Belle-Vie and her crew has spent many a times during all seasons at Friday Harbor. It offers the visitors a quaint town with several shops, very good restaurants (Haleys makes a delicious cheese burger deluxe), Kings market that includes a bakery and deli department, and a well stocked hardware store and marine chandlery upstairs, plus an Ace type home hardware store up town. West Marine even has a store for you other boaters.
Getting to Friday Harbor needs to include a sail plan. San Juan channel has strong currents, sometimes three to four plus. South bound traffic, coming out of Haro Strait, President Channel, Speiden Channel or Wasp Pass, is best done during an ebb. North bound traffic coming from Cattle Pass or Upright Channel is best done during a flood. Otherwise, going can be pretty slow for a sailboat.
Upon arriving Friday Harbor, the well equipped marina offers the visitors reasonable guest moorage, or as we prefer, reciprocal one day moorage at the end of F dock. There is also a nice cove just north of the marina if you prefer anchoring, which we have also done when the marina is full during the high season. Frequent Washington State ferry arrivals and departures brings some wake and traffic activity. Otherwise, the harbor is mostly serene, especially during the winter months.
For those who want to venture into the hinterlands Friday Harbor has bicycle and scooter rental shops with several country scenic road choices as well as community bus service. Small aircraft and helicopters also frequent the local airport. Or if you prefer you can spend several hours touring their local whale museum.
Two backup anchoring alternatives in the event you need them about two to three miles away from the marina include Parks Bay, a very nice secluded anchorage with no shore access and Turn Island state park that normally has three and sometimes four mooring balls. The small Island offers good hiking trails picnic areas and pit toilets.
http://www.islandcam.com/index.php/friday-harbor/
Getting to Friday Harbor needs to include a sail plan. San Juan channel has strong currents, sometimes three to four plus. South bound traffic, coming out of Haro Strait, President Channel, Speiden Channel or Wasp Pass, is best done during an ebb. North bound traffic coming from Cattle Pass or Upright Channel is best done during a flood. Otherwise, going can be pretty slow for a sailboat.
Upon arriving Friday Harbor, the well equipped marina offers the visitors reasonable guest moorage, or as we prefer, reciprocal one day moorage at the end of F dock. There is also a nice cove just north of the marina if you prefer anchoring, which we have also done when the marina is full during the high season. Frequent Washington State ferry arrivals and departures brings some wake and traffic activity. Otherwise, the harbor is mostly serene, especially during the winter months.
For those who want to venture into the hinterlands Friday Harbor has bicycle and scooter rental shops with several country scenic road choices as well as community bus service. Small aircraft and helicopters also frequent the local airport. Or if you prefer you can spend several hours touring their local whale museum.
Two backup anchoring alternatives in the event you need them about two to three miles away from the marina include Parks Bay, a very nice secluded anchorage with no shore access and Turn Island state park that normally has three and sometimes four mooring balls. The small Island offers good hiking trails picnic areas and pit toilets.
http://www.islandcam.com/index.php/friday-harbor/
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