05/11 - 05/14 - Friday Harbor 2023

Catman · Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 2:00 am Post subject:

Kevin, that's great you can make it again. It's always good to see Catch 22 and crew!

Meanwhile, let's use this unofficial thread to chatter about the cruise after the cruise--to Princess Louisa. The OFFICIAL Friday Harbor thread contains all the useful details and pertinent info that we need for May 12-14!

Peter & Judy · Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 3:18 pm Post subject:

We are planning to leave Vancouver Island about a week before the gathering and spend a few days in the Gulf Islands and then tour the San Juan Islands. After the gathering we will make our way into the gulf islands again for a few days. We would enjoy meeting up with other boats for some of these travels before and after the gathering. If you are interested, please let us know.

colbysmith · Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 4:05 pm Post subject:

Peter, it will be good to see you and Judy again. I plan to travel with the group to Princess Louisa Inlet after the gathering. Since I'm now also attending the Delta Cruise in California just before Friday Harbor, I won't be launching until a day before the gathering. I'll be launching at Cap Sante and depending upon what time that is, I'll either stay in the marina that night, or perhaps go catch a mooring ball in Eagle Cove. Colby Late note, I was just informed it's Eagle Harbor! On Cypress Island. Laughing

Colby

DayBreak · Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 11:17 pm Post subject:

We will be at Eagle Harbor on Wednesday May 10. The mooring balls are free to use in an effort to discourage anchoring and to help protect the eel grass. https://activecaptain.garmin.com/en-NZ/pois/37285/Reviews

For smaller boats, it is common courtesy to take the inner most and south mooring balls. Deep draft boats such as sailboats need the outermost balls on the north wall and outer area. The south and inner area has the shallower water which is good for our boats. Gary and Colleen

Standas · Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2023 7:43 pm Post subject:

Kevin, that's great you can make it again. It's always good to see Catch 22 and crew!

Meanwhile, let's use this unofficial thread to chatter about the cruise after the cruise--to Princess Louisa. The OFFICIAL Friday Harbor thread contains all the useful details and pertinent info that we need for May 12-14!

Any idea how many days the group is planning for the trip to Princess Loisa Inlet?

Thanks
Steve and Jodi standaert

starcrafttom · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 4:47 pm Post subject:

Ok Susan and I are considering joining the side trip to Princess Louise. We have not been since 2006? So what day are we leaving and what is the planned route? Not that the weather will determine that at that time far more then we do. really looking forward to heading up that way again.

Peter & Judy · Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 2:03 pm Post subject:

Catman · Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 1:14 am Post subject:

Tom and Susan, that's great you're also interested in a jaunt to Princess Louisa.

So far we have 11 boats, counting Pat and Patti:
Dora~Jean/Steve
Surveyor 1/ Rob W.
Steve and Jodi Standas
MikeR/Big C
Harvey/Sleepy C
Tom and Susan
Jeff and Diane/36' GB
Brock/Songbird
Colby/C-Traveler
Steve and Joanie
And maybe Devin, from eastern Oregon. By the way, last year after we broke camp at Friday Harbor, Devin went for a little cruise--to Glacier Bay! I happened to have bumped into him March 15th at about 9 p.m. when we both happened to be walking the docks at Anacortes' Cap Santa marina.

I'm thinking that on Sunday 5/14 we head north and my plan is to check into Canadian customs at Bedwell. I'd like to fuel up at Nanaimo before crossing Strait of Georgia. We can dawdle on the way north if we choose, and we don't all have to do the same thing. But I do want to be ready at Nanaimo to blast across the strait when the weather dictates.

I think a good mainland destination would be Garden Bay to top off and determine a timeline for our push to PLI. Let's talk.

SeaSpray · Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 1:37 am Post subject:

We are also planning to head north assuming I can get everything ready. We plan to do the Bay/Delta trip and then head up with Colby and Steve. Please add us to the list for the PLI after FH.

Steve and Karen.

Peter & Judy · Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:42 am Post subject:

Despite (or because of) having 2 feet of snow still on ground here in Alberta, we are getting Mistaya ready for the drive across the Rockies to Vancouver Island on Tuesday. We hope to cruise up to Princess Louisa Inlet the last week of April if weather and tides come together. We will be cruising in Desolation Sound prior to that. We are looking forward to the Friday Harbour gathering and hopefully we will be able to report that PLI is still there and worth visiting while at the gathering.

colbysmith · Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 11:37 am Post subject:

I think we should rename this thread to the Princess Louisa Inlet Cruise. 11 boats, wow. This will be a gathering in itself. For those not following closely, a new thread with only two pages now was opened as the official Friday Harbor gathering thread: http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=31345&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

For Steve (SeaSpray) and Steve (Dora Jean), my plans are to join Pounder Jim and others for the brunch after we load our boats once back from the Delta Cruise. Then I'll drop Rosanne off at the Sacramento Airport, and start my drive north. I will be solo for the rest of the month. I run 65mph or speed limit if slower. Probably drive until around 5-6pm and start looking for a Cracker Barrel or other available place to park for the night and get supper. I usually stop every two hours for fuel or head break. (Sometimes sooner... Neutral

) Next day get back on the road by 8a at the latest and try to make 450-500 miles before stopping again somewhere that allows a decent supper and location to "boaterhome", Monday evening. Ideally hitting Seattle shortly after the noon hour on Tuesday to avoid most of rush hour traffic, and then getting to Cap Sante Marina at Anacortes so as to get slung launched before they close, which I believe is 6pm, but I'll check sometime this month. I'll also find out the current rates for parking at Cap Sante. I believe it was $5 or $6 a day. I've used that marina several times in the past, parking for several weeks and it's always worked out well. There are some fresh water hoses there, and in the past they've allowed me to use them. If not, there is a car wash before leaving the island. Following that schedule, means I'd be launching on Tuesday the 9th. This gives me an extra day for any (knock on wood) events slowing travel. My plans would still be to rendeveau with others at Eagle Harbor on Wednesday before the gathering. Most likely I would stay in a slip at Cap Sante that Tuesday night after launching. Or maybe go grab a buoy early at Eagle Harbor, and enjoy my Kayak the next day there.
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone both in California and in Washington. And for the north bound cruise after FH. I'm planning to be pull back out to be home the end of May (4 day drive), but my priority will be to cruise with the group all the way up to Chatterbox Falls. If it takes longer, guess I won't be back to drive school bus the last two weeks of June! Mr. Green

Colby

DayBreak · Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 5:55 pm Post subject:

Colby, you are right. It is a bit confusing having two separate Friday Harbor threads, but I am OK with it. This thread, the first started, occurred long before we had reservation at Friday Harbor. The second thread is the "Official" Friday Harbor thread as it contains all the info to register, etc. I had to wait until January to officially promote the gathering because the Harbormaster would not confirm the dates until then.

I am very excited for the PL event afterward, even though we can't attend. This thread is a great place to discuss it.

drbridge · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 11:33 am Post subject:

Here is an interesting article on travel to Princess Louisa. There are many experienced hands signed up for this trip but others that have not been there might find this helpful.
https://salishseapilot.com/princess-louisa-without-gushing/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=princess_louisa_just_the_basics&utm_term=2023-04-07
We went there in 2019 and it was well worth the trip.
Wish we could go this time but it isn't in the cards for us this year.

bridma

I am sure there will be capable leaders taking the boats through the rapids at the entrance to Princess Louisa Inlet, but for anyone not joining the FH gathering and maybe wanting to do the PL Inlet solo and catch up with the others, here is some info that may help.
I have taken 2 cruise trips (with several boats) through the rapids, planning ahead is essentual. Travelling from the South or North, a good place to fuel up is Egmont, the slack tides for the rapids are posted on a board daily at the fuel dock. You can stay at the marina (with pub) overnight or anchor close by waiting for time & tide for the run tp PLI.
Arrive at the rapids one hour before slack. You will find bigger boats and yachts with keels circling around outside waiting for slack. The C-Dory's having no keel can enter the rapids before the big boats and make their way to the dock at the head of the Inlet and get the premium dock space before the big boys arrive.

Have fun, wish I was joining you.
Martin.

Dora~Jean · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 7:00 pm Post subject:

Hello experienced FH and PLI people. Thanks for the links and posts of past PLI visits, it really helps me get a feel for what to expect. Being a SoCal guy and having never been North of the San Francisco Bay in my boat, I have a question on whether or not to bring my raft (65 lbs) and dingy motor (35 lbs). I certainly don't need the extra weight to trailer or boat with, but if there's a chance it would be needed or beneficial, I'll bring it. If there's a good possibility of needing to anchor or moor for the night or waiting for a slack tide, and a need to get to town for supplies or whatever, I can see it.

Thanks in advance.