Double Bluff Beach is a beach in Island County, Washington. The nearest town is Freeland, about 2.0 km (1.2 mi) away (Double Bluff Beach lies SE of town).
Double Bluff Beach is a beach and headland on Whidbey Island in the U.S. state of Washington. The beach tidelands themselves comprise Double Bluff State Park. The uplands and access areas are operated by Island County, Washington as Double Bluff County Park and Beach Access.From the Wikipedia article “Double Bluff Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Double Bluff Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 53° NE | 9:14 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:58 AM | 126° SE | 4:20 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 22m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:46 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:20 PM | 8h 49m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:18 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:20 PM | 15h 10m |
| June | 4:30 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:59 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:53 PM | 16h 01m |
| July | 4:48 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 39m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 19m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:54 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:48 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:54 PM | 8h 24m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Double Bluff Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. June gives the longest window (about 1.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:46 AM – 4:16 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:48 AM – 2:58 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:27 AM – 1:47 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:53 PM – 12:53 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:31 PM – 10:51 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.27 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (80%). August is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 64 | 63 | 71 | 87 | 90 | 93 | 100 | 91 | 91 | 79 | 71 | 60 |
| Low °F | 13 | 15 | 25 | 29 | 31 | 40 | 46 | 46 | 39 | 28 | 16 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.7 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 4.8 | 7.5 | 6.8 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Holly Farms Harbor, Holmes Harbor, Whidbey I., 3.8 km (2.4 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Double Bluff Beach, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
LighthouseLighthouseLighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Double Bluff Beach?
What time is golden hour at Double Bluff Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Double Bluff Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Double Bluff Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Double Bluff Beach?
How far is Double Bluff Beach from Freeland?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.