Saddlebag North Cove

Click here for Long-Term trends

Saddlebag North Cove is located in the Washington Salish Sea. Saddlebag Island is located within Saddlebag Island Marine State Park and is part of the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) and managed as a boat-in marine park by the WA State Parks Dept. The island has maintained day use facilities, primitive camping and experiences moderate seasonal use. This area experiences complex tidal currents due to its location adjacent to tidal flats and major channels and is 4.1 km NE of two active oil refineries. 

Saddlebag North Cove is dominated by consolidated bedrock (metamorphosed serpentinite), and the area surrounding the site is comprised of a mixture of consolidated bedrock and boulder fields. This moderately sloping site consists of extremely uneven terrain, containing many deep cracks and folds. The primary coastal orientation of this site is northwest.

Long-Term Monitoring Surveys at Saddlebag North Cove were established in 2009, and are conducted by the Padilla Bay NERR staff. Long-Term monitoring surveys currently target the following species: Chthamalus/Balanus (Acorn Barnacles), Fucus (Northern Rockweed), and Pisaster (Ochre Star). Click here to view Long-Term trends at this site.

For more information about Saddlebag North Cove, please contact Heath Bohlmann (hbohlmann@padillabay.gov).