go out there every year for smelt and perch.

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I rode some excellent waves off one of the beaches there once. State record Redtail Surf Perch was caught along there.

So is the bottom line on Destruction Island that to set foot on the island is trespassing, and to fish around the island violates a Marine Sanctuary? 

So is the bottom line on Destruction Island that to set foot on the island is trespassing, and to fish around the island violates a Marine Sanctuary?

I'm not sure I read it that way.  It is trespassing to set foot on the island, but the marine sanctuaries run all the way up to Cape Flattery and I have personally fished almost every rock from Cape Flattery to White Rock.  Seems like whatever Marine Area Destruction Island is in (I think Area 3) would tell you the rules for fishing out there.  On a flat day with minimal tidal exchange I would love to paddle out and check it out... in fact I've just added it to the many places I'd like to check out.

Chris

I checked with the program manager, and Destruction Island is off limits.  Those islands are off limits for the protection of birds for the most part.

There is nothing that prohibits fishing around the islands.