You have loads of time.

First night might be Spencer Spit on a mooring ball or go down to Hunter Bay and anchor.

You might go up to the Gulf Islands - get a passport. Port Browning on a weekend is great.

Other spots

Sucia for sure - easy and doable.

Matia - watch for current

Friday Harbor - good brew pub

More suggestions will follow for sure.

 

Couple of basic question to start off with.

Anacortes good place to start from?

Yes. It's about as close as you can get to the San Juans without taking a ferry. Bellingham is also a good choice.

Launch ramp?

Washington Park, near the ferry terminal has a boat launch.
Cap Sante Marina slings your boat off.

Parking for truck and trailer (safe and free)

Washington Park has a fee. Cap Sante marina has free parking (I think) and it's pretty safe. There is a member of this forum that keeps a vehicle there long term.

First day out and anchor.

How big is this area, say anacortes to sucia.

6 to 8 hours, depending on the tide. Rosario is the primary waterway between the two and runs fast on a big tide. You'll want to go north on a flood

I am sure I will ask more question as time goes, I have activecaptianed the snot out of the area so far.

Check out Doe Island. It's our secret spot. We've been able to get the float there on Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. Anchoring there is not so good.

 

Thanks Jack and Ray,

That is a great start, I am sure some more questions will come up.

Jack not to sure on the passport deal yet, I do have a famliy friend in the islands some where.

 

Ray about covered it above. Cap Sante (Port of Anacortes) Marina has free parking for cars and trucks but no trailers and I'm not sure what the fee is at the lot by Safeway that allows trailers. Washington Park is probably your best bet, and it's a few miles closer to the islands.
Perfect timing for your trip, the crowds will be gone and you'll probably have your pick of mooring balls at the state parks, and September typically has great weather.
For your first anchorage you can take your pick; James Island is just on the other side of Rosario St., Spencer Spit is always great and it's just a few miles further. If you want to head north for Sucia but want to break it up there is a park on the east side of Cypress Is. that is nice, or like Ray said, Doe Island on Orcas.
As far as "don't miss" places I would say Sucia Is., Patos Is., Stuart Is., , Roche Hbr., Jones Is., Friday Hbr, Fisherman's Bay on Lopez Is. (Lopez Village farmers market on Sat.?), Spencer Spit on Lopez. That's a good start anyway and in that order makes for easy days travel (watch the currents).
Have fun!

 

Thanks JRD,

I think on the timing of the trip it might have came from the "sage" advice from glancing sailnet the last year or so. Plus it is when we pull our boat out of it's water home for winter.

It looks like 8 bucks a day for parking at Wa park. Any small business marinas in that area might like that money more.

So state park mooring balls are first come, no charge. figuring budget, plus I am frugal (cheap) ok beer, oyster and crab kitty.

Thanks all,

Uphill

 

Most of the state park moorings are ten bucks unless they've gone up since I last used one.

 

I was going to say, James Island across Rosario is a good first day stop. I've done that in the past with parents starting much closer than you in idaho. We usually put in at, dang it, not ringing a bell......just down the road from the ferry terminal. Cap Sante and Marine Servicenter run launches on the north/east side of town, this is west and south where I am thinking of. At the end of the day, the distance tween the three is probably less than 1-3 miles to where ever you are going.......

Spencer spit is nice to see, Never been to sucia yet. Fishermans bay on the east side of lopez is fun too. Watch out for low tides going in, at 0' it is dredged to 5' depth. Clark ? island to the north, but south of Sucia is a quite spot too. Never got to Doe island, it was always busy when we went by.

Have fun

marty

 

Blt, drive should not be too bad, a year back I pulled the beast from Kentucky back to Boise, so Wa. should be a walk in the park. Anacortes and Lake Powell, UT are the same distance from here, seafood it is

Oh, what are these tides and currents you all speak of, the only tide I see around here is when they empty the lakes for the winters and the only current is white rafting in a rubber round boat, should be fun.

uphill

 

There is a book for the San juans, can not remember off the top of my head, but probably is listed in the SJ guide sticky at the top of this area. that will tell you the currents around the islands, how they will flow, a base current speed that you will have to adjust based on a know current elsewhere. IE if the known current is 4 knots that day, the pass you want to go thru says 2 knots on the chart, but the conversion says if know is 4 knots, multiply by say 1.2, you know the pass you are going thru would be really 2.4 knot, or if a .8, then 1.6 knots.

There are some like Deception pass, that can have currents into the 8 knot range! One farther north, I believe into the mid teen range, with a few nature made waves that folks can catch on a surf board and ride for hrs on end. Obviously you better know when the slack is to go thru that pass/channel.

I would think from boise pulling a boat you will be some 8-10 hrs, a long day driving, stay in the boat at the marina either on the trailer or the guest dock. As you probably have an hour or two or three setting the mast up, getting launched etc. Do that the next morning, be off in the afternoon. James island other than getting out of where you launch, is across rosario straight, so currents either way, be it a flood or ebb, you are going across it to the first stop.

marty

 

For San Juan currents get a copy of the Current Atlas produced by the Canadian Hydrographic Service and either Murray's Tables or Washbourne's Tables.

 

Oh, what are these tides and currents you all speak of, the only tide I see around here is when they empty the lakes for the winters and the only current is white rafting in a rubber round boat, should be fun.

Same thing here, only someone pulls the plug out in the ocean twice a day and then fills it back up twice a day. The water sloshes out then back in again. Whoever pulls the plug follows a schedule and then makes a lot of money by selling it. Wish I had thought of that.

 

Just launched this weekend in Payette Lake for the summer, I did get the mast up by myself, yea. Had a sail Saturday not bad, just getting the kinks out.

I do have a question: Do I need a US flag on the stern? On our lake it is obvious where one might be from. I was thinking up there the boarder is dang close, is it "the law" or "the proper equipment".

Thanks,

Uphill

till the next thought....... can't wait.

 

A flag isn't required.

 

I have to second the suggestion to either purchase or borrow a copy of the Canadian Hydrographic Service Current Atlas along with tables for the current year. Currents can move anywhere from 1-5 kt at times. If you can plan some of your transits to take advandage of current, you will be a happy sailor. Some of the currents (Cattle Pass) can be downright dangerous due to current rips.

Roche (for me) is not one of my favorites. Setting is beautiful but they think very highly of themselves and the (mini)mega-motor yacht loud crappy wedding music party scene is not my cup o rum.

Deer harbor on Orcas is one of my favorites. Mud bottom for good anchoring. Crabbing is good and I think the season in the SJ's runs through Sept 15.

Garrison Bay is well protected with nice anchoring depths.

Also, don't rule out Candada. the Gulf Islands have a more bohemian vibe than the SJ's

Happy travels.

 

If you do come to Canada, you will need both a a US flag (1" for every foot LOA)on the stern or the leech of the aft most sail and a Canadian flag (.5" for every foot LOA) to fly from the starboard spreader after clearing customs and immigration.

 

Do they have flag police in Canada? I hadn't heard before that flags were required.

 

It is etiquette at the very least. The courtesy flag is a requirement, I believe.

 

Should be, often isn't. If you expect courtesy, show it.If you are an alien vessel anywhere, this helps. Port spreader is for the Q (all yellow) until you've cleared customs.

 

Hey thanks all, I am not planning on going to the "top hat of America" on this trip. As, I have yet to get a passport.

I think a proper boat should have a flag, so I will put one up. Just a basic question, as being so close to the boarder.

Good day all.

 

Hey thanks all, I am not planning on going to the "top hat of America" on this trip. As, I have yet to get a passport.

I think a proper boat should have a flag, so I will put one up. Just a basic question, as being so close to the boarder.

Good day all.

The courtesy flag is hoisted AFTER you clear customs and immigration. You should show the flag of the country of registry of your vessel on the stern. You probably will not get into Canadian waters.

 

Back on track. I am not going to Canada. Staying in the SJ's No yellow flags, no maple leafs, no customs.

I will have the stars and strips (American flag) off my stern..

Oh, where should I put my yacht club birge, port, starboard.

 

Back on track. I am not going to Canada. Staying in the SJ's No yellow flags, no maple leafs, no customs.

I will have the stars and strips (American flag) off my stern..

Oh, where should I put my yacht club birge, port, starboard.

Either on a pigstick at the the top of the mast - that is the tradition (before wind instruments). Or on the port spreader. Power boats may carry it on the bow.

 

Well I am down to about a week before I head that way, can't wait.

Where might I pick up a current and tide chart or book in Anacortes. I can print up tide charts off the www. but have not found much of currents on paper. I will not have any electronics with me ie computer or internet and my cell phone will be way buried.

Thanks for all the help.

Uphill

 

There is a west marine on the main drag about 3 blocks north of the turn off to the ferry. I am sure there are some other places that have books too. If you go to the sticky at the top of this area, there are plenty of books that folks like. Having not been up that way too much, I can not remember the book name many like. I have one some where. I have a puget sound one I use more. Captn jacks or some such thing is ringing a bell.

Enjoy your time here! If you get to ludlow, ie a bit south, should be there over the weekend.

Marty