Pacific Northwest Sailing Suggestions (US)

[MikeHoncho]

Last August, my wife and I took an ASA 104 class departing from Olympia. One of the nights we spent on a mooring ball next to Blake Island, directly across from (west of) Seattle. You'll have to check to verify but I believe that it was free for the night.

Nope. Overnight stays are the regular rate for all Washington State Parks buoys. From the website….
Fees are charged year round for mooring at docks, floats, and buoys from 1 p.m. to 8 a.m.

• Mooring bouys are non-reservable and first-come, first-served.
• The daily fee is 70 cents per foot, with a minimum of $15
• Moorage buoys is $15 a night

 

[Terry Cox]

I never pay for State Park docks/mooring balls. Much prefer to anchor out away from all the noise. DNR does not charge for mooring balls. Odd that the State Parks charge but State DNR does not.

 

[MikeHoncho]

I never pay for State Park docks/mooring balls. Much prefer to anchor out away from all the noise. DNR does not charge for mooring balls. Odd that the State Parks charge but State DNR does not.

Where are DNR balls located? How are they marked?

 

[Terry Cox]

Where are DNR balls located? How are they marked?

The east side of Cypress Island has three locations with mooring balls marked DNR:

Cypress Head - 4
Eagle Harbor - 15
Pelican Beach - 6

Last year DNR installed four mooring balls in a small cove between Eagle Harbor and Pelican Beach, but for some reason not there this year. Whether they plan to replace them, not sure.

 

[MikeHoncho]

interesting. there is nothing about it on their website. Only privately owned balls licensed by the DNR

 

[pipedream]

Depends on where you look:

Washington 100

wa100.dnr.wa.gov

You should also take as look at DNR state beaches, in the island. Look over on the WDFW shell fishing map

 

[SoSound]

Very interesting... I had always assumed that the DNR mooring buoys were only intended to be used by DNR vessels.

 

[pipedream]

I never pay for State Park docks/mooring balls. Much prefer to anchor out away from all the noise. DNR does not charge for mooring balls. Odd that the State Parks charge but State DNR does not.

short answer

DNR uses the mooring bouys to preserve eel grass as part of managing cypress island.

Parks bouys were set up by us boaters through fuel tax, until the funding was stripped out by the current administration.

Parks was left with no funding for management and maintenance until last year.

Bouys keep our chain rode from mowing down eel grass in high use areas. Eel grass is where herring attach their eggs during spawing season, among other creatures.

No herring, no salmon.

I buy the season pass.

 

[MikeHoncho]

Defiantly keep them in mind but depending on them over state balls seems very limiting. I do not recoup by state permit each year on price point but I feel I do not having to find the pay box to pay especially with late night arrivals and early morning departures. It’s always good to have options and the DNR balls are another.

 

[Terry Cox]

DNR uses the mooring bouys to preserve eel grass as part of managing cypress island.

Parks and DNR use moorings for the same reason, to preserve fish breeding habitats. According to DNR their agency has overall State oversight over WA State waterways except in certain circumstances. Why one agency charges and the other does not, still a puzzle. Anyway, best that all islands that have been purchased by the State revert to wilderness areas, IMHO. Besides, my position is that the boat tab fees I pay should cover any and all use of State provided moorings/docks.

 

[Iris thomas]

I wanted a devoted GMRS radio and bought the GMRS V1 about 2 times agone. I was not happy with some effects. My two main dislikes were the lack of power and the incapability to program multiple repeaters into it as I've several in my area that is on the same frequency with different tones. The GMRS V2 fixed all the issues I had with the V1 and I plan on buying an alternate bone. I've formerly encouraged some musketeers to try it to replace their gmrs radios and they aren't happy with
moreover.