Anyone planning to tour the San Juans this summer?
- Thread starter $tingy Sailor
- Start date
So let's keep this thread alive.
A couple weeks ago I did 9 days on the ol' tub. First couple days bouncing around the San Juans with my daughter, then I dropped her off at Roche so she could get back to her job. The rest of the trip was solo, just putting as many miles under the keel as I could. I hopscotched from Sidney, through the Gulfs, to Nanaimo, across the strait to Bowen Island, then all the way back down to the San Juans. Ports of call:
Vendovi Island
Matia Island
Garrison Bay
Roche Harbor
Sidney
Sidney Spit
Montague Harbor
Wallace Island
Nanaimo
Bowen Island
Pt Roberts
Patos Island
Rosario
Highlights of the trip:
Spending a few days in paradise with my kidlette
Seeing an assortment of odd animals (bighorn sheep, elk, moose maybe?) on Speiden Island as we sailed by
Swimming and freezing my ass off from the white sand beach of Sidney Spit
Anchoring and stern tying solo from the kayak on Wallace Island
The 3 hour, 6.5 knot solo spinnaker run to Nanaimo, complete with a major broaching!,
Finding a spot on the free government dock on Bowen Island after being told the marina had no $60/night slips available
Doing trig with AIS signals as I dodged 1 outgoing and 2 incoming ferries by Tswassen under sail
Having Patos Island all to myself
It was a fantastic week. Wish I could swing another week soon, but I'm afraid it's just day sails, races and weekend outings for the rest of the summer. Yeah, I know, first world problem.
A couple weeks ago I did 9 days on the ol' tub. First couple days bouncing around the San Juans with my daughter, then I dropped her off at Roche so she could get back to her job. The rest of the trip was solo, just putting as many miles under the keel as I could. I hopscotched from Sidney, through the Gulfs, to Nanaimo, across the strait to Bowen Island, then all the way back down to the San Juans. Ports of call:
Vendovi Island
Matia Island
Garrison Bay
Roche Harbor
Sidney
Sidney Spit
Montague Harbor
Wallace Island
Nanaimo
Bowen Island
Pt Roberts
Patos Island
Rosario
Highlights of the trip:
Spending a few days in paradise with my kidlette
Seeing an assortment of odd animals (bighorn sheep, elk, moose maybe?) on Speiden Island as we sailed by
Swimming and freezing my ass off from the white sand beach of Sidney Spit
Anchoring and stern tying solo from the kayak on Wallace Island
The 3 hour, 6.5 knot solo spinnaker run to Nanaimo, complete with a major broaching!,
Finding a spot on the free government dock on Bowen Island after being told the marina had no $60/night slips available
Doing trig with AIS signals as I dodged 1 outgoing and 2 incoming ferries by Tswassen under sail
Having Patos Island all to myself
It was a fantastic week. Wish I could swing another week soon, but I'm afraid it's just day sails, races and weekend outings for the rest of the summer. Yeah, I know, first world problem.
Planning on taking a two-week trip to the San Juan Islands in late August. I know the winds can be fickle and the fog present that time of year, so looking for advice on finding/avoiding each. Tentative itinerary currently looks like:
From our home port in Tacoma, we'll head to Winslow, Eagle Harbor, then up to Langley on Whidbey Island.
We want to visit some friends on Whidbey, so will overnight at Cornet Bay to wait for the tide window and shoot through Deception Pass.
Into the islands, we're planning to stop at Spencer Spit, Sucia Island, Stuart Island, and Roache Harbor. We'll probably head over to Deer Island Resort and stop in Blind Bay and then decide whether to backtrack to Friday Harbor. We want to spend the last night anchored off Center Island to give us a good head start down to Port Townsend and Mystery Bay to meet up with a family camp out. Heading home, we'll hit Port Madison and then back down to Tacoma.
Overall, I'm allowing 6 days to transit up and back to the islands and 7 days there. I tried to plan a mix of anchoring and marinas to allow for refueling and dumping waste, as well as eat a few nice meals ashore. My copy of Waggoner's is getting earmarked, but any personal recommendations about what to do, what to avoid is always appreciated.
From our home port in Tacoma, we'll head to Winslow, Eagle Harbor, then up to Langley on Whidbey Island.
We want to visit some friends on Whidbey, so will overnight at Cornet Bay to wait for the tide window and shoot through Deception Pass.
Into the islands, we're planning to stop at Spencer Spit, Sucia Island, Stuart Island, and Roache Harbor. We'll probably head over to Deer Island Resort and stop in Blind Bay and then decide whether to backtrack to Friday Harbor. We want to spend the last night anchored off Center Island to give us a good head start down to Port Townsend and Mystery Bay to meet up with a family camp out. Heading home, we'll hit Port Madison and then back down to Tacoma.
Overall, I'm allowing 6 days to transit up and back to the islands and 7 days there. I tried to plan a mix of anchoring and marinas to allow for refueling and dumping waste, as well as eat a few nice meals ashore. My copy of Waggoner's is getting earmarked, but any personal recommendations about what to do, what to avoid is always appreciated.
Whew! Pretty aggressive sail plan for two weeks covering a lot of territory. Good luck.
As far as finding/avoiding winds, water state is a good indicator as to where the wind is and strength. Mornings usually pretty quiet, then afternoons bring onshore breezes that can become quite strong. VHF weather 4 is a pretty good source of weather state.
Fogust? Again the forecasters. If there is a white cloud down to the water with visibility near zero, fog is present, usually in the morning
. Sun usually burns it off, or the wind blows it away, in the afternoon.We have a good GPS (Garmin 178C) for navigation purposes, so fog is the least of my worries. Wind can become quite strong through various narrow waterways, such as East Sound, Orcas Island and Penn Cove on Whidbey Island, Saratoga Passage, Port Gardner (Everett).
Also, pay attention to the tide state. Currents can run quite strong in the north/south channels, such as San Juan Channel, President Channel, Spieden Channel, Bellingham Channel, Rosario Strait. East/West channels less so. Try hard to plan your passage with a following current. You will reach your destination much faster. Generally, if you are north of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the flood currents flow north, ebb currents south. Vice versa south of the Strait.
Hope this helps.
Thanks, Terry. Pretty much what I was expecting about forecasts. I don't have radar, so planning to avoid the major shipping channels if visibility is at all limited. The schedule is flexible other than departing in time for the admiral to get back to work. If we decide to relax an extra day in one place, we'll pick something else to come back to next time.
I had not looked at currents yet other than going through Deception Pass. Unfortunately, unless I want to wait all day for the next slack tide, I will end up bucking the current as we enter the islands on the first day. Otherwise, we can go with the flow.
I had not looked at currents yet other than going through Deception Pass. Unfortunately, unless I want to wait all day for the next slack tide, I will end up bucking the current as we enter the islands on the first day. Otherwise, we can go with the flow.
I Moore in Blaine and the Parking is very Good the Marina has all the good things Showers at gate 2 and Laundry. Also the entrance is good and deep just from the entrance you can hoist the Sails and Catch the wind. Sucia Island I would make the first stop about a 2 1/2 hour sail it about 19nm from the entrance and a Pretty strait shot you'll be heeling to Port due to the winds are usually coming down towards Bellingham just set auto Pilot to Sucia cord. and watch the Radar for other vessels you will have to watch for Ore ships and Tankers towards Cherry Point. From My House I watch Sailors go to the Island on a Reg. Basic's it is a Popular Visiting place the Crabs are Huge in this area as well as Shrimp Coon Strip's there are as Good as the spot shrimp but I think there smaller but a Bucket of the fine sea Creatures are a delight with some fresh crab and some Veggies and you have the best Seafood Dinner there could be. This is my General Sailing area The Strait can and will be Fear Some at Time so Be Prepared I always am Tied in while on deck secured to the Jack Line at all times Wind can Go from Calm Breeze to a Force 5 in no time at all I have been there and have had it happen two many times to count but still when you are used to it Things become Normal everyday Sailing Just Stronger wind an inexperienced Sailor will have difficulty especially if they don't know what to do. Be Careful and you'll do Just fine Blaine also has some very nice Places to eat as well. Let the wind Blow your Hair and Fill your Sails and Enjoy the Greatest Life SAILING