05/18 - 05/19 - Friday Harbor Gathering

New C-brat member here wondering how long it would take to get there launching from Edmonds? Traveling say 20MPH.

What would be the best route to take?

Are there any particularly difficult areas to be aware of?

I only ask because the only times we ever visited the San Juans, it was always by ferry from Anacortes and never paid much attention to the conditions.

Hoping to join in the tradition.
 
redbaronace

Hi And Welcome.

I usually use Google Earth with the measuring tools for calculating rough distances, kind of like plotting out a course but much quicker, then calculate the time. I use 15mph for speed calculation, just because I like to have some cushion.

From Edmonds you could go up the east side of Whidby, and enter the islands from crossing at Deception pass, or if conditions are acceptable for, cross Admiralty and round at Point Wilson and then diagonal NW to Cattle Pass and then N between Lopez and San Juan islands.

The crossing of the Strait of Juan de Fuca is probably the more daunting of the trip and deserves respect. Good to watch the weather, and check conditions at Smith Island and Race Rocks and points inbetween.

The tides (and thus the currents) for Cattle Pass are looking really nice so the outlyer is the wind/wave conditions for the day. Early morning crossings are generally the least bothered by wind effect.

Hope to get to see you there.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Welcome! Are you planning to boat up from Stanwood or trailer and launch somewhere else? Patti and I will be heading over on Thursday From Cornet bay at Deception Pass. We will be happy to group cruise with anybody launching on Thursday and that area.
 
Looks like we will not make this. My son/DIL scheduled my g-son's 3rd birthday party for Sunday and since we did not make last year's party, we decided to attend this year. We are heading down Friday night so we can watch my older g-daughter play soccer on Saturday.

Have fun!
 
Hey Mark, Just tell the son/DIL to come on up and bring 'em to the CBGT. the Brats can do a party even a 3yo could remember. :lol: :lol:

Hope that helps :wink:

See you there, with our party hats.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

PLI_and_SB_CBGT_221.thumb.jpg
 
sounds like fun was hoping to make it to this one this year. wife is already signed up for a mud run thing in seattle for breast cancer that sat. maybe next year....
 
For those who are thinking/planning on leaving from Sequim on Friday morning, to cross the Strait of Juan together, how does a group dinner about 4PM sound, and then launch after that at John Wayne Marina around 6-7, for a run down to the Sequim Bay State Park for the night sound?

We could meet at Black Bear Diner, where there is decent pull-around parking, using the Holiday Inn Express next door, (combined parking lots).

Just wondering if 4 would be to early, and wanting to give time for launching after?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Harvey,

Your plan looks good...

Just to clarify since we come up from California and we are not familiar with Washington:

* We meet on Thursday evening at 4PM at the Black Bear Diner in Sequim.
* After dinner, launch the boats at about 6PM at John Wayne Marina and leave the trucks there for the duration of the Friday Harbor gathering.
* Drive the boats via waterway to the Sequim Bay State Park
* Stay on the boats overnight to leave the next morning for Friday Harbor.

Thank you very much.

Heinz & Diane
 
Heintz,

That is pretty much it. I will check on the park fee and the JWM overnight fee and let you know. It might be good to contact Ron, the harbormaster at John Wayne about being parked there. I can check on that for you when I get the Overnight fees... I just realized that you are on a 25 not a 22 so will get it for the right length.

Looking forward to this weekend.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon
 
Harvey / Heinz,

I'd like to meet everyone for the group dinner on Thursday, but I'll be boating in from Olympia earlier in the week and won't have a way of getting to the diner. I'll just plan on meeting everyone at the state park later on.
 
redbaronace":1jtai7wo said:
New C-brat member here wondering how long it would take to get there launching from Edmonds? Traveling say 20MPH.

What would be the best route to take?

Are there any particularly difficult areas to be aware of?
Click to expand...
My recommendation differs from Harvey's only slightly. First, a bit of background: I kept my boat in the water at Edmonds for a few years, so I did all my cruises starting from there.

My preferred route:
Make your way north, inside Whidbey Island.
Out through Deception Pass.
Then west-northwest toward Lopez Pass...between Decatur and Lopez. This is much more reliable and forgiving than the outside route to Cattle Pass. And it's only a tiny bit longer. So I would not even consider the Cattle Pass route if it's your first time.
Once inside the protection of the archipelago, you zig-zag your way around Lopez and across to Friday Harbor.

Now, you estimate that you'll travel 20 MPH. I can't maintain that in my 22 on that route. I average closer to 15 knots, and the trip takes 3-5 hours depending on conditions. You might end up closer to 20 in your Tomcat.

The passage up the inside of Whidbey can be kind of a boring slog, depending on wind and tide. It's not especially hazardous, but sometimes you just have to slow down to make it comfortable. And sometimes it's glass-smooth and you're at WOT. Often, you get a bit of BOTH on the same run!

Another point: Now that I have a tow rig, I would not consider Edmonds a suitable launch point for Friday Harbor. Partly because I've made the run so many times already. I would launch at Anacortes or Cornet Bay.
 
timflan":1joc9r1e said:
redbaronace":1joc9r1e said:
New C-brat member here wondering how long it would take to get there launching from Edmonds? Traveling say 20MPH.

What would be the best route to take?

Are there any particularly difficult areas to be aware of?
Click to expand...
My recommendation differs from Harvey's only slightly. First, a bit of background: I kept my boat in the water at Edmonds for a few years, so I did all my cruises starting from there.

My preferred route:
Make your way north, inside Whidbey Island.
Out through Deception Pass.
Then west-northwest toward Lopez Pass...between Decatur and Lopez. This is much more reliable and forgiving than the outside route to Cattle Pass. And it's only a tiny bit longer. So I would not even consider the Cattle Pass route if it's your first time.
Once inside the protection of the archipelago, you zig-zag your way around Lopez and across to Friday Harbor.

Now, you estimate that you'll travel 20 MPH. I can't maintain that in my 22 on that route. I average closer to 15 knots, and the trip takes 3-5 hours depending on conditions. You might end up closer to 20 in your Tomcat.

The passage up the inside of Whidbey can be kind of a boring slog, depending on wind and tide. It's not especially hazardous, but sometimes you just have to slow down to make it comfortable. And sometimes it's glass-smooth and you're at WOT. Often, you get a bit of BOTH on the same run!

Another point: Now that I have a tow rig, I would not consider Edmonds a suitable launch point for Friday Harbor. Partly because I've made the run so many times already. I would launch at Anacortes or Cornet Bay.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. We will in fact launch from Everett, but the route you suggest is still our likely path.

Can you give any particular advice surrounding Deception Pass. Somewhere along the line, I heard that it could be a dangerous place and it always stuck with me. Perhaps with the size and power of our boats its easily manageable, then again, I do not want to be too casual about this leg of the trip.
 
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