Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Jefferson County, Washington. The nearest town is Port Townsend, about 12.3 km (7.6 mi) away (Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge lies W of town).
Protection Island is an island located in the Strait of Juan de Fuca just north of Discovery Bay in northeastern Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The island has a land area of 379 acres (153 ha). It is a federally protected National Wildlife Refuge; boats are not permitted within 200 yards (180 m) for the safety and health of wildlife on and near the shores. There is only one individual still living on the island not associated with the government. Marty Bluewater has lifetime use of his inholding cabin on the island's southern bluffs. The island also houses a caretaker, a volunteer hired by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to watch over the island and take care of its many inhabitants. Boat trips from nearby Port Townsend, Washington provide ecotourism visits for viewing wildlife from the adjacent waters. Spanish explorers were the first Europeans to find the...From the Wikipedia article “Protection Island (Washington)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (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 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 52° NE | 9:16 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:00 AM | 126° SE | 4:21 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 21m |
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
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:49 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 48m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 40m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:30 AM | 5:12 AM | 6:01 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:56 PM | 16h 02m |
| July | 4:49 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:15 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:09 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 41m |
| August | 5:33 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:56 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:08 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:50 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:56 PM | 8h 23m |
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 Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| 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 | 3:49 AM – 4:19 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:53 AM – 2:53 AM | 1.0 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:38 AM – 1:38 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 11:59 PM – 12:49 AM | 0.8 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:34 PM – 10:54 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.07 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 44% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 58 | 68 | 69 | 83 | 91 | 91 | 94 | 94 | 93 | 78 | 64 | 58 |
| Low °F | 10 | 15 | 21 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 47 | 46 | 41 | 28 | 15 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.4 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 8.1 | 6.7 |
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 national wildlife refuge
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
LighthouseLighthouse
Lighthouse
LakeState ParkLighthouse
National Wildlife RefugeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Louella Cabin18.9 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
- Fort Casey Campground18.9 km (11.7 mi)
- Dungeness Forks Campground22 km (14 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge from Port Townsend?
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.