Pacific Northwest Sailing Suggestions (US)

PaulK · Feb 4, 2022

Others will know more, but there is ample ferry service from outlying spots like Bainbridge Island to/from Seattle. Check the schedules.

Terry Cox · Feb 4, 2022

Hi Doug, a couple of questions:

1. Any time constraints?
2. Do you have a good anchoring system that you have used before?
3. Where do plan on crossing, east or west side of Georgia Strait?

I've spent many years cruising BC and Puget Sound waters. Both have much to offer. Poulsbo is as far south as I've gone, A Waggoner's Cruising guide provides good information about the assortment of anchorages in our area, but to your specific question, if coming down the east side of the Strait, a few that we have used many times make for a good layover:

1. Watmough Bay on the south east side of Lopez Island with well groomed hiking trails around Iceberg Point.
2. The east side of Cypress Island also has well groomed hiking trails and several free DNR mooring balls.
3. Blind Bay is a good anchorage, but limited shore access.

West side include Reid Harbor and Prevost Harbor on Stuart Island, and Garrison Bay on the north end of San Juan Island.

Let's all hope the border will open.

Hello Below · Feb 4, 2022

YVRguy said:
Greetings;

From my home in Vancouver I have spent the last 10 years sailing the the cruising grounds of the Georgia Strait, from the Gulf Islands to Desolation Sound. Now in anticipation of our border reopening this year, I am turning my thoughts to the south. The San Juans are the obvious and most immediate destination but I'm hoping folks can share your favourite destinations between the border and as far south as say, Seattle/Tacoma, along with your general appraisal of the sailing. I have never been south of Friday Harbour in my boat.

One specific question I have is whether there is a marina or anchorage close enough to Seattle to warrant a night ashore downtown as the ultimate destination.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice you can offer.

Just to clarify, the Canadian/US border is currently open and has been open for recreational boaters albeit with restrictions.
First off, I highly recommend you set up and use the mobile App to allow you to easily clear US customs online. CBP Reporting Offsite Arrival Mobile (ROAM). It is free and well worth the initial effort. If you have the luxury of time, I suggest you do not restrict your destination to Tacoma. The areas beyond the Tacoma Narrow Bridge are some of the best the state has to offer. Their state capital is at the bitter end of the Puget Sound. I also recommend that if you are going to spend any amount of time cruising in the state that you take advantage of their Marine Park Permit. I believe it is around $5/foot and is good for a calendar year. We spent 8 weeks in the Sound area (down to Olympia) in 2018 and moored approx 45 nights in the parks. For several years we use to schedule a trip down to Seattle when the Blue Jays were in town. Bell Harbor Marina is 10 minute walk from the stadiums and a bus ride to Fisheries Supply and the flagship for West Marine. Bring lots of money cause you are going to want to spoil your baby. Alternatively you can moor/anchor/tie up in Eagle Hbr and hop on the WA State ferry. Drops you off just down from Pike's Pier. Many favorites down there. These are just a few of our favourties stops: Tacoma ( Glass Museum ++), Poulsbo (Little Norway) is a must stop, Blake Island (Tillicum Village and salmon bake), Port Townsend (causes it is Port Townsend), Everett (Boeing tour), Olympia (tour of the state capital buildings) and I could go on and on. Recommend purchasing Waggoner's Cruising Guide and go nuts.

jssailem · Feb 5, 2022

Hello. You got so good ideas. When we sailed up to Vancouver we went through Point Roberts. It is a short trip from Vancouver. CBP port of entry, as are Anacortes, Friday Harbor, and Roche Harbor.

Use of the ROAM app is good. Needs a camera and voice to live talk with the agent. They want to see you and all guests on the video.

Took me longer to enter US than Canada. But it worked.

nightowle · Feb 5, 2022

Bell harbor marina is directly in downtown Seattle. Elliot Bay Marina is a short hop to the center of town via Uber or a bus. The Tillicum Village on Blake Island the native longhouse is now closed, but Blake Island is a state park with a small marina and mooring balls. We travel here quite a bit as it's a real favorite. Dock space can be hard to get on weekends, best to try to get there early or even later in the day when day-trippers are gone. Rafting up at the dock is expected and that increases moorage chances. Mooring balls are ok, but the water around the island isn't protected so weather plays a part in your choice. If you travel further south, Gig Harbor is a nice place to visit. There's transient moorage but we always anchor. The Tides Tavern lets you moor at their dock for several hours while you dine and during Covid, they had wait staff on the dock taking orders and bringing food directly to the boats. I imagine that will happen again, this summer. North of Seattle on the Sound is Edmonds. Getting transient moorage is fairly easy and we like walking the town. Lots of bars, restaurants, and shops in a tidy town. Further north from there is Langley, a small village with nice restaurants and shops, and a harbor that's pleasant but small on the East side of Whidbey Island not too far from Everett. It's usually best to call ahead for a reservation. Although you can anchor just outside the harbor area.

Stu Jackson · Feb 5, 2022

YVRguy said:
We're coming from Vancouver so no need to cross the Juan de Fuca.

What route are you planning?

YVRguy said:
clearing customs in either Roache or Friday Harbor.

Having done both (and reading a LOT) over the course of the years I've been clearing into the US in the San Juan Islands: avoid Friday Harbor, clear in at Roche. It is much easier and the personnel are much more courteous. Takes less time, too, even if you're going a few nm out of your way. Trying to clear in at Friday could ruin an otherwise terrific day.
And please spell the nasme of the place properly, that's courteous, too.

jssailem · Feb 5, 2022

As Stu has shared, the folks at Roche Harbor are very friendly of ran in person experience.

The Waggoner's Guide is a great resource.

I have had a similar experience from the CBP Officer that is in Port Townsend. Two marinas in Port Townsend.

Point Hudson is the upscale site at the former Coast Guard barracks. Close to town and the waterfront. Pt Hudson requires you to make your reservation online. There is a reservation fee. The CBP officer will come to the marina, but you need to call and make a reservation with him.

There is also Boat Haven. It feels more the industrial site. Lots of boats, less expensive. further from downtown, but closer to the Safeway.

Across the is an interesting anchorage. Mystery Bay. Watch the tides as the entry in to the bay has some shoaling issues. Well protected. Access to Mystery Bay State Park on Marrowstone Island. The site once was a haven for the Rum Runners who brought booze from Canada to the Seattle Speakeasies.

Dash through hte Port Townsend Canal at the south end of Port Townsend Bay and duck into Port Ludlow. A great anchorage, and a sweet marina catering to the needs of the visiting boater. A grilled salmon and bottle of wine are a pleasant way to enjoy the sunset at the Resort.

Other North Sound sites with fun experiences, include the marinas mentioned by @Hello Below : Poulsbo, Everett, and Seattle Bell Harbor. @nightowle's suggestion of Edmonds, Gig Harbor and Langley all are on our "lets go there" list.

To the list I would add Port Orchard or the new water front at Bremerton. You can find fun tours of the US Navy Moth Ball fleet. A great Ice Cream store at Port Orchard near the Marina. Kingston has a friendly marina and a couple of tasty pubs. Anacortes is a fun marina, interesting historical places to explore and good restaurant options. A visit down the Swinomish Ditch brings you to the sheltered side of Whidbey Island and the opportunity to visit La Connor. Spring time is spruced up with the Tulip fields.

Anchorages at Hope Island, Cornet Bay, and Bowman Bay all offer good holding and protected anchorages as long as the wind is not directly not into the anchorage.

So many options. Come to visit, and stay the Summer exploring the waters of the Puget Sound. Commander Vancouver took more than a year.

Stu Jackson · Feb 5, 2022

jssailem said:
Dash through hte Port Townsend Canal at the south end of Port Townsend Bay and duck into Port Ludlow.

Should one mention that mast height is critical?

SoSound · Feb 5, 2022

Why not clear in at the first possible opportunity (if you are required to actually stop in person), Blaine, Bellingham, Anacortes? Get the formalities over with ASAP, and then get on with the cruising! Why go all the way over to the west side of the San Juans, if you’re not crossing from Swartz Bay? OTOH, it is almost due south of YVR…. I still think that it’s a bit of a detour to go west to Friday Harbor or Roche when heading south. Anacortes has a big Safeway just across from Cap Santa Marina to load up on the things that are not supposed to cross the border.

The strategy for our first couple of visits to B.C. was to make a list of friend’s favorites and then try to hit as many as possible either coming or going. I would second just about every recommendation that I’ve seen here, so far, most of the rest are still on my list of places that I have yet to visit.

Currents are an issue in the Puget Sound, just as they are in the Gulf Islands. In particular, Deception Pass (which is out of sync with the rest of the region) and the Point Wilson Rip Current near Port Townsend. One thing that you may not have experienced yet, is that the direction of the flood and ebb currents will be opposite of what you are familiar with once you are south of the San Juans.

Kings Gambit · Feb 5, 2022

He said that the planned route is by way of the southern Gulf Islands. Perhaps access the Islands via Active Pass arriving from Vancouver, then exit using the Swanson Channel into the Haro Strait, and then on to Roche Harbor to clear. That would be the expeditious route if passing through the Gulf Islands. Less direct would be to access via Porlier Pass, but that’s a good alternative if you wanted get out of Georgia Strait early. (I imagine that you know all of that.) After clearing, can continue down the Haro Strait then bear east for a stopover at Watmough Bay, Lopez Island, before getting on down into the Sound, or heading up into the San Juans. I like to reach my turn-around point early, so if you’re going to Seattle and beyond it might be better to push on from there.

jssailem · Feb 6, 2022

As stated the first challenge is clearing customs.
In October, there were few to nearly no boats crossing. Staffing of the system at 4:45 PM may have contributed to the delay. It felt like to me, that is about the time for a crew change. Talking to the Officer in Friday Harbor, he preferred that I use the ROAM App. I completed the APPs questions in less than 5 minutes. Then I had to wait in their que for an officer to review my request. That is what took the 30 minutes. Good thing is I was cruising during the wait.

I was heading from Ganges to Friday Harbor and started my communication shortly after crossing Boundary Passage. It took the CBP till I got past Wasp Passage to answer and begin the contact portion of the process. They have you show them your face and the faces of all your crew.

Terry Cox · Feb 6, 2022

YVRguy said:
We'll probably keep our first trip south to about 10 days

Considering the amount of territory you want to cover in a sail boat, recommend that you leave south sound for another day. Too many factors will affect getting from one anchorage to the next. I suppose if you powered all the way from dawn to dusk it might work, but finding a nice anchorage where you can spend a day or more exploring the island brings more gratification, IMHO. Likewise, a slow sail to the next anchorage ten miles away makes for a better spirit than pushing a thirty or forty mile day under power, exhausted upon arrival.

We all have our preferences, but for us, sail time receives top priority. If it takes spending an hour or two bobbing until we reach an approaching wind line, that is time well spent. Powering is always a choice, but finding that obscure bit of illusive wind to pull us along breaths with satisfaction. But that is just us. Just say'n.

Hello Below · Feb 6, 2022

Stu Jackson said:
Should one mention that mast height is critical?

If the 58' (Vert CL) bridge doesn't stop you the upwards of 4kt current may. Check the tide and current tables. Don't leave home without them.

SoSound said:
Why not clear in at the first possible opportunity (if you are required to actually stop in person), Blaine, Bellingham, Anacortes?

@SoSound there are only 4 Designated Ports of Entry in the State of Washington that are set up for recreational boaters: Anacortes, Friday Hbr, Point Roberts and Roche Hbr.
Ref: Waggoner's Cruising Guide:
"All other ports will require appointments to be made in advance for face-to-face inspections (during regular business hours only). Don’t assume that if you call for an appointment you will get one."
What that really means is that you are disturbing the CBPs at these other POE. I naively cleared customs in Port Townsend once and got an earful from the grumpy CBP agent (maybe he was from Friday Hbr). I did call in about 3 hours before arrival. I shan't try that again.
Sign up with the ROAM App! Once I sent in my information through the App, I received an email thanking me and providing me with my new U.S. CBP ROAM Trip ID# within a couple of hours. I have never looked back. The ROAM website now even tells me:
"On September 15, 2021, CBP ROAM™ introduced new features that allow pleasure boaters to apply for and update cruising licenses."

SoSound · Feb 6, 2022

Hello Below said:
I naively cleared customs in Port Townsend once and got an earful from the grumpy CBP agent (maybe he was from Friday Hbr).

I think they're all grumpy. We once tried to bring a few grapes back into Montana after a Canadian ski trip, oops... we even still had the grocery receipt from the Montana store where we bought them. Canadian customs didn't even ask about fruit, they wanted to know if we were traveling with explosives or firearms.

Here is a link to Pleasure Boat Locations, it does list Point Roberts as well as Port Angeles in Washington. Neither of those locations appears in a more general classification of "Ports of Entry". Point Roberts is the closest to Vancouver, and my original thought of getting the CBP clearing process over with ASAP would still be my personal preference. From then on, you're on your own itinerary. My wife and I tend to make a mad dash over the first couple of days, to the farthest point of our cruise, and then switch to a more leisurely/exploratory mindset for our return home.

Hello Below · Feb 6, 2022

SoSound said:
"Point Roberts is the closest to Vancouver, and my original thought of getting the CBP clearing process over with ASAP would still be my personal preference. From then on, you're on your own itinerary.

With the ROAM App you can clear customs immediately after crossing the Canadian/US border even by 1 foot . . .but not before.
On one trip we were transiting from Bedwell Harbour (Pender Island, BC) to Reid Harbor (Stuart Island, WA). Under sail and about half way across Boundary Pass but still in Canadian waters, I decided it was a good time to submit my arrival. One piece of information the App submits is your GPS coordinates at the time of submission. The nice CBP agent instructed me to resubmit my arrival after I had crossed into US waters. He explained to me that he had no authority to grant my approval while outside of the USA. Thirty minutes later and 2 miles inside the border everything went smooth.

Stu Jackson · Feb 6, 2022

SoSound said:
I think they're all grumpy. We once tried to bring a few grapes back into Montana after a Canadian ski trip,

I think you are wrong. And I'm not being grumpy.
You are the grumpy guy, because you didn't follow the rules, and have the tmerity to blame the folks who did their jobs because you tried to cheat.
Shame on you.

Yes, there are KNOWN points of entry that ARE easier than others.
That is what we are sharing here.
In addition to having @Hello Below have to point out the fallacy of naming ports that are NOT entry points. Don't some of you even bother to read the govt websites and Waggoners? Golly, you even live up here...
One of the reasons Friday Harbor is so poor is that their main office is "uptown" and not right at the dock. So every time someone comes in, they have to go down to the harbor. Gee, while it's in their job description, they seem to mind doing it. In other places, they do so cheerfully.
You know, NOT grumpy.
Play by the rules and keep your grapes to yourself.