In the 1970s, man bought part of Washington island; now he's its only resident
Protection Island in Washington was once planned as a holiday community with 800 homes. Marty Bluewater bought a piece of the island in the 1970s, but conservationists later fought to protect its important wildlife habitat. In 1982, the entire 400-acre island became a National Wildlife Refuge. Bluewater was allowed to stay and eventually became its only human resident.
On Washington State’s Protection Island, Marty Bluewater is the sole inhabitant. The island, roughly 400 acres in size, became a National Wildlife Refuge in 1982, barring human access except for Bluewater. He bought a portion of the island in the early 1970s, a time when it was being marketed as a future holiday destination. However, the island’s wildlife value won out over residential plans.
After concerns were raised about potential harm to the island’s wildlife, the Nature Conservancy purchased part of the island and later sold it to Washington State. In 1982, the island was officially declared a National Wildlife Refuge.
Bluewater constructed a modest wooden cabin, initially intending it to be a weekend getaway. Over time, he grew more attached to the island, and ultimately, he decided to make it his permanent residence. He opted for a lifetime use agreement instead of a fixed-term arrangement, choosing to remain on the island despite the challenges of living alone.
Despite enduring severe storms and rare encounters with orcas, Bluewater appreciates the island's protection for future wildlife conservation, saying, "One of the reasons the other people didn’t take lifetime use is because they were being practical... I just didn’t worry about that, you know. I’ll go there as long as I can crawl up the hill."
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