Fourth of July in the San Juans

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Pat Anderson

New member
Patty here. We live one block up from Birch Bay. Every year on the 4th of July, we enjoy sitting on our deck and watching other people's thousands of dollars worth of fireworks, adult beverage in hand. In order to get a little more boating in, we are considering cruising the week of the fourth. I know many of you C-brats spend the 4th on the water. Where are your favorite places? (And we like to anchor.)
 
Deer Harbor Orcas Island has a great fireworks display on July 3 and another on July 4 at the town of Eastsound Orcas Island. Room to anchor out at both locations. Deer Harbor Marina has a dinghy dock. The town of Eastsound has a pier and dinghy dock. Eastsound also puts on a great parade, breakfast feed at the fire station in the morning and salmon bake off at the fire station in the afternoon/evening. The parade and downtown are a short walk from the pier. The Fire Station is walkable but a bit further. There is a cab service in town. Always a fun place for the 4th.
 
Lots of boats in at Fisherman's Bay, Lopez Island. Grand fireworks display. Did I mention, Lots of boats there, and some of them move after the fireworks.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Well, I can tell you where you don't want to be... Roche Harbor. They do a HUGE celebration that goes on all day. There are so many boats anchored out, you can almost walk across the harbor on 'em.

My perspective may be slanted, since I have worked out of Roche the last 3 years on the 4th of July. Drunk people driving dinghies all around, drunk people on the docks, people ignoring "Do Not Tie Off Here" signs (when all I want to do is get the boat back to our dock)... oh, and did I mention: drunk people everywhere?

Friday Harbor does a nice parade, a rock band at the parking lot (costs to get in, but you can hear it all over the harbor), and a nice fireworks display when the band is done.

FIsherman's Bay on Lopez generally gets the nod for best fireworks, but you can't go wrong at any of the places mentioned in this thread. I will guarantee you that all of the venues will be packed... so, if you are anchored out, make sure your boat is well-lit. If you can find dock space at any of the marinas at this point, it sure is nice to go climb into your berth when the fireworks are done... and be reasonably sure you aren't going to get whacked by... yeah, some drunk.
 
Canadian day is Friday, so Sydney spit or Ganges harbor for fireworks. Saturday go to Bucthard gardens, great display inside the park. Sunday is deer harbor and a great show. Its really loud in that valley. Then on the fourth I would hit fishermans bay, best show in the state. We should be out there. Friday harbor puts on a good show to but not as good at fishermans bay.
 
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