I'm thinking of taking my Islander 30 up the West Coast from San Francisco to Victoria, BC. Can anyone share thier experiences? What is the best season to go, sights you just can't miss, best and worst, etc. I plan to leave the boat there for a few years to check out the Gulf Islands, San Juans, etc.
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Try I-5
The trip from SF to the Straits of Juan DeFuca is one of the most infamous around. North of SF the West Coast has few harbors, lots of fog and high winds/seas, virtually always on the nose, all year round. Entering most harbors requires crossing a bar that requires critical timing of the tides and weather. Unless you have a real desire for the experience of that particular passage, I'd consider having the boat trucked up. Quicker, likely less wear & tear on the boat. The cost is comparable when you consider the fuel, time off work (assuming you're still working), crew difficulties, time lost waiting for weather windows in harbors where you have no vehicular transportation, etc.
The trip from SF to the Straits of Juan DeFuca is one of the most infamous around. North of SF the West Coast has few harbors, lots of fog and high winds/seas, virtually always on the nose, all year round. Entering most harbors requires crossing a bar that requires critical timing of the tides and weather. Unless you have a real desire for the experience of that particular passage, I'd consider having the boat trucked up. Quicker, likely less wear & tear on the boat. The cost is comparable when you consider the fuel, time off work (assuming you're still working), crew difficulties, time lost waiting for weather windows in harbors where you have no vehicular transportation, etc.
Article about a southbound trip
One of the freebe papers here in Southern California has an article by a delivery skipper about the problems of a southbound passage from Seattle. He is a columnist Capt. Rains at WWW.thelog.com and the column date is 12/29/04. He isn't very upbeat about the idea
One of the freebe papers here in Southern California has an article by a delivery skipper about the problems of a southbound passage from Seattle. He is a columnist Capt. Rains at WWW.thelog.com and the column date is 12/29/04. He isn't very upbeat about the idea
southbound Victoria-SF
We sailed a 36 foot steel ketch, in August,and the waves were from 10 to 40 feet and the wind never below 20. And it was COLD! Water temp is about 41 degrees. I flew home and my 2 friends are now in Panama. Not a hope I would sail north in those waves. But a fellow I met did it in a Swan 60 in 5 days with a big crew. It took us 10 days and we were exhausted. Rob
We sailed a 36 foot steel ketch, in August,and the waves were from 10 to 40 feet and the wind never below 20. And it was COLD! Water temp is about 41 degrees. I flew home and my 2 friends are now in Panama. Not a hope I would sail north in those waves. But a fellow I met did it in a Swan 60 in 5 days with a big crew. It took us 10 days and we were exhausted. Rob
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