Public Land
Shaw is unique among those islands served by the state ferries in having virtually no commercial or tourist-oriented facilities other than one small park, Shaw Island County Park. This park was purchased in the 1970s by Shaw Island residents so that people stranded on the island would have somewhere to go. This was necessary due to visitors illegally camping on private property out of desperation or camping at the ferry landing, which was also frowned upon.
The University of Washington also owns numerous pieces of property across the island, notably the Cedar Rock Reserve on the south side of the island (gate at the end of Hoffman Cove Road). The public is allowed to visit but it is only considered a day-use area. There is a guest book at the gate. The University has a few buildings on the property for residing research students.
Most of the island is privately owned. Because of the low population, the San Juan Island ferries make fewer stops per day at Shaw than at the other islands on the route.
Roads on Shaw are mostly inland and afford little access to, or even views of, the shoreline. There are 11.5 miles (18.5 km) of asphalt seal-coated and 2.37 miles (3.81 km) of gravel public roads on Shaw. The primary roads are three loops in the interior of the island, with branches to the ferry dock, Shaw Island County Park, Neck Point, and Broken Point, plus a few other minor ones. The "figure eight" route is popular with cyclists and only takes about two hours to see everything. Canoe Island is nestled in Indian Cove, and may be mistaken for part of Shaw when viewed from much of Upright Channel and beyond.
Read more about this topic: Shaw Island
Famous quotes containing the words public and/or land:
“Mistakes, scandals, and failures no longer signal catastrophe. The crucial thing is that they be made credible, and that the public be made aware of the efforts being expended in that direction. The “marketing” immunity of governments is similar to that of the major brands of washing powder.”
—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)
“The land is the appointed remedy for whatever is false and fantastic in our culture. The continent we inhabit is to be physic and food for our mind, as well as our body. The land, with its tranquilizing, sanative influences, is to repair the errors of a scholastic and traditional education, and bring us to just relations with men and things.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)