PNW Winter Cruising Destinations

[chowdan]

Hey all,

With COVID seeming to stick around longer than one would like and my work deciding now is better than ever to start me in a long training program I pushed back our cruising date to be mid November.

That being said, I am looking to do a little cruising around the area during winter. It seems that winter cruising is not very well documented but I was wondering if people had recommendations on great places to go?

I was thinking that to start, we'd head towards south sound since it seems like there's a decent amount of coves to anchor out in, I think it'd be well protected and have decent cell service(Sprint & T-mobile) so I can still work remotely.

I'm open to suggestions, but I figured now is the time I should really start marking out places for us to go that would be good to explore starting winter time!

[IslandInfedel]

San Juan’s are always fun

Port Townsend it also a good stop

[fxykty]

San Juan’s are awesome and lots of anchorages and mooring spots to explore. Moorings will be available in the State Parks, unlike the summer. Choice of bays depending on the forecasts. Many of the smaller towns will be virtually shut out of season.

As you well know given you’re in Seattle, cool and damp. Hopefully you have a dry heat source and a decent doghouse or cockpit protection.

Enjoy.

[Waterford]

"Well protected" and "decent cell service" don't always exist in the same place in south sound coves, at least on Verizon. For example, Jarrell Cove is well protected from both weather and cell signals. However, there are many marinas and community docks that might suit your needs.

[Stu Jackson]

Salish Sea Pilot and other local sailing rags have stories every year about just this topic.

[redhead]

Put Sucia Island on your "don't miss" list. We stay in Echo Bay and watch the alpenglow light up Mt. Baker at sunset everyday.

Sometimes if I go stand on one leg with my phone pointed skyward and my aluminum foil hat firmly one, I may get one bar, but you can't count on it.

Still one of my favorites to start or end a cruise.

[Adelie]

Neah bay
Sekiu
Port Angeles
Dungeness spit
Sequim bay
Kilisut Harbor/Mystery Bay
Mats Mats Bay
Port Ludlow
Port Gamble
Dabob bay

Succia
Patos
Reid Harbor/Stuart Island
Jones island
Fisherman bay
Doe bay
Spencer spit
Decatur head
Lopez sound
MacKay Harbor/ Barlow bay

Corner bay
laConner
Holmes Harbor

Miller bay
Liberty bay
Manzanita bay
Fletcher bay
Dyes inlet
Blake island

Quartermaster Harbor
Wollochet bay
Oro bay

With a couple of exceptions I’ve been to all of these.