Blakely Island, Washington
{{Short description|Island of the San Juan Islands in northwest Washington, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox islands
|name = Blakely
|native_name = XEMXEMIȽĆ
|image_name = Blakely Island locator map.svg
|image_caption = Location of Blakely Island in the San Juans
|image_size =
|map = Washington
|native_name_link =
|nickname =
|location = Pacific Northwest
|coordinates = {{coord|48.56025|N|122.80243|W|type:isle_region:US-WA_scale:250000|display=inline,title}}
|archipelago = San Juan Islands
|total_islands =
|major_islands =
|area_sqmi = 6.507
|length_km =
|width_km =
|highest_mount =
|elevation_ft =
|country = United States
|country_admin_divisions_title = State
|country_admin_divisions = Washington
|country_admin_divisions_title_1 = County
|country_admin_divisions_1 = San Juan County
|country_admin_divisions_title_2 =
|country_admin_divisions_2 =
|country_largest_city =
|country_largest_city_population =
|population = 56
|population_as_of = 2000
|density_km2 =
|ethnic_groups =
|additional_info =
}}
Blakely Island (SENĆOŦEN: XEMXEMIȽĆ) in San Juan County, Washington is the sixth largest island in the San Juan Islands of Washington State, United States, encompassing a land area of 16.852 km{{sup|2}} (6.507 sq m). It is separated from Cypress Island to the east by Rosario Strait. The population was 56 persons as of the 2000 census.
There is no immediate public access to Blakely Island and it can only be reached by private ferry or boat.
History
Blakely Island was named by Charles Wilkes during the Wilkes Expedition of 1838-1842, in honor of Johnston Blakeley, a naval commander during the War of 1812.{{cite book |last= Phillips |first= James W. |title= Washington State Place Names |url= https://archive.org/details/washingtonstatep00phil |url-access= registration |year= 1971 |publisher= University of Washington Press |isbn= 0-295-95158-3}} Thatcher bay, on the island's west coast, was the site of seasonal Samish tribal villages and, during the territorial period, the mill town of Thatcher, Washington.{{Cite web|url = http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1369/ofr2008-1369.pdf|title = Thatcher Bay, Washington, Nearshore Restoration Assessment|date = 2008|accessdate = 14 April 2015|website = pubs.usgs.gov|publisher = United States Geological Survey|last1 = Breems|first1 = Joel|last2 = Wyllie-Echeverria|first2 = Sandy|last3 = Grossman|first3 = Eric|last4 = Elliot|first4 = Joel}} In 2014, toxic creosote pilings left over from earlier habitation were removed from the waters of Thatcher bay.{{Cite web|title = Toxic creosote pilings removed near Blakely Island - Journal of the San Juan Islands| date=December 12, 2014 |url = http://www.sanjuanjournal.com/lifestyle/285660071.html|accessdate = 2015-04-14}}
Infrastructure
File:Blakely Island from Thatcher Pass 01.jpg through Thatcher Pass.]]
There is no public ferry service to Blakely Island. Access is only by boat or private ferry, arriving at the marina at the northern tip of the island. There is also a private airstrip for the exclusive use of property owners. The only services available on Blakely Island are at a general store and café, located at the marina and open seasonally.{{Cite web|title = The 'other' San Juan islanders go their own way| date=August 22, 2014 |url = http://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/the-lsquootherrsquo-san-juan-islanders-go-their-own-way/|accessdate = 2015-04-14}} Seattle Pacific University runs a 967-acre (391.3 ha) biological field station on Blakely Island.{{Cite web|title = About BIFS|url = http://spu.edu/depts/biology/blakely/about/history.html|website = spu.edu|accessdate = 2015-04-14}}
Geography
Climate
{{Weather box
|location = Blakely Island, Washington
|single line = Y
|collapsed = T
|Jan record high F = 65
|Feb record high F = 69
|Mar record high F = 79
|Apr record high F = 83
|May record high F = 90
|Jun record high F = 95
|Jul record high F = 101
|Aug record high F = 95
|Sep record high F = 88
|Oct record high F = 82
|Nov record high F = 69
|Dec record high F = 74
|year record high F = 101
|Jan high F = 45.0
|Feb high F = 48.6
|Mar high F = 52.3
|Apr high F = 57.8
|May high F = 63.6
|Jun high F = 68.2
|Jul high F = 72.2
|Aug high F = 72.2
|Sep high F = 67.5
|Oct high F = 59.2
|Nov high F = 51.0
|Dec high F = 46.3
|year high F = 58.7
|Jan mean F= 39.8
|Feb mean F= 42.2
|Mar mean F= 45.2
|Apr mean F= 49.7
|May mean F= 54.7
|Jun mean F= 58.9
|Jul mean F= 62.0
|Aug mean F= 62.1
|Sep mean F= 58.4
|Oct mean F= 51.9
|Nov mean F= 45.2
|Dec mean F= 41.2
|year mean F= 50.9
|Jan low F = 34.5
|Feb low F = 36.0
|Mar low F = 38.1
|Apr low F = 41.6
|May low F = 45.7
|Jun low F = 49.6
|Jul low F = 51.7
|Aug low F = 51.8
|Sep low F = 49.4
|Oct low F = 44.6
|Nov low F = 39.5
|Dec low F = 36.0
|year low F = 43.2
|Jan record low F = 6
|Feb record low F = 9
|Mar record low F = 18
|Apr record low F = 27
|May record low F = 31
|Jun record low F = 33
|Jul record low F = 35
|Aug record low F = 33
|Sep record low F = 19
|Oct record low F = 23
|Nov record low F = 10
|Dec record low F = 4
|year record low F = 4
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.5
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.5
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.3
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.8
|May precipitation inch = 1.6
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.4
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.8
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.0
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.5
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.6
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.8
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.8
|year precipitation inch = 26.6
|Jan snow inch = 2.1
|Feb snow inch = 1.1
|Mar snow inch = 0.5
|Apr snow inch = 0
|May snow inch = 0
|Jun snow inch = 0
|Jul snow inch = 0
|Aug snow inch = 0
|Sep snow inch = 0
|Oct snow inch = 0
|Nov snow inch = 0.4
|Dec snow inch = 1.0
|year snow inch = 5.1
|unit precipitation days =
|Jan precipitation days = 17
|Feb precipitation days = 13
|Mar precipitation days = 14
|Apr precipitation days = 11
|May precipitation days = 9
|Jun precipitation days = 8
|Jul precipitation days = 4
|Aug precipitation days = 5
|Sep precipitation days = 8
|Oct precipitation days = 12
|Nov precipitation days = 17
|Dec precipitation days = 17
|year precipitation days = 135
{{cite web
|url = http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=671054&refer=&cityname=Blakely-Island-Washington-United-States-of-America&units=us
|title = Weatherbase: Historical Weather or Blakely Island, Washington |publisher= Weatherbase |accessdate = November 25, 2012}}|date= November 2012
}}
See also
- {{portal-inline|Islands}}
- {{portal-inline|Pacific Northwest}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Blakely Island, Washington}}
{{Wikivoyage|Blakely Island}}
- [https://www.census.gov Blakely Island: Block 2000, Census Tract 9605, San Juan County, Washington] United States Census Bureau
{{San Juan County, Washington}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Unincorporated communities in San Juan County, Washington