Late season boating on NW waters

ppriest · Guest

Unwilling to close out our first season just yet we put the J.C.Lately in Sequim Bay and motored out and around Protection Island today.
Encountered lotsa flotsa, some of it large enough to be of concern.
My question for the other boaters here in the Pacific NW is whether this is the result of last week's wind storm and big waves on the Strait, Sound, ...
or if this is simply characteristic of all off-season boating hereabouts.
The waters were virtually flat, but we ran several slalom events in the wrack lines and saw numerous outliers even in the deeper waters.

As usual, any observations/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Paul Priest
Sequim

Alyssa Jean · Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:37 pm Post subject:

I think we had some higher than "normal" tides a few days ago. The winds in conjunction with that can refloat stuff on the beach.

I love going out in Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb. Most boaters (other than C-Dorys and a few others) are fair weather boater. More room out there for the rest of us with cabin heat.

DaveS

rogerbum · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:02 am Post subject:

Gotta agree with Dave here - "close out the season" WHAT SEASON? It's all year boating 'round here. Just never go faster than you can see especially after wind and rain storms. The first wind storms break off a lot of branches on the riverbanks which wash down to the sound. The first big rains also flush anything that gathered on the banks over the summer. Flotsam is not unusual. Just go slow and enjoy the scenery and open spots on the docks.

hardee · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:13 am Post subject:

Paul,
I knew there was some reason my mind was playing hooky today. Glad you had a nice trip.
Harvey
SleepyC

dotnmarty · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:12 am Post subject:

Technically the season ends Dec 31. The new season, of course, starts Jan. 1. Xmas Naughty

tom&shan · Joined: 21 Sep 2006 Posts: 316 Photos: Dakota

Does the Everett Marina ice over in the winter ??
Moved our boat down there in September and want to know if I'll have any issues getting out in December/January time frame.

Cheers,
Tom

DaveS · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject: Re: ICE in Everett?

drjohn71a · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:20 pm Post subject:

Tom and Shan,

If you look at the first album in Tom-a-Hawk's album, it was our cruise up there over Christmas vacation. 'Includes our "home" , Port of Edmonds, on up to Friday Harbor, and basically all over. No ice anywhere, and pretty mellow temps compared to Kansas winters.

Some ppl posted in January, when they had torrential winter rains...(is that rare?) and some inlets had ice where the fresh water had drained off onto the surface of the seawater.

I really enjoyed our time cruising up there over winter as it was usually mid fifties daytime high and mid forties nighttime low while it was close to zero in Kansas over January after we returned.

You guys can sure have some wild blows and extreme tide/currents over year end up there. I think the max tides are over year end up there. The weather forcasting was excellent most days, so some planning should prevent too much excitement.

John

drjohn71a · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:27 pm Post subject:

JC -

While an occasional "rogue" log can be seen, most of the logs, flotsam and jetsam accumulate at tide lines or just off lee shores. You can begin to see a pattern with a bit of experience. We even have that problem down in Oklahoma on Grand Lake after heavy winds/rains.

As mentioned, winter is to me the best boating season. It's easy to warm up by the Wallas, no crazy jet skis, and fewer 'nuts' on the water in general.

Get some very good, low light binoculars to scan for log patterns and take it at a gentle speed and enjoy!

John

Dreamer · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:29 pm Post subject:

Paul,

Good topic. It generated lots of good thoughts about Winter cruising. There's nothing about my Winter lay-up procedure that can't be reversed in a couple of hours! If we can pin Sleepy-C down to a date, let's do some of the South Sound.

You will get used to relying on your Radar and Plotter however. Usually lots of fog in the AM. With a group, it's a learning experience rather than a challenge.

I should have my new(to me) F250 Power Stroke tow vehicle by next week so I'll be ready to try it out.

Pat Anderson · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:42 pm Post subject:

October 2006 broke our string of getting out at least once monthly since February 2003 when we got the CD22 Daydream. Here is a link to our 2004 first birthday cruises in the San Juans. One word: Wallas! Seriously, this CAN be the best cruising time of the year, and you will have the dock to yourself, or nearly so! This one is called "Daydream on the Dock at Sucia with the Big Dogs - First Birthday Cruise 2-14-04"

Jazzmanic · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:58 pm Post subject:

Yeah, just when we've got the boat all winterized, the weather looks great and I'm thinking I might wanna go boating sometime soon. At least before next February! Sheesh! Rolling Eyes

Oh well, you gotta love Roger's attitude.

1TUBERIDER · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject:

Hi Paul

I am on the coast, if that makes things different, but after heavy rains that causes the rivers to flood and the wood to float. The accumulated debris on the banks tends to go downstream when lifted by high waters. It ends up ultimately on our beaches.

Flotsum and crab pots are our obstacles. The crab gear is out there from Dec thru June. Some areas are so full of gear that is not safe to operate a boat with speed. The worst crab pots are the ones that are just barely on the surface covered with moss.

We also have a lot of wood in the water after storms. Some of these dead heads barely float on the surface and are difficult to find. If you hit one at speed, their will be damage. Most of the wood washes on the beaches but it seems like most of the wood ends up in the harbor here.

I windsurf in the harbor and after a storm the first thing I look for is the debris field. If clear we sail fast and hard, but when the wood is in we slow down or don't go. I have broken several boards by hitting debris at speed. I would hate to see my lower units taken out by debris.

A lot of times the wood is grouped together like in a current, but it can be anywhere. If I were boating in these conditions, I would have a forward lookout and mostly slow speeds. Winter boating is fun. Today the water is flat and wind is calm. A great day to go boat, but I have already been paddle surfing. Fun, Fun, Fun!!!!!!!!!!!!

Safe boating

1tuberider
Jeff

DaveS · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:11 pm Post subject:

Just remember folks ..... it only takes ONE log coupled with too much speed to harm our beautiful vessels and to take out our engines.

I don't believe that there has been a day at any time of the year that I haven't seen at least ONE log drifting out in Puget Sound or around the San Juan Islands!

Heck, one summer we cruised up Lake Chelan to Stehekin and there were so many logs in the water that I was beginning to think that some tug boat must have lost his raft of logs!

That being said, when on the water one should be vigilant at all times for flotsam.