San Juan Islands

[BPowell]

Well I am heading to San Juan Islands May 13 to May 22. This will start my season off well. Any other Mac's in the area? Dose anyone have any must see or be careful of for the area?

B Powell
Calgary Alberta Canada

[Metrognome]

BPowell, you will love the San Juans.
I recommend launching in Cornet Bay on Whidbey Island and going through Deception Pass at or near slack. You could also launch in Bellingham.
Must see's, well lots of those. Cypress Island and Sucia Island are musts if you like to hike. Sucia more options for spending the night. Cypress has exposed and limited anchorages but great hiking and views. Roche Harbor is great marina resort, fun atmosphere. Rosario Resort is beautiful, Friday Harbor is another just to name a few.
I suggest you get the Waggoner cruising guide, it will answer all your questions. www.waggonerguide.com
Enjoy your trip...PaulT

[Graham Carr]

You will have a wonderful time! I am not heading out until June or July. The San Juans are full of wonderful places to gunk hole and explore. So little time so much to see and do! In the last two seasons I have logged over a 1000 miles around the islands (in my Mac) and I have found that I have only scratched the surface. One of my favorite places to anchor for the night is Eagle Harbor, Cypress Island (48 35'. 31" N - 122 41'.70" W). Eagle harbor is a wonderful cove to spend the night at. There are no moorings, so you will have to swing on the hook. I have found the bottom to hold well. It is located near the North-East side of the island (the north end of Bellingham Cannel). With the shallow draft of our boats youll be able to tuck yourself back into the cove. Usually several sailors will spend the night, but they are keel boats and they stay further out. If you go through some of the passes, you may want to hit them at slack water. You can hit Deception pass at full flood, but it will be a bit bouncy. I have run against a 7 knot ebb, with full tank, about 2-3 of keel and no rudders (under power). For your time frame the current will be high on 5/22 @ 7.6 knots and the low on 5/15 @ 2.3.
Cattle point (between San Juan and Lopez) I have only done at slack. An ebb tide hitting strong winds from the Strait of Juan De fu@ can create a nasty ride. My friends in WA (commercial fisherman and sailors) tell me I would have no problem with my boat and engine, but unless I am caught out in the Strait of Juan De fu@ in a quick storm and I need to get to the lee of San Juan I will not to try that out. I have only passed at slack and its been smooth as glass.
Mosquito pass is not a problem with current, but you want to stay with-in the Nav aids, I always seem to hit the pass at low tide with out any incident. Mosquito pass will save you some time when heading north or South on the west side of San Juan. The pass is between the NW corner of San Juan Island and Henry Island. You also use this pass to enter The English camp at Garrison is a fun place to tour and spend the night on the hook.
Then you can stay at Roche Harbor (This is you check in point for USA customs, if you are coming from Canada) and Friday Harbor. Friday harbor offers more restaurants, stores, west marine and a hardware store. You can rent bikes or a three wheel motorized carts, and then you can tour the island. The ferry dock is also located here. We like to catch a show at the local movie house. I love the San Juans and could go on and on. My wife family is from the Anacortes area so we spend a lot of time out there. You can check out my website. I am re-constructing my site so I have a lot more info to add but you can see photos of different islands. If you go to the links page you will find links for info related to Washington; moorage, saltwater parks, boat ramps and pump out locations. Under Marine info you can get free tide tables from NOAA. Just go to www.grahamcarr.com and click on Sailing Homepage Then just follow the navigation buttons.
If you tow your boat into the states I recommend you launch at Swinomish Channel, just before Anacortes, WA. This is a great place because it will put you at the center of the Islands; you can go North or South. You can see ramp photos under the Washington section. Email me or post me if you have any questions. My email is on my contact page.

[Graham Carr]

Hi Metrognome, I see you are located on Camano Island. My wifes family has a beach cabin on the island at the end of port Susan just east of Livingston bay. I Moore my boat there some times and have used the county ramp on the island. I have even motored under the bridge at Stanwood. That was interesting! I am working at the moment in Sedro-Woolley. I head home in two weeks. Would you like to meet?
Graham

[Metrognome]

Graham, It would be good to meet up . I emailed you contact info on your website. Great site, fun pics, some run parallel to us. I like the port window mod.
PaulT

[Terry]

Hi BPowell,
FYI we have a sailing club here in British Columbia called MYCBC.ca
That is the web adress too. Many of us in this club are joining an American initiated flotilla this summer called CanAm Flotilla2005 which includes a portion of the San Juans. You can find details about it at that site or Duane Dunn's site, we'd love to have you along. We alo have an annual visit to Sucia on the long September weekend along with many other events sheduled throughout the season. Check out the site and post your trips and see who else from the Fraser valley are available to join you. We have the upcomming Blaine Races On May 6-8 and a trip to either Newcastle Island or Keats island for Victoria Day weekend depending on weather. There is also the Mac Rendezvous at Snug cove Bowen Island June 25-26 and much more, we are always looking for new members check us out, group sailing is a hoot.

PS you didn't mention where you are launching from, If you are heading to Vancouver area before crossing the border there are a couple of places close to the northern end of the San Juans to launch from, Blaine or Point Roberts come to mind. Some of us MYCBC members moor in Point Roberts Marina.

[BPowell]

Thank you all for the reply.
I am acquainted with Bob Hale of Waggoners guide and have a copy of it. Anyone that collects them or dose not have a new copy 2005 I can recommend a new copy it has a bunch of changes to VHF channels, border crossing routines etc. Also Exploring the San Juan and Gulf Islands by Don Douglass is good but pricey.
As it stands I am looking at this:
Launch in Bellingham and overnight.
Blind bay May14
Friday harbour May15
Garrison harbour May 16
Roche May 17
Sucia May 18
Blakely May19
Shaw May 20
Rossario May 21
Bellingham May 22

Lots of sailing and site seeing. Hope the weather holds and not rain like others have got.

Bruce Powell
2002 26X Calgary Alberta Canada

[BPowell]

I went to the web site and it is all 2004 someone should tell the web master it is 2005. I would be interested and will wait for the update


[quote="Terry"]Hi BPowell,
FYI we have a sailing club here in British Columbia called MYCBC.ca

[waternwaves]

Metro.....
nicest launch and easiest people to deal with for it have been up in LaConner......at the port........

Diego can set a mac back on a trailer with that lift like no one else.
Check in with the office first to sign a release for them.

You arent one of the boats up at Rocky Point or Rocky Point heights???? heheheh

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

This years Waggoner is worth the upgrade just for the change to color alone. I have 3 previous versions all of which were mainly black and white and the color adds greatly to an already indispensible book.

Check out my web site for San Juan Info. You'll find info and pictures from the 2003 week long trip I organized through this discussion board, plus lots more info from our time there last summer on our 3-1/2 week San Juan / Canadian trip. Also there is information on this years Can/Am trip which many from this discussion board are going to.

Www.ddunn.org , choose the boating page and look in the log book for info on all our times up there.