First I think it would really help your planning if you go back and review some of what I hope you have read already. Re-read the Q & A's resource Q & A's plus Ten things you need to know
Second, study the packing list suggestions keeping in mind your goals. Obviously a family with young kids will have much different ideas of what constitutes a fun time. Packing List suggestions
Third, you need to think about your boats ability's, I try to not talk sailing versus power versus a whole lot of power. When I say boat ability, I mean motoring not sailing, you should not make plans where sailing to your destination is a requirement. Sailing should be considered a bonus when time allows that you may or may not be rewarded. All planning to get from point A to point B should be around motoring distances and times, not sailing.
Now that I have made an anti-sailing warning, you need to know that some of our best cruises have been where I refused to use the auxiliary. One trip we sailed from Friday right to the dock at Jones, then the next day we sailed off the float at Jones and made it around Orcas to our anchorage at Lummi, all under sail. Personal achievements or goals are just as valid as making a destination.(even two days later) We used the currents and sailed, but threw the clock and destinations out the window. My only plan that trip was to use as little fuel as possible and go sailing as much as possible. We ended up going 120 miles and used under five gallons in a week.
So, if you will be cruising with a putt putt at 5-6 mph, you should not plan to crisscross the San Juans on twenty five mile runs unless you set aside most of a day. Don't forget your speed over ground with an adverse current may be down to 2-3 mph. On the other hand, fast planing boat skippers will discover their destination may be just an easy two hour sprint
Fourth decide your time frame. I know many people have a week or ten days for vacation and that's that. Because weather and having a good time plays such a big role your plan should be flexible. I suggest you not get pinned down to a tight schedule. We try to allow one or more extra days that are unscheduled, for example we might plan a five day trip to Matia, Roche, Jones, and Pelican Beach, but allow time away from home and work to take a seven day trip. This way if we get forced to stay at Jones (I wish) an extra night, plus divert through Deception Pass, skip Roche for Friday and run down to Cattle Pass to watch whales at Lime Kiln we can. I know that example seemed like I had no plan at all and that is exactly how we have one great cruise after another. Our last planned visit to Butchart Garden involved almost no plan, just a goal. "Get to Butchart and bicycle some along the way." The cruise ended up six nights if I remember correctly and I will outline briefly right now what developed. You could copy and modify our laid-back schedule for your own easy relaxing cruise.
This is how it went.
Departed our slip in La Conner in mid morning after a relaxing breakfast and headed for Cypress Island. Anchor at Pelican Beach and hike to Eagle Bluff. Up anchor, cross Rosario, slip through Obstruction Pass and arrive for night at Olga float. 2nd day, do some reading and dinghy sailing, depart after lunch for float at East Sound and bicycle town, anchor in Judd Bay. 3rd morning, swing over to Rosario, tie up for free next to gas dock and take three and half hour ride up,up,up to Morrow State Park and Lake Constitution, almost burn up brakes coming back. Cast off for leisurely motor all the way to Jones Island. Anchor (to save fee) in plenty of time for sundown'ish west loop hike and evening campfire on shore. 4th morning, listen to weather forecast, checked tides, then timed mid morning departure to cross Haro Strait during slack water, after quick customs check in at Sidney arrived at Tod inlet and rowed dingy to Butchart in time for afternoon walk around, and then repeat with after dark walk around. Spent hour or so as darkness fell listening to concert on lawn and then paddled in dark back to boat, had great evening at anchor. 5th morning, upped anchor really early at 6am, made coffee underway to beat forecast storm across Haro, checked in with customs at Roche around noon, attempted bike ride and got derailed due to county workers paving and oiling road in first half mile. Left Roche, drove right past Friday and anchored fifty feet from Odlin Park float. Used two anchors that night trying to keep bow into waves with not much success. 6th morning, after long breakfast biked most of Lopez until exhausted, moved over to James for last night at dock. 7th morning, hiked perimeter and over summit, read, typed this blog, dinghy sailed some more, watched eagles, sat around James all day, departed with just enough time to cross Rosario and get back to La Conner by dark. I think that was a six day trip, and we can't wait to do it again, except we will substitute Victoria for two days, skip Butchart, and Lopez, and add docking at Friday Harbor for biking San Juan Island again.
There you have it, A very workable low key plan to go to Butchart Garden, with an Victoria option. You can tell by our wanderings before and after the Butchart visit that we were entirely flexible and just let things develop, in fact we had wanted to spend time shopping at Sidney but the port wanted $15 per hour to use a slip, so I said forget you and moved on. BTW they wanted $5/hr to tie our dinghy to the dinghy dock if we anchored out. Whats with that policy?
Fifth set a date and go. For your first cruise plan I suggest that you adopt some of our loose attitude, add your own needs and desires, and forge ahead.
Throughout this guidebook are many tips and suggestions, if you heed them you will have a great time. For instance, somewhere is a tip about not navigating in the dark. If you ignore that warning and try to cross an ocean of frothy water as the sun sets so you can meet your self imposed schedule you can expect to have a story to tell afterwards. I know, I been there, done that. I read a comment once somewhere about this skipper that never had any issues. It seems all his trips were boring, he seemed to be blessed with good gear, good crew, good luck, and good weather all the time. I wonder what his secret was? do you suppose he just took his time? Tip, Learn where the out of the way anchorages are hiding and don't hesitate to take cover before you're in trouble, then you will be a little like that boring skipper.
I will suggest that for your first trip that you do this.
- Go the first night or two to a camping type place.
- Next, go to Friday Harbor and anchor out or get a slip, and eat in town. Walk all around and visit the whale museum.
- Go to another boat camping, place.
Or if you're more of a resort type, try this.
- First nights go to Fisherman Bay, next Friday, then Roche, now Rosario, your good to go.
Still too come, detailed sunup to sundown descriptions with milage and maps for the following:
One day trip from Squalicum, or Deception Pass
3 - 4 day trip from Squalicum
7 day trip from Deception Pass
Bonus article How to make Swinomish Channel your best friend.
Include link here with some suggested itinerary's
get some pics of ????
Get a Chart
At some point you need to get a paper chart. I can hear some of you already saying I have a GPS with every chart in the whole world built right in. I'll bet you paid plenty for it too, especially the 3D part. By all means get your moneys worth. But you have good tires right? You also carry a spare tire. End of discussion. Tip Get NOAA #18421 Strait of Juan De Fuca to Strait of Georgia. It covers Bellingham Bay to Deception Pass and Swinomish Channel all the way over to the edge of Vancouver Island with Victoria up to some of the Canadian Gulf Islands. It does not show Butchart Garden.There is a larger scale chart available, I wont argue scale size. This is the one I have and I'm happy with it. Tip Protect your chart, there will come a day when you will need to replace it and you will wish you had taken better care of it. I sandwich mine between two sheets of Acrylic held together with contact cemented velcro strips. In an open windy cockpit or rainy day it is a god send.
On the chart/map subject, I have a bunch of http://www.fishnmap.com. These maps cover large areas and are very useful, they are under $10 including postage I think. We also have a few colorful semi topo maps that are really easy to look at for planning discussions. We found that over the years we enjoyed drawing a different colored line for each cruise and then dating the line for future reference and nostalgia. But we ran out of colors and the map became so covered with crisscrossing lines, many going to the same hot spots time and again that we quit writing on it a long time ago. We still carry the maps and misc guidebooks with us in a zippered lap top bag.
Gps and Depth Sounder
You don't need either one but I would try my darnedest to have both on board, even if only handheld. There are just too many ways they will save your bacon. Even in perfect clear weather if your unfamiliar with the landscape from four or five miles out you will not be able to dead reckon. You will have to study your chart, take compass bearings and do it all the old fashioned way. Don't get me wrong, navigation is great in the straits and islands but do it by choice not because you have to. We use a 15.6" lap top with a chart plotter program and a usb antenna and have every Noaa chart installed, I love it, the big screen is so much bigger than all my obsolete chart plotters, and the whole package cost just $100 plus the lap top. No its not 3D.For a depth sounder we use a $79 Humminbird fish finder. Same story, these tools will save your bacon allowing you to have a perfect cruise.
VHS Marine Radio
I am wishy washy on the need for a radio. On one hand, if an emergency arises, it is the accepted means of communication out on the water, but chances are you will not use yours, or at least not need to use it. However the radio is a source of entertainment, it seems a lot of cruisers can't be quiet and must constantly keep in touch discussing eta's, which side to hang fenders, when to start the chicken, and of course the all important sun-downers.
If you don't have a radio already, and don't really see one on your ski boat in the future, I suggest you pick up a $99 portable handheld. There are several available and some float, which probably will seem like a good idea after you have dropped it over the side. If your cruising with children and anticipate they will be hiking or exploring by themselves in the dinghy, you should again consider a portable. Then they can call you when they get stuck nearby or want you to bring them lunch. A set of walkie talkies will suffice with the children, your choice. You should know that your cell phone will work well in most areas.
Navigating the San Juans
Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!
- If your arriving by boat from from the south (Seattle, Olympia) you must decide which side of Whidbey Island to travel.
- The Port Townsend Admiralty Inlet side is not where I recommend you choose unless you have a good reason. One good reason would be you plan to visit Port Townsend, Port Angeles or run straight over to Victoria. Then by all means go. Bare in mind you may get stuck in the fog and experience rough water. You may even end up being forced to hunker down in Port Townsend while waiting for your weather window to improve. While that is not the end of the world, it may use up all your allotted vacation time.
- I recommend you go up the Langley, Deception Pass side of Whidbey Island. Then when you actually get close, make the decision whether to go through Deception Pass or cut through Swinomish Channel.
- The perfect solution in my opinion is simply plan to spend the night at either the seawall berths in La Conner or Deception Pass State Park in Cornet Bay. Both destinations are about the same travel time when heading north, both offer lots of room and on shore bathrooms. If you happen to be running late, that's ok, both are open 24/7
- The next day when your ready to get going you can decide whether to head through the pass or take the channel, even if you end up back tracking and going the other way (Deception Pass vs Swinomish Channel) it's only about an hour and the scenery is well worth seeing again.
- Ok, ok, I feel your questions which way is faster (shorter) and the answer is >> going through Deception Pass and right up the middle of Rosario Strait. Except were only talking an hour or so difference, and that is mostly determined by adverse currents that are unavoidable. What about sailing, It is unlikely you will get a favorable downwind sail to run through Swinomish Channel, so if sailing is a must your choice now becomes, head for the pass and up the strait.
- If your arriving by highway with a boat on a trailer, you have basically four choices that stand out. #1 Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham, #2 Cap Sante in Anacortes (sling only) #3 Cornet Bay in Deception Pass, #4 La Conner on Swinomish Channel. We have used all four (plus some others) and all have merit over others for certain situations particular to your plans. For instance, if your going to be gone a long time and want free parking, go to Squalicum, it's your only choice. Sling launching is not available at Cornet Bay.
draw from >> Q & A, ten things, packing check list
special pic or cartoon of vacation
