San Juan / Georgian Strait Get-Together - Summer 2010

[hummingway]

Very nice!

[flysci]

It is nice. But I was hoping for something based on the website header: field of blue with the green silhouette of a palm leaf.
Oh well.

[Trader Susan]

I have a few questions about the area. We live in Central California so I'm not sure about your weather and need to plan out our packing space. In July will the evenings be cold (below 60 degrees)? Does it rain in July? Will we need to bring weather gear">foul weather gear? How rough can the chop get? Any other info regarding weather or what we should watch for would be helpful to us.

[TAREUA]

TS, yes it can rain here at any time. The water is cold here, so the temps drop pretty sharply after dark. If you don't have a full enclosure you'll probably head down below at sunset. Inside the San Juans there is usually flat water. In the Sound or the Straits of Georgia, when the big tides conflict with a decent wind, it can get pretty choppy. Usually you never see any swell outside of Juan de Fuca.

[delmarrey]

As said above the rains are unpredictable. It could be extremely hot or rain the whole time. But the rain is not cold in July. We usually have a 50/50 % chance of rain on July 4th but it usually clears up after that.

Do bring rain gear.
If you don't have a bimini, bring a tarp and some line/poles to rig a cover.
For the mornings you'll want some type of heater to break the chill, even if the weather is good.
Bring some warm blankets and your jamies for sleeping.
Cell phone coverage is through out the Puget Sound.
The water temperature averages around 56º in the Sound but can warm up a bit in enclosed shallows.
Do bring a tide chart and pay attention to it! Some narrows can get so swift to create whirl pools. But powerboats usually pass right over the top w/o any trouble.

The winds can come either out of the North or South and may change during the day. Sucia is fairly protected from both. The waters within the Islands stay fairly calm but outside of the Islands it can get choppy. Just listen to the the WX stations before heading outside of the islands. And do bring a chart book w/ an index so you know what area they are talking about.

I have run into to some bad waters between Anacortes and the Islands but the thing to remember with chop is to go slow but do keep moving.

Enjoy!

[Cal 43]

Well this sounds fun! We'll be in the area but not sure just where yet.

Susan - Get Canadian Current Atlas AND 2010 Washburne's Tables to go with it. Can save a lot of time & tussle if you go with the currents around there.

We really like both Anacortes & Bellingham. Safeway across the street in Anacortes is very handy. Took us about 5 hours (with the current) to get to Sucia from Anacortes last year.

Somewhere recently (48* North?) somebody mentioned a problem rock(?) in Echo at Sucia. I'll try to find it & get it posted.

[hummingway]

The gulf islands are drier then puget and july is usually pretty wonderful. Not much wind though but lots of sun. Decent tides - 12 feet sometimes. We Canucks read the tides from mean low tide so if the chart says you have draft you do. Anchorages exposed to the SE are to be leary of and as has been mentioned whirl pools and the like are common. Check your charts for ferry routes because there are places where you come out from behind an island and there they are. There are lots of shoals and while they will be on your charts the marker may seem subtle (under the circumstances). I'm a novice but already I've experienced being heeled over close to the wind, feeling like I'm make good time and looking over at the island beside me and realizing I'm barely moving against the ebb tide or worse, sliding toward rocks on my lee. Time to start the engine! Generally she floods north throught the gulf islands. 5 knots is not unsual in active pass and there are big ferries to avoid.

Don't know if it will help you but it helps me to repeat it :-)


One last thing, it might be a lovely 20 (68F) or even 25 (77) degrees out but the water will still be 10-12 (50-54) unless you're in a sheltered bay. So if the sun hides and you're on the water you will feel cold.

[Cal 43]

Here is the uncharted rock in Echo Bay, Sucia (hope the upload works) from a Letter to 48*North published September 2009 www.48north.com p.18.

[planetluvver]

My lucky day!

I haven't visited this forum very much lately, but I see that there has been some activity. If anyone is looking for crew, I would be interested.

Most of my sailing has been daysails on the Columbia River, but I am very enthusiastic to gain bluewater experience.

[s/v Beth]

Thanks Cal for the rock update. I usually anchor over the other side... but will be wary on the west side of the bay.

[Trader Susan]

Thanks for all the info. We'll bundle up! We'll be visiting the other islands in the are too. Can't wait!!!

[Hiracer]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Anybody up for a CF get together the second week of July? I will be at Sucia on that Monday in Beth (my Valiant). From there Sidney and where ever the wind blows us.

Very possible. Echo Bay party! Not my usual style, but variety is the spice of life.

[Hiracer]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

I've always found Roache Harbor to be the easiest on return. Out of our 6 times there the longest only took 45 minutes. If you get their early in the day there is no wait at all. The last time I arrived just before dark and just anchored out, then checked in first thing in the morning. They didn't even go aboard for an inspection.

My slip is in Anacortes. I can see the Customs Office from my slip. So, two years ago when we came down from Desolation Sound I thought the intelligent thing would be to check in at Anacortes.

Wrong!!

We dumped our fresh water because I always do that in the summer, pumped out the black water, and put the boat into our slip.

Then I found out that the customs guys were on the ferry docks (across town) harassing all the dark skin men and would not be back for three hours. We were told most emphatically to not even think about getting off our boat even if it was 85 degrees out and we had no water and were parched (kids included).

Roach Harbor or Friday Harbor from now on.

SOBs.

[senormechanico]

Last summer, checked in at Friday Harbor in late afternoon. It was a piece of cake.
Call them from the dock, they asked a couple of questions, both of us went up to the office, paid our $25(?) fee and that was it.

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by Hiracer

SOBs.

Now there is information that you don't get from the guidebooks! This sounds like quite a party. I plan on Sidney the next day then perhaps Whistler area (my son wants to boulder the granite next to the shore) Anybody else going north?