Horn Island Artist’s Retreat

Rejuvenation on wild seashore thriving with life, Nov 23 - 28, 2022

Starfish, Horn Island West End

Now boarding seats in 29-foot long voyageur canoes bound for Horn Island.

Artist’s Retreat 2019 Base Camp, near Walter’s Crossing

Pick place for your tent; we’ll set up base camp for five days of creative introspection…

Horseshoe Lagoon, Horn Island

…and exploration of a wild seashore paradise, thriving in all layers of creation.

Seagrass and raccoon tracks, Horn Island

Follow the timeless patterns of nature, the temporary tracks in the sand.

Osprey Nests, Horn Island Mississippi Sound

Every day is a new adventure, a fresh rendering, in a special place overflowing with expressions and contradictions.

Horseshoe Crab, Horn Island

Strange sea creatures

Brown Pelicans, Terns, Skimmers, Gulls, Horn Island East End

Mass migrations connecting continents.

Dead Duck, Horn Island

Death is daily reminder of life.

American Alligator, Horn Island

All walks of life — from microbiota to the macro, from the smallest insects to the largest apex predators.

Fog before the storm, Mississippi Sound

From the succulent to the sublime, from layers of fog to endlessly deep Gulf Coast skies, the Milky Way, star showers, phosphorescence in the wet sand.

Waves after the storm, Gulf side, Horn Island

Surrounded by the rich, raw, wild and wonderful glory of the Gulf of Mexico.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Deserts and marshes

Roseau Cane, Horn Island Interior (Phragmites australis)

Wetlands and Wildflowers

Sea Dragon seashell & driftwood construction, Horn Island

Magic and myths

Starfish, Seashells, Horn Island West End

Animate and Inanimate

Broken Seashells in Surf, Outer Banks of Horn Island

Every morning mother nature fills a fresh canvas with her wonders of creativity and creation.

Horn Island Interior, Near East End

Pine tree sentinels, sand dune prayers

All aboard! Our vessel is a hand-crafted cypress strip voyageur canoe, in the tradition of the Great Lakes giant birchbark canoes, designed for big waves and long open water crossings.

Horn Island Artist’s/Naturalist’s Retreat
Nov 23 - 28, 2022

Six-Day expedition to the wildest and most remote of the Mississippi Barrier Islands, Horn Island. All paddle together in 29' hand crafted cypress strip voyageur style canoe, very safe & stable.  Canoes are carved in the voyageur tradition of the Great Lakes.

Horn Island is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and was delicately & articulately celebrated by the legendary naturalist-artist Walter Anderson in watercolors, prints, pottery, wood sculpture and journaling.   

Horn Island thrives with birds, crustaceans, fish, amphibians, insects — all levels of life — a strange mix of continental and sea creatures — such as bald eagles & blue crabs, alligators & bottlenose dolphins, raccoons and manta rays, skunks, skinks and skimmers.  Fall 2022 currently features annual mass migrations of monarch butterflies, white pelicans, loons, terns, and many others.

Meet in Ocean Springs, MS.  Park your vehicle.  Pack bags. 1 day paddling out, 5 days on island, 1 day paddling back.

$850 total for guiding, outfitting (big canoe, paddles, life jackets and all necessary water safety gear), meals, dry bags, kitchen ware and camp setup, all food prep, cooking & cleaning. No previous experience necessary, but must be willing to paddle long miles, and be comfortable in primitive camping conditions on wild beach on remote island. 6 minimum, 12 maximum.

We will set up base camp on island for 5 days of island and seashore exploration. Long open water crossings and possible inclement weather. Must be in fairly good shape.  Must be comfortable with big waves and extended sustained long distance paddling.

Questions or reservations: call 662-902-7841 or email john@island63.com