South Puget Sound

[Ken13569]

South Puget Sound is an interesting place. In summer most people go North to the San Juan Islands. That leaves South and Middle Puget sound wide open. There seems to be lots of dock space and the towns welcome boaters. Even Seattle seems to have ample space at Bell Harbor is (likely the cheapest place to stay in Seattle) http://www.portseattle.org/seaport/marinas/bellharbor/ (downtown just down the hill from Pike Place Market.) The smaller towns are my favorites such as Poulsbo http://portofpoulsbo.com/, Gig Harbor http://www.48north.com/nov_2003/gig_harbor.htm , Winslow http://www.bainbridgeisland.org/winslowwharf/index.htm , Port Orchard http://www.portofbremerton.org/marina_overview.aspx , even Olympiahttp://www.sail-the-net.com/marinas/north_america/usa/washington/olympia/Percival-Landing-Moorage.html , Bremerton and Tacoma have charms that shouldn't be missed. To put this to scale it's said that Puget Sound dumps as much fresh water into the ocean as the Amazon river. The amount of gunkholes magnifies the amount of space to explore many times over.

Don't forget our State Parks http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/region/?selectedregion=southpugetsound and http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/region/?selectedregion=northpugetsound



So, why do we hear about the islands and ignore the greater cruising ground. I plan to spend 10 days or so there in August. As for wind it can usually be found in mid sound (North of the Tacoma Narrows) every afternoon but unlike the ocean, the waves don't usually get large enough to be uncomfortable.

Have fun
Go Sailing
Ken

 

[LuzSD]

We love your area...... I have worked in Gig Harbor multiple times and really enjoy everything about it. We visited the San Juans last March for the first time and vowed that we would go back and rent a sailboat for a week and check everything out... You are so lucky to have that entire gorgeous area to explore.

 

[PeteK]

Ken,
You forgot Port Townsend and surrounds!!
And you're right; there's plenty of cruising/'holing around here for a lifetime!
Pete

 

[Ken13569]

You're right I did forget Port Townsend and I love that area. It's home of the wooden boat show and seems to have something for everyone. http://www.portofpt.com/

 

[PeteK]

The San Juans are great off season (I'm not a 'crowd' kind of guy) and there are soooooo many other places to go between Neah Bay and Budd Inlet that I don't think one could cover it all in a life time. Let alone fish all the good places or anchor out in the neat little coves or hidey holes.....

And then if one ventures north towards Alaska..... Well then, how many years does one have to explore all that beautiful water????

I know I'm biased but I think we have the best cruising waters around!

Pete

 

[sinnettc]

We're headed up to the San Juans in a couple weeks but the mid & south sound are both on my to do list, plus Roosevelt Lake and Lake Pend Oreille in ID. So many places, so few vacation days.

My main concern with the south sound is getting the boat in/out of the water without having to put the trailer in salt water. We lake sail and it's never been in anything but fresh water. Since Des Moines has apparently taken out their sling I'm not sure where to launch.

 

[Gudenuph]

Edmonds and Kingston each have charms of their own and are certainly worth a 'look see'. Edmonds has a small boat lift and Olympia has a travel lift.
Geohan

 

[Seattle Scott]

Central sound

I was at Illahee State Park last weekend, Port Orchard Bay, on a buoy because the dock was covered with guys fishing and crabbing. At dusk the ranger told all the dock users to leave and that he was closing the gate to the parking lot. We motored over and tied up at the dock and the ranger came back and asked us if he needed to leave the bathrooms open, we said no and told him we had only paid the buoy fee, he said call it good. We had our dog off running free, he said nice dog. So we had the place to ourselves ( wiith one other boat) until 8 a.m. when the gate opened the next morning.

First time there, I'm going back.