Getting to the San Juans...
- Thread starter bmacpiper
- Start date
Just spent some time reading the thread about tide rips and currents at cattle pass. How would you define a tide rip? When I go through agate pass with strong current, there are numerous eddys and swirls that move the boat around but they are nothing uncomfortable or dangerous. If the wind opposes the current, wind waves blow up pretty fast. Is that what we are talking about? Or is a tide rip just a place where the tide and the wind cross each other and cause big standing waves?
Thanks.
bmc
Thanks.
bmc
starcrafttom
Active member
I love the Dream speaker series of guide books.
rips are two tides or currents moving against each other. some you never notice and some are very big. The wind and waves opposed to each other is not a rip. it can how ever cause a large area of short steep waves.
rips are two tides or currents moving against each other. some you never notice and some are very big. The wind and waves opposed to each other is not a rip. it can how ever cause a large area of short steep waves.
bmacpiper":18f7r9pb said:
Umm... yes. I've been driving a 55' boat and a 33' boat through that area in the past month, and it can be interesting. Swirling water that pulls the bow one way or the other. Tidal current that moves the boat towards the rocks on either side of the pass. You have plenty of power with your C-Dory to handle the current... but, it can get lumpy fast. Look to the west - you have the Strait of Juan de Fuca as a fetch. If you are getting an adverse current, try running to one side or the other to see if you get any less resistance (with a northly current in the San Juan Channel, I get better speed running towards Lopez Island instead of right down the middle). Current around Cattle Pass can run 5 to 7 knots.
That said, don't let that dissuade you from enjoying the San Juans. One of the nice things here, is you can always find a good place to be. The prevailing winds this time of year have been SE through SW. Watch the tidal currents, especially in the narrow passes. Juan de Fuca, Haro, and Rosario can be rough with wind against current. I've found the forecasts to often be worse than actual. That doesn't mean you should discount them, but better to watch the current weather and use what you know to make your routing decisions.
Good charting, a Waggoners Cruising Guide, and a flexible plan should make for a great week in the San Juans.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
BMC,
From your posting you sound somewhat timid as to what you are planning. I would suggest this....launch at Bellingham's Squalicum Harbor. From there it is just over an hour to Sucia Island with good weather. If the weather is not then head into Chuckanut Bay/Pleasant Cove to wait it out. Pleasant Bay is nice, calm and offers a since of the Islands just 20 minutes out.
Now...after Sucia head to Jones Island then Deer Harbor and/or Blind Bay and then back at Bellingham. This will take you through the center of the San Juans. All the sights would be a enjoyable and easy to do over Thursday through Monday.
Skip Cattle Pass and avoided what sounds to me to causes some concern. With some forethought your trip is workable. I've done this route many times and just these few stops offers so much.
Bellingham has several used bookstores with a good variety of user friendly guides to the San Juans. Give yourself a little time to explore the shelves.
The best,
Mike
Kestrel
From your posting you sound somewhat timid as to what you are planning. I would suggest this....launch at Bellingham's Squalicum Harbor. From there it is just over an hour to Sucia Island with good weather. If the weather is not then head into Chuckanut Bay/Pleasant Cove to wait it out. Pleasant Bay is nice, calm and offers a since of the Islands just 20 minutes out.
Now...after Sucia head to Jones Island then Deer Harbor and/or Blind Bay and then back at Bellingham. This will take you through the center of the San Juans. All the sights would be a enjoyable and easy to do over Thursday through Monday.
Skip Cattle Pass and avoided what sounds to me to causes some concern. With some forethought your trip is workable. I've done this route many times and just these few stops offers so much.
Bellingham has several used bookstores with a good variety of user friendly guides to the San Juans. Give yourself a little time to explore the shelves.
The best,
Mike
Kestrel
starcrafttom
Active member
There is no Smooth route to the San juans if the wind is blowing. One of my roughest rides ever was across bellingham bay. My worst was off Point no point in the 27. Its all a matter of wind. We have crosses the straits with barely a ripple many times. We even stopped and just drifted while we had lunch.
I really cant see a good reason to drive three or four hours and take a ferry to launch when there are great ramps much closer that will not add to your over all travel time. You could drive all that way and have a really rough ride the whole way to the islands.
My best tip on the subject is this. Get the phone app for the buoys. Then for a week before you leave look at the Marine forecast and then the really time data on the buoys to see what you are really getting. Most time Noaa is calling for a small craft warning the real wave height is less then 2 ft. Look at wave height and wave length. If the height is half or less of the length you are good to go. Even 6 ft at 12 or more seconds is a nice ride in the ocean.
I really cant see a good reason to drive three or four hours and take a ferry to launch when there are great ramps much closer that will not add to your over all travel time. You could drive all that way and have a really rough ride the whole way to the islands.
My best tip on the subject is this. Get the phone app for the buoys. Then for a week before you leave look at the Marine forecast and then the really time data on the buoys to see what you are really getting. Most time Noaa is calling for a small craft warning the real wave height is less then 2 ft. Look at wave height and wave length. If the height is half or less of the length you are good to go. Even 6 ft at 12 or more seconds is a nice ride in the ocean.
As one of the newest C-Brats, thanks BMC for giving me an opportunity to contribute something (hopefully) useful to the group!
I've been sailing the San Juans for a decade and keep a sailboat in Anacortes at Cap Sante Marina. If you decide to trailer up Cap Sante is a great place to launch and park your tow rig for the week.
A quick cruise through the Guemes Channel and across Rosario Strait will take you to Thatcher Pass into the San Juans (James Island just south of the pass is an excellent spot for a quick hike. It has a couple of buoys on the East side (exposed) but a dock on the West).
Just inside Thatcher Pass you'll find Spencer Spit (we find this a great place to stop and wait out any fog in Rosario Strait on our returns to Anacortes).
From there you can head for the North side of Shaw to Blind Bay (one of our favorite spots to grab a buoy or an easy anchor set and watch the ferries at night pull into Shaw and Orcas Landing). Head for the Orcas Hotel in the morning for a croissant and coffee, yummy!
Then you can head through Wasp Passage over to Deer Harbor, Jones Island, or on to Stuart, down to Roche Harbor, through Mosquito Pass over to Garrison Bay (English Camp) and/or Westcott Bay (both excellent anchorages).
I would definitely plan 1 night in Reid Harbor (many buoys, tons of anchoring room) on Stuart (hike to lighthouse is looong but fun) and either bay by English Camp or Roche Harbor. When at English Camp don't miss the short hike up English Hill for an outstanding view of the islands and Canada!
Returning from there you can hit Friday Harbor or Fisherman Bay on Lopez. Near Friday Harbor another great spot is Turn Island. Only a couple of buoys and anchoring can be tricky, but a nice hike and small spit to explore at low tide.
Going back to Anacortes you can go through Obstruction Pass (another great stop is Obstruction Pass Campground with 3 buoys off the beach) or Peavine Pass. Then over the North tip of Cypress Island and down the east side of Cypress back to Guemes Channel. On the East Side of Cypress you'll find a few good stops (Pelican Beach with a few buoys and another excellent but tough hike up to Eagle Cliff with more outstanding views), Eagle Harbor (free DNR buoys!) and Cypress Head.
On the cruising guide front, I really like "A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound" by Migael Scherer. She has great descriptions of all the good spots with excellent tips on navigational hazards nearby. I believe it's out of print now but I would be happy lend you my copy. PM me if you're interested and we'll work out a way to get it to you.
If you had more time I'd be one of the guys who says cruise up! The problem is it sounds like you only have 5 days and that only leaves 4 nights to enjoy far too many anchorages....you have some tough choices to make! Good luck!
I've been sailing the San Juans for a decade and keep a sailboat in Anacortes at Cap Sante Marina. If you decide to trailer up Cap Sante is a great place to launch and park your tow rig for the week.
A quick cruise through the Guemes Channel and across Rosario Strait will take you to Thatcher Pass into the San Juans (James Island just south of the pass is an excellent spot for a quick hike. It has a couple of buoys on the East side (exposed) but a dock on the West).
Just inside Thatcher Pass you'll find Spencer Spit (we find this a great place to stop and wait out any fog in Rosario Strait on our returns to Anacortes).
From there you can head for the North side of Shaw to Blind Bay (one of our favorite spots to grab a buoy or an easy anchor set and watch the ferries at night pull into Shaw and Orcas Landing). Head for the Orcas Hotel in the morning for a croissant and coffee, yummy!
Then you can head through Wasp Passage over to Deer Harbor, Jones Island, or on to Stuart, down to Roche Harbor, through Mosquito Pass over to Garrison Bay (English Camp) and/or Westcott Bay (both excellent anchorages).
I would definitely plan 1 night in Reid Harbor (many buoys, tons of anchoring room) on Stuart (hike to lighthouse is looong but fun) and either bay by English Camp or Roche Harbor. When at English Camp don't miss the short hike up English Hill for an outstanding view of the islands and Canada!
Returning from there you can hit Friday Harbor or Fisherman Bay on Lopez. Near Friday Harbor another great spot is Turn Island. Only a couple of buoys and anchoring can be tricky, but a nice hike and small spit to explore at low tide.
Going back to Anacortes you can go through Obstruction Pass (another great stop is Obstruction Pass Campground with 3 buoys off the beach) or Peavine Pass. Then over the North tip of Cypress Island and down the east side of Cypress back to Guemes Channel. On the East Side of Cypress you'll find a few good stops (Pelican Beach with a few buoys and another excellent but tough hike up to Eagle Cliff with more outstanding views), Eagle Harbor (free DNR buoys!) and Cypress Head.
On the cruising guide front, I really like "A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound" by Migael Scherer. She has great descriptions of all the good spots with excellent tips on navigational hazards nearby. I believe it's out of print now but I would be happy lend you my copy. PM me if you're interested and we'll work out a way to get it to you.
If you had more time I'd be one of the guys who says cruise up! The problem is it sounds like you only have 5 days and that only leaves 4 nights to enjoy far too many anchorages....you have some tough choices to make! Good luck!
starcrafttom
Active member
Scooter makes a good point. There is far to much to see in 5 days no matter what you do. We have going to the san juans 5 to 8 times a year for the last 7 years?? Wow that went fast. We have not anchored in ever harbor or island yet. Scooter just brought up two spots that I have anchored but did not know had a good hike.
I was tell Susan that I want to anchor out more and in different spots. We got to the point where we were just going to our favorite spots. Well how could they be my fav's if I had not seen them all yet?? So we are starting to spent more time in the closer smaller out of the way places. I have been boating here in Washington for 9 years and never been south of Seattle in the boat. I keep meeting Canadians that come down to the sound in the summer to see it. I could not understand why they would run down here when they have the gulf island to play with. funny thing is they said the same thing about me going up there when I had the sound to play in. Water is always bluer I guess. :wink:
There is a lot to see so just pick a few spots for this trip and enjoy them. Lots of time to see all the others later.
I was tell Susan that I want to anchor out more and in different spots. We got to the point where we were just going to our favorite spots. Well how could they be my fav's if I had not seen them all yet?? So we are starting to spent more time in the closer smaller out of the way places. I have been boating here in Washington for 9 years and never been south of Seattle in the boat. I keep meeting Canadians that come down to the sound in the summer to see it. I could not understand why they would run down here when they have the gulf island to play with. funny thing is they said the same thing about me going up there when I had the sound to play in. Water is always bluer I guess. :wink:
There is a lot to see so just pick a few spots for this trip and enjoy them. Lots of time to see all the others later.
Again, thanks to all for the great input. We've decided to let the weather dictate--if good, we'll run up from Bainbridge or PT. If not, we'll trailer. After that, who knows? 
Spent some time cruising the Gulf Coast, and I have to say the flexibility and not knowing was my favorite part. Well, aside from the shrimp and rum, of course...
Ben
Spent some time cruising the Gulf Coast, and I have to say the flexibility and not knowing was my favorite part. Well, aside from the shrimp and rum, of course... Ben
Scooter3":zc82i0bt said:
Actually, that's the book I bought from Amazon a few days ago. There's that feature where you can 'thumb' through a book online before buying. It seemed really good and it's actually still in print:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071420398
One of the reasons I picked it was it's spiral bound so I can hold it one handed and it will lay open flat on the table.