Les and John’s 2019 EXTREME Winter Cruise

Dec 25, 2000
5,704
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
John saved us hours!!! My hero
Looks as though from your latest position you made it to one of the Fossil Bay docks. Nice long day of cruising. Time to kick back and have a brew. I can just smell the corn beef cooking. Yum.
 
Apr 5, 2009
2,774
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
Hi Hayden, currents can run 2-2.5 MPH at maximum flow. Hopefully, they transited on an ebb heading north. Otherwise, very slow going.
Terry, What is the secrete code to the channel? I have never been able to figure out the currents in the ditch and always get them wrong (only been that way maybe 5 times one-way trips total). Deception pass is very easy to get info on and I am happy to go through anytime the current is going my way. The max current I have been through was 7.5 knots for the start of the Round Whidbey race in 2006. I routinely go through at 5-6 knots and once did a 6.1 at 1:00 a.m. to get an extra day on a short cruise to the islands.
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
The park ranger was here so had to pay the toll. No snow or ice anywhere but on Mahalo.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Hi Mark.......... We are on a buoy alone in Sucia. We breezed by Anacortes at about noon. After we negotiated the Swinging Train bridge that was closed. Sweet talked the bridge Minder. He chased the track guys off the bridge and when opened we powered through. There were some tense moments as we circled waiting for the bridge man to answer our call on VHF13. Made friends. He opened the bridge and wished us good luck.

Next time stop at Anacortes and go get beer with Mark.
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,704
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Terry, What is the secrete code to the channel?
Hi Hayden, wrote an article about my experiences transiting the channel many many times. We keep our boat in Shelter Bay, so three basic pointers using Bellingham as my tide reference point:
1. Always transit the channel during at least a one plus tide state. Our boat drafts five feet. This tide states ensures enough water for a clear passage.
2. Heading home into the north entrance, best time is about one hour or more after the flood begins.
3. Heading out north, best time is about one hour or more after the ebb begins.

South entrance is similar. I wait a bit longer since it takes more time for the tide state to build into the south entrance, unlike the north entrance. There is a convergence zone about at the rainbow bridge, but that varies depending upon tide state.

The thread that I wrote awhile ago is here: https://forums.sailboatowners.com/i...siting-the-ditch-er-swinomish-channel.176907/

During maximum flow through the channel, following the current will move the boat along at 7-8 knots (2-2.5 MPH current common), as opposed to 3-4 knots when bucking the current. It is eight miles from Shelter Bay to the north entrance buoy. That means doing it in an hour as opposed to two.
 
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Jan 25, 2011
2,391
S2 11.0A Anacortes, WA
Hi Mark.......... We are on a buoy alone in Sucia. We breezed by Anacortes at about noon. After we negotiated the Swinging Train bridge that was closed. Sweet talked the bridge Minder. He chased the track guys off the bridge and when opened we powered through. There were some tense moments as we circled waiting for the bridge man to answer our call on VHF13. Made friends. He opened the bridge and wished us good luck.

Next time stop at Anacortes and go get beer with Mark.
I’ve heard the bridge tender is pretty accomodating.. I never have a reason transit the slough. Stop in and I’ll buy ya beer or two..or three...
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Mooring ball convenient. Anchor still frozen to deck under snow and ice. Need to get it sitting in the sunshine for a bit. But we keep heading north. The couple of hours cruising with the sun on the port side from Guemes to Sucia softened the ice there and we were able to clear it from the deck without damage. Learned iced lines are slow to run through blocks. They do make pretty shapes.
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Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Welcome to "Almost Canada" Pt. Roberts. Glad the weather held for you. Remember, last chance for cheap booze. Buy some, open the bottle, use some, and declare everything when you check in in Vancouver. "I bought too much 'cuz we have a friend visiting from New Joisy," is usually not a good excuse. But maybe once they meet Ward they'll understand... Ain't worth me going to the RCMP to bail you out for smugglin'! :)
 

Ward H

.
Nov 7, 2011
3,645
Catalina 30 Mk II Barnegat, NJ
"I bought too much 'cuz we have a friend visiting from New Joisy," is usually not a good excuse. But maybe once they meet Ward they'll understand...
Hey Stu, I resent (or is it resemble? one of those,) that remark.
Just because I’m from Joisy, sheesh:biggrin:
 
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Dec 25, 2000
5,704
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Woohoo! Pt. Roberts, nice place. Getting pretty close to Vancouver. Just around the corner, kinda. Where did you clear Customs?
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Customs... We don't need no stinking Customs..

Pt Roberts is still in the US protectorate. So we were considered acceptable to the locals. The exchange of money was a bit of an issue. But plastic is accepted just about anywhere.

We were treated like royalty and allowed to buy beer as we both looked a bit over 20...
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
The first thing you see upon entering the harbor is the big long Customs dock on the east side of the waterway. SO kinda yes we cleared past customs. Les was thumbing his nose a bit but no one was there. I think they were all up at the border office on the single road. The guys at the fuel dock said that the area is like an island gated community. There are no Home Owners dues, but two big bad police forces stopping all traffic into and out of the community. The most popular legal issue. Canadians running stop signs and speeding. All running to get to one of the 6 private postal facilities. Big business here. Amazon runs a truck here to support the Canadian habit. Buy in the US. Ship to the US. Save the tariff.
 
Jan 5, 2017
2,263
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
I see you're making good progress and staying out of the way of the ferries. Are you sailing or using the " Iron Jenny"?