Probably since before exploration, men have claimed ownership of just about everything above and below the surface of the ocean, and this includes the San Juan Islands.
The good news is that the arguments of who owns what and where are pretty much settled. The bad news is that, as a boater staring across the water at some desirable beach or mudflat (if there is such a thing) you don’t know what to do, or where to land.
Just because it’s legal to anchor doesn't make it a good idea.
You can walk most beaches, below the normal high water line, but many properties own the adjacent tidelands and may or may not be marked. Not all shorelines have beaches and so private land will extend to the water’s edge. Most of the dry land (above high water) is private and you will be trespassing if you come ashore and hike into the woods. Some landowners don’t care if you come ashore, and some do. Many will have signs that alert you to their wishes and you should respect their wishes. If it were me I would not anchor off shore from a sign that said no trespassing, why ruffle someone’s feathers by anchoring or walking in their backyard.
There are places, marked and some not marked, where seagrass has been damaged, and signs ask you to anchor elsewhere.
Who’s not for being an environmentalist? Just move along, there’s plenty of other places to drop a hook.
At resorts and marinas, (Roche, Friday, Deer, Rosario, Fishermans, etc, etc etc., you will usually see boats anchored nearby, just follow their lead and anchor your boat too. Ask someone where the dinghy dock is and go spend some money. You may be thinking, how long can I anchor and what’s the cost, so I remind you it’s public, it's free, and you can anchor as long as you want.
There are some exceptions, but we don’t need to discuss them now, or ever, so go have a good cruising day.
