Which Coast?

[dennies]

I am looking for opinions only, no arguments please! I live in the the midwest and am planning to retire and go cruising in 2 years. I would like to know pros and cons of cruising east or west coast. They are both beautiful and I am sure both challenging as well. I was just wanting some opinions from experienced sailors to help me decide. Thanks, Dennie

[tommays]

East coast person lot of nice stuff here lot of nice stuff there


Both places have spots that are pretty harsh on mistakes

[DwayneSpeer]

Having lived on both coasts I can tell you that they are radically different. The east coast is far warmer and shallower. The west coast is colder but deeper. Both are beautiful. The Pacific Northwest, where I live now, is absolutely loaded with places to cruise and not nearly as crowded and if you go up into Canada you can have lots of anchorages to yourself. You can also see lots of wildlife like black bears roaming the beaches as well as gray whales and orcas. I prefer the west for cruising and the east for beach combing.

Have fun and look for the Panacea if you come out here.

[imagine2frolic]

If you want to jump in the water anytime? Then the S.E. is a good spot. The Bahamas are 42 miles away, and that is cruising paradise. I am from S.F. Bay, and cruised to Mexico. I also lived in Floriduh, and cruised the Bahamas. Hands down I would move to the east coast, and sail the Bahamas........i2f

[svHyLyte]

Speaking as a native Californian now resident in Southwest Florida, unless you choose to live in upper Washington State there are few local cruising venues on the West Coast and the costs of living are very high, particularly in California. The west coast of Florida has excellent cruising grounds both near and far but, of course, it does have the threat of Hurricanes during the season. On the other hand, the cost of living is (relatively) low. Virginia and the Chesapeake also have much to recommend them and the cost of living outside the urban areas is also relatively affordable. Frankly, if we were completely retired and without family obligations, I’d choose to live on the southwest coast of Florida during the winter months and then migrate north during Hurricane season to take advantage of the beautiful cruising grounds on the northeast coast. In no case would I return to California except for a visit occasionally. Washington State does have much to recommend it from a cruising viewpoint but the winters are miserable which lets it out for me.

FWIW…

[dhays]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Washington State does have much to recommend it from a cruising viewpoint but the winters are miserable which lets it out for me.

FWIW…

"Miserable" is relative. The OP is from the Midwest. I'm not nearly experienced as most here, but for coastal cruising, the East Coast has a lot more variety and possible areas. The West Coast has much less. However, you can spend a lifetime cruising the Salish Sea and never get board. Washington/BC is an amazing area that you can cruise year round. Sure, the water is too cold to swim in most places and most of the time. Yeah, the wind is light in the Summer. However, the water is deep and there are lots of places to anchor or tie up around the area.

The Winters are cool and wet (OK, so are the Summers). You won't need to consider AC on your boat, but you will need heat for year-round cruising.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by dhays

"Miserable" is relative. The OP is from the Midwest. I'm not nearly experienced as most here, but for coastal cruising, the East Coast has a lot more variety and possible areas. The West Coast has much less. However, you can spend a lifetime cruising the Salish Sea and never get board. Washington/BC is an amazing area that you can cruise year round. Sure, the water is too cold to swim in most places and most of the time. Yeah, the wind is light in the Summer. However, the water is deep and there are lots of places to anchor or tie up around the area.

The Winters are cool and wet (OK, so are the Summers). You won't need to consider AC on your boat, but you will need heat for year-round cruising.

Humm...

David-, I agree that miserable is relative but... Having spent many years sailing the Sound and San Juans as crew aboard friend's and relatives' yachts when I was much younger--both summer and winter--and, winters cruising the southwest coast of Florida as an older person, speaking as an older person, I'll take the southwest coast of Florida every day of the week. Note too that, at least in recent years, it's gotten pretty cold and miserable in southwest Florida as well, at which point one can decamp for the southern Bahamas, the T&C's or elsewhere south without much difficulty. For you, fortunately, the "Banana Belt" is pretty warm and appealing in the Summer tho' I daresay the swimming is a bit..brisk?

[Faster]

We've sailed a fair bit in the tropics/warm regions and while it's lovely for a while I'm not sure I could take a full season of it.

On the West coast the only real good option is the PNW - but it's an amazing cruising area and despite the grey gloomy winters that are possible, it's still sailable for the hardy year round. Off season really gets you privacy and isolation.

But once you're here the summers are amazing, with the cruising options running from sheltered 1/2 hour hops to rugged outer coast adventure. Also world renowned Haida Gwai and Alaska are within reach. The US NE area looks equally rugged and challenging, but we generally have better weather more often and keep our boats in the water year round.

[neoxaero]

You guys are leaving out the west coat of mexico and the sea of cortez area..
All the pictures/blog posts I've seen from this area look awesome.

[treilley]

East coast. Summers in Maine and the maritimes and winters in the Bahamas/Keys/Caribbean. We also have access to the Great lakes and the gulf coast

I know the PNW is great and also some good cruising around Catalina but I just think the east coast has more opportunities for coastal cruising and more potential to go a little further.