The Day is Getting Close

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DoryWannaB

New member
We will finally be leaving Ohio this Saturday and driving to Seattle to pick up the C-Dory we purchased in January. The boat is in Olalla and the fellow we bought it from will take us out in it on Thursday 4/28. My wife and I then plan to trailer the boat to Anacortes on Friday and head out to cruise the San Juan Islands on Saturday. This is where I could use some advice.
The place I bought the charts,Tides End, suggested a 4-5 day trip.
1. Anacortes, up Bellingham Channel/Rosario Straight to Sucia Island for the first night.
2. Sucia Island, down President Channel, over to Stuart Island/Reid Harbor for the second night.
3. Down to Roche Harbor for the third night.
4. San Juan Channel, Wasp Passage, Harney Channel to Rosario for the fourth night.
5. Obstruction Pass, across Rosario Straight, back to Anacortes.
It is a 22' cruiser with a good GPS/Plotter/Sounder, radio, 2x40hp Hondas. No radar. No dingy. Everything will be new to me including the boat, equipment, surroundings, salt water cruising. I have been boating in Ohio (rivers and smaller lakes) for several years. I have been studying the charts and reading a great deal from a Waggoner Guide. I have tide and current charts.
Is this a reasonable trip for my wife and I to attempt? I had hoped to hook up with the Friday Harbor gathering but could not make the dates work so we are going it alone. Would all of these stops have docks and likely dock space at this time of year?
Sorry for the long post but any advice would be most welcome.
Thanks,
Steve & Pat
 
Steve & Pat,

Since no one's jumped in yet, I'll go ahead and give it a shot. We've spent most of our six years on C-Dancer cruising the beautiful waters of the San Juans. Your plan is certainly doable but I have a few suggestions.

First and foremost, up here it's all about the weather conditions; winds, waves and currents. By the end of April, the weather should be cooperative but we've had a very long, cold, wet, windy winter extend into spring and so nothing is certain. If we assume the weather holds out for you, here's what I see.

1. Anacortes, depends on where you put in at. If you use the sling launch at Cap Sante Marina, it's almost easier to go up the east side of Guemes Island in Padilla Bay heading north up to Sucia. There is a dock at Fossil Bay on Sucia and probably a good chance to get some to get some dock space this time of year.

2. Sucia to Stuart definitely doable. Again depends on the weather window. Should be dock space available as well this time of year.

3. Roche Harbor is fairly close to Sucia. Again there should be plenty of slips as long as you do this before the opening day of boating season, which is usually the first weekend in May.

4. The ride through Wasp passage is scenic but I'm not sure I'd recommend Rosario unless you really want to go there. Friday Harbor is much more fun and interesting and is just a ride down San Juan Channel to get there.

5. Back to Anacortes from either Rosario or Friday Harbor is a nice 1-2 hour cruise depending on your speed and water condition.

All the destinations you listed shouldn't take more than two hours one way, giving you plenty of time to enjoy your destination. Enjoy your maiden voyage, the San Juans are a gorgeous cruising destination.
 
Steve and Pat,

Congratulations on your new C-Dory and the new phase of life. You will no doubt enjoy. It is an awesome boat and the company here is equally exciting.

Peter is right on. WEATHER is the first, and most important variable. Sorry the Friday Harbor thing couldn't work for you. It is worth it.

I would add this.

It would be prudent to have with you a backup (hand held GPS) and a hand held VHF radio. You will probably already have the other standard requireds, PFD's, flares, charts etc.

Stay tuned here, the C-Brats is a wealth of information.

Good boating,

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Hi, and welcome to the group, cult, club, what ever we are calling it this week. That trip is very doable in four days or one day. I would skip Rosario resort and visit Friday harbor instead. More to do and see. their really is nothing to do at Rosario but hang out and you will be doing that at the first three stops. If you like history stop by English camp on the far west end of San Juan Island. I also really like to hang out at Deer Harbor.

This time of the year you should not have a hard time finding a place to dock but don't be to committed to a stop. have a back up in mind and be prepared to use it. This means , for your first trip, you should plan on being at your scheduled stop two or more hours before dark in case you have to go to your plan B.

You should also make a effort to find the orcas and see them. Not a really hard thing to do if you know how. Goes like this.
1) start early in the morning by listening to your vhf radio on channels 87 to 89 for the tour boats. this may have changed and you will have to go up and down the dial until you hear them talking to one another.
2) do not get on the vhf and ask "where are the whales" if you do you will not get a reply and the chatter will stop.
3) with map in hand listen for clues about their location. they will not come out and just say "we are over here at so and so" but they do slip up and if you have a map or know the area you can figure it out.
4) Once you do figure out the general area head out that way with binoculars in hand. keep a look out for the bright red and yellow tour boats then follow them.
5) when you do find the whales keep a good distance, do not drive over them, they can be hard to spot, and stay near the guide boats until you figure it out.
6) the guide boats do two trips aday and if you find the whales at the noon shift change you could have the whole show to your self. If you find the whales at the end of the day you will have them for a good two hours after the tour boats leave before you have to head to a anchorage. the orcas are worth the effort.
 
Oh one more thing. At each or your stops listed are trails for hiking. many of these trails lead to beautiful forest , grassy meadows, and scenic over looks. Stuarts has a great light house you can hike to. On a clear day you can see a good deal of Vancouver island from there and if your lucky maybe a ocra or two.

this is also the time of year that Grays and Minke whales are around the islands so keep a eye out for them too.
 
Thanks for the welcome and the advice. Feel much more comfortable about the trip. I do have a backup hand held GPS and radio to bring. I think I will take your advice on Friday Harbor in place of Rosario. Going from Friday Harbor back to Anacortes, would I still take Obstruction Pass or drop down to Thatcher Pass or it makes no difference?
Lastly, how do you know when it is better to wait out the weather or to go? Will we just listen to the weather channel and maybe ask someone at the dock with more experience? Would you always know about possible fog ahead of time or can you find yourself in fog that you did not expect? I guess you can tell that the idea of unexpected fog freaks me out a bit.
Thanks,
Steve
 
Yeah, Friday Harbor is a good choice. Nice town with lots to do. As for your return to Anacortes, you have a couple of options. You can head up Upright Channel on the way to Obstruction Pass. You can also choose Peavine Pass rather than Obstruction Pass. Peavine is the pass south of Obstruction Island and Obstruction Pass is to the north. I prefer Peavine.

Then you can continue on eastward thru Rosario Strait, over the top of Cypress Island, over the top of Guemes and southbound down the east side of Guemes until you hit Anacortes.

Or... You can head around Upright Head on Lopez Island and head south towards Thatcher Pass, eastbound thru Rosario Pass and then thru Guemes Channel to Anacortes. Either way, the biggest piece of water you will be crossing is Rosario Strait, which can get a little lumpy when windy with opposing currents..

When we talk about the weather up here, we're mostly referring to the winds. If the wind is above 15-20 knots, it gets a little snotty when opposed by the currents. But these little boats can handle it, it's just slow going and no fun if the wind waves get above 3-4 feet and close together. As for fog, it's usually not too much of a problem in the spring, more so in the summer but still a possibility.

Hope this helps. Enjoy yourself. It's so beautiful in the San Juans and
totally worth it.

Peter
C-Dancer
 
One thing that has not been mentioned, is the ferry system, make sure you give them plenty of room, they have a regular route, however sometimes they will surprise you coming around a corner and they do move pretty fast so keep an eye out behind you.
 
I didn't see anything about heating the boat. After propulsion that would be my #1 priority. Assuming you have the Wallas and the previous owner kept it in working condition, you should search for Wallas threads so you know how to manage it (fuel, battery voltage, etc). If you don't have the Wallas, then you'll need something else - and if you're going to use electricity to heat the boat then you'll have to go to docks with power (i.e. not Sucia). If you use a propane heater (e.g. Mr Buddy) you're going to put a lot more moisture in the air and keeping the dampness down will be as important as staying warm.

Another thing I'd recommend is a spare starting battery. You don't have experience with the batteries on your new boat so you don't really know their condition or how your usage will affect their capacity. Lots of stories out there of new boaters ending up with a dead battery their first time out overnight.

I'd also consider joining Boat US and signing up for their towing assistance program - cheap insurance IMHO. Would also cover you if your battery died (assuming you have a cell phone or handheld VHF to call them!).

Are you bringing (or planning to purchase) foulweather gear? You may get lucky and not need it, but if you need it and don't have it...

I think others have given you some good advice on routes, but if you have any extra time - and if the tidal conditions permit - I'd strongly suggest you take a run through Deception Pass. You could even go as far as La Conner (an excellent overnight spot).
 
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