Getting to the San Juans...

B

bmacpiper

New member
Howdy all,

Heading out for our first cruise in the San Juans next week, Thu-Mon. I've perused the many threads here about destinations, but feel free to add your favorite "must-see's".

I'm actually wondering about getting there in the first place. We live on Bainbridge Island (aka Braindead Island), and it costs about $65 each way on the ferry to Seattle. We could certainly launch in Bellingham (or ?) and save the ferry back into the SJ islands, which is really pricey. I have a buddy who runs to Sucia every summer from Bainbridge, but he also drives a go-fast SeaRay at 60+, etc.

I guess my question is whether there's anything to be gained in running all the way from Bainbridge up there on the water, or are we just risking weather and losing days to that, with the boat fuel probably offsetting the ferry? Or is there something really cool between here and there that we should see? As an aside, we spend lots and lots of hours on the Sound every year, fishing and sightseeing and all that, so we get our fill that way too.

If we do trailer up, what's a good spot to launch and leave the tow rig in relative security?

Thanks to all and talk soon.

bmc
 
Forget the ferry and the drive. Trailer to port townsand or squim and just make the run across the straits. Watch the weather and go in the morning.

You could run the whole way in a day from your island. Stop the night in any one of a dozen spots on the way.
 
As to getting there, depending on your confidence and comfort level, I agree with Tom. You can drive to John Wayne Marina at Sequim, say Wednesday night, launch early Thursday, paying attention to the general weather and Cattle Pass current (you want it going with you). Once you are across you are in easy range of all of the San Juans. If you want a marina, Friday Harbor is right there. If you want a more rustic experience you could head straight to Jones Is., Stewart Is., Sucia or Matia Is. then for the return you could spend Sunday night at Friday Harbor and cross the straits early Monday AM...or depending of weather and tides cross late Monday afternoon. The issues are Cattle Pass and the East entrance or Central Strait of Juan de Fuca weather (Washington Marine Forecast).
 
I'm referring to the Washington marine Forecast. One of the forecast zones is East entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Use Washington marine forecast as your search term and you will see it. That one, the central part and the San juans forecast will give you a pretty good idea. You can get a Cattle Pass current table by using "Puget sound currents" as your search term.

Here is the cattle pass current for the time you are talking about:

2012-06-14 1:55 AM PDT -0.00 knots Slack, Ebb Begins
2012-06-14 4:57 AM PDT -2.71 knots Max Ebb
2012-06-14 5:09 AM PDT Sunrise
2012-06-14 8:51 AM PDT 0.00 knots Slack, Flood Begins
2012-06-14 11:41 AM PDT 0.83 knots Max Flood
2012-06-14 4:12 PM PDT -0.00 knots Slack, Ebb Begins
2012-06-14 6:14 PM PDT -1.12 knots Max Ebb
2012-06-14 9:04 PM PDT 0.00 knots Slack, Flood Begins
2012-06-14 9:14 PM PDT Sunset
2012-06-14 11:03 PM PDT 0.42 knots Max Flood
2012-06-15 2:30 AM PDT -0.00 knots Slack, Ebb Begins
2012-06-15 5:09 AM PDT Sunrise
2012-06-15 5:37 AM PDT -2.77 knots Max Ebb
2012-06-15 9:29 AM PDT 0.00 knots Slack, Flood Begins
2012-06-15 12:19 PM PDT 0.94 knots Max Flood
2012-06-15 5:01 PM PDT -0.00 knots Slack, Ebb Begins
2012-06-15 7:12 PM PDT -1.27 knots Max Ebb
2012-06-15 9:15 PM PDT Sunset
2012-06-15 10:04 PM PDT 0.00 knots Slack, Flood Begins
2012-06-15 11:46 PM PDT 0.38 knots Max Flood
2012-06-16 3:03 AM PDT -0.00 knots Slack, Ebb Begins
2012-06-16 5:09 AM PDT Sunrise
2012-06-16 6:17 AM PDT -2.83 knots Max Ebb
2012-06-16 10:05 AM PDT 0.00 knots Slack, Flood Begins
2012-06-16 12:52 PM PDT 1.03 knots Max Flood
2012-06-16 5:44 PM PDT -0.00 knots Slack, Ebb Begins
2012-06-16 7:58 PM PDT -1.44 knots Max Ebb
2012-06-16 9:15 PM PDT Sunset
2012-06-16 10:54 PM PDT 0.00 knots Slack, Flood Begins
2012-06-17 12:26 AM PDT 0.36 knots Max Flood
2012-06-17 3:36 AM PDT -0.00 knots Slack, Ebb Begins
2012-06-17 5:09 AM PDT Sunrise
2012-06-17 6:56 AM PDT -2.89 knots Max Ebb
2012-06-17 10:39 AM PDT 0.00 knots Slack, Flood Begins
2012-06-17 1:26 PM PDT 1.10 knots Max Flood
2012-06-17 6:24 PM PDT -0.00 knots Slack, Ebb Begins
2012-06-17 8:34 PM PDT -1.60 knots Max Ebb
2012-06-17 9:16 PM PDT Sunset
2012-06-17 11:40 PM PDT 0.00 knots Slack, Flood Begins
2012-06-18 1:05 AM PDT 0.34 knots Max Flood


There is a thread on this site called "cattle pass tide rips and eddys" Roger and janet Clark on Dreamer or Hervey Hochstetter on Sleepy-C are experts.
 
The big fat wide part of the straits is divided up into three areas. "West entrance" is from the pacific all the way to victoria. 'Central strait" is victoria to Hein bank, and maybe sequim. Hein bank east to port townsand is the "east entrance" area. Listen to the weather report and or have NOAA on your phone. Also use one of the many apps for the real time buoys. I use hein bank the most for that area. Also smith island. Hein will give you wave height as well as wind speed. Right now the buoy is showing 1.9kts of wind, .07ft wave height at 3 seconds. Hell you should be leaving right now.
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46088
 
If this is going to be the first of many excursions to the San Juans, consider trailering this first time to get closer, then next time go via the water if you have more time. You aren't going to see all there is to see in 4 or 5 days (or 4 or 5 weeks, months...), so you have plenty of reason to return.

Do you like to anchor out overnight, or do you prefer being on a dock or in a slip with amenities? Plenty of opportunities for both in the San Juans. We enjoy anchoring at Stuart Island (Reid Harbor and Prevost Harbor). Dinghy in and walk around the island. Jones Island is a state park; at the north side is a dock (assuming there is space). Sucia has mooring balls and a dock. Blind Bay on Shaw Island is a good anchorage, but be very mindful of the BIG rock at the entrance that may or may not show, depending on the tide. If you need some "civilization" there, dinghy to the ferry landing to the east and get some ice cream.

Friday Harbor is the "business center" in the San Juans (population around 2,200). The Port of Friday Harbor folks will work with you to get a slip; all the amenities you'd need (groceries, restaurants, fuel, showers, West Marine, etc) in easy walking distance.

On the other side of San Juan Island is Roche Harbor; a nice marina, a grocery store, a good restaurant (well, 2), and a few gifty small shops. Upscale, and a nice break if you've been anchored out for a while. Definitely go watch "the striking of the colors" at day's end.

Just a bit south of there is English Camp - find out how a pig nearly started a war. Good anchorage, nice walk around the grounds.

The tides and currents can get interesting. Watch where you are and be aware of shoals and rocks (good charting is a must). You have a great boat for this area, just be aware that the current that was with you a couple hours ago can be working against you. Watch for logs and other debris in the water. Keep your head on a swivel - if you are on a ferry route, they can come up fast. If you are in Haro Strait or Strait of Georgia, BIG ship traffic can do likewise.

But mostly: have fun. The San Juans are consistently rated one of the best places to cruise.

Anacortes is a good place to launch if you trailer. Bellingham has a great ramp and free parking at Squalicum Harbor.

Dang, I get all fired up just writing about it. :D

Best wishes,
Jim
 
We love Shallow Bay, Sucia Island. It faces west so the sunsets are awesome. It can be a little tight/crowded but a few mooring balls are there or you can drop anchor for free.
 
We used to run up there by boat from port orchard in 3.5-4 hours all the time in our 25. It is a half day trip at most in decent conditions. You also stand a good chance of seeing some whales if you go past Whidbey and cross the strait. The on-water time is great and I'll bet you don't cover that ground on your more frequent fishing/day outings.

When was the last time someone got very excited about buying or pulling a boat trailer? Drive the boat, that's why you bought it.
 
I would choose to boat up and take my chances. If the weather isn't great, when you get to kingston turn right and go up saratoga passage. Otherwise straight up to port townsend and jump across. Because I have to trailer up from oregon I normally choose to turn off at olympia and run up the peninsula to launch. I hate trailering through seattle or bellevue. Bainbridge gives you an easy run.

Tides are important for both port townsend and saratoga passage. They can both be very rough if you don't hit the wind and tide right.
 
We have always gone from Sequim. 14 times and only one or two rough--but watch the weather. Coming home from the Friday Harbor gathering was glass smooth. Plan on different conditions as your cross. It is only a 1 1/2 hour passage in usual conditions---maybe 2 hours at the most in decent weather. I would prefer Cattle Pass at high slack--but lacking any huge waves in the straits, the trip thru the pass is fairly safe.

The current can be used to you advantage. Get the current book and the yearly updates--or look at your chart plotter/ tide current tables.


You will have a great time in a beautiful place.
 
Aurelia":2gevtbao said:
We used to run up there by boat from port orchard in 3.5-4 hours all the time in our 25. It is a half day trip at most in decent conditions. You also stand a good chance of seeing some whales if you go past Whidbey and cross the strait. The on-water time is great and I'll bet you don't cover that ground on your more frequent fishing/day outings.

When was the last time someone got very excited about buying or pulling a boat trailer? Drive the boat, that's why you bought it.
Click to expand...
+1

We've trailered and boated up and back many times from Seattle and time-wise, in good water conditions, it's all about the same given launching, parking etc. Going by water can be fun, especially the first time. The risk is if the water/weather conditions get snotty, even if just lumpy (1-2 footers), then it really slows you down. That's the downside to going up by boat.

Other than that, the San Juans are magnificent!
 
I'm with Tom, Greg and Lloyds, I'd boat it up.

Go via the Saratoga Passage, through Deception Pass or up the Swinomish Channel and then cross Rosario. Take your time and enjoy the ride. I made the same trip several times from Edmonds in 3.5 hours. Leaving from Bainbridge Island adds 30 minutes to an hour to the trip.

What do you gain by boating it? Less stress than pulling a trailer in traffic. Every time I've gone through the Swinomish Channel I've seen an eagle sitting on one of the posts along the way.

Whatever you decide, enjoy!

-Sarge
 
OK, thanks to all for the great comments.

I looked up "Gunkholing in the San Juan Islands" and ordered a used copy from amazon from 2003, which was the newest I could find. I have the number for the author, but the number is disconnected and email bounces. Any idea whether there is a newer edition, and if there is current contact info for the author/publisher where I could order a copy tout d'suite?

Or anyone have a current one I could borrow for a couple weeks?

Best,
bmc
 
I left all of my cruising guides with Harvey in Sequim. They are for all C Brats to us. Give him a shout and see if you can borrow that for your cruise--and send it back.

Don't know if anyone wants to run a library, but I have done that in the past for some areas....

I am sure that lots of us will be willing to contribute books--many annotated, as well as charts.
 
I'm hoping to not derail the topic, but if you could have one book on cruising the Puget Sound, what would it be? I'd like to have an onboard resource /guide for the kinds of things your chartplotter won't tell you.
 
ferret30":37jdvxm2 said:
I'm hoping to not derail the topic, but if you could have one book on cruising the Puget Sound, what would it be? I'd like to have an onboard resource /guide for the kinds of things your chartplotter won't tell you.
Click to expand...

I'd be interested in the answer to this question as well.
 
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