Winter in San Juans

I agree with most of the above, wont tell which part thu. We love the san jauns in the winter and have been snowed on seveal times in feb and march. it really gets us giggleing because I would swear before a group of c-brats that I was on lake tahoe until the first whale shows up. pine forest, snow and clear water, must be tahoe!! no whale just breached must be san juan!!

As for ramps. the one next to twim bridges is the best for you. Washington parks is a hard one if the wind is blowing out of the north. you would not be able to launch there or retrive with out risking life and limb. Its closer by far but exposed to open water and wind. also goes dam near dry on low tides. I have not used skyline and I think its a sling launch??? also causes you to cross Rosario striat, which can be easy or not doable at all if the wind is against the tide. Try to time your runs across the straits when the wind and tide are going the same direction. We crossed from victoria to Anacortes in a 25mph wind on a big flood tide. the wind was going straight with the tide and we had a smooth ride the whole way with a 3 mph push. That was a fun day.

Day trip ideas, jones island park , cruise near spieden Island to see how many deer and exotic goats you can count, Roche harbor, british camp in garrison bay, sturat island for a hike to the light house, and if you have your passports head over to poets cove resort in bedwell harbour just across Boundary pass on south pender island. Its one of Susans favorite spots, great showers and hot tubs.
 
almost forgot. if you really want big whales the east side of lopaz has ben holding greys in the winter the past couple of years, Not until feb or march buy you can never tell. The lanlgy area of whidbey island has greys alot in the winter and spring. A large portion of the killer whales come down to the puget sound during the winter. The site mentioned eariler is a good place to check the day before you get here. Also avoid San jaun channel between cattle pass and lopez island if the tides and wind are against each other. only place I have been spooked by the size of waves. other times its smooth.
 
John,
If you liked the site you may want to call the site owner and ask her advice, or you can get on the e-mail list and interprete for yourself. She and her hubby are real people and if you love whales they may well help you find them.
Otherwise it's a crapshoot with the comercial enterprises who will tell you nothing. In Summer you just look for the collection of boats and spotter planes usually starting off the West side of Orcas Isl.
If you look at the last few weeks history, our resident pods have been down around Puget sound and Whidbey Island.(and I am mad because we missed seeing them). They are real mobile and move one heck of a lot faster than we poor mortals

Merv
 
John and Roger

I may be interested in the Dec trip to San Juan - area - still deciding between cycling in desert then or heading out on Endurance. I would be leaving from Harstine Island - Have lots of experience with winter ice climbing and camping but no winter on water storm experience so going with a group would be great fun - Would the difference in boats - my CD 22 vs the Tom Cats cause a difference/[problem re: the type of weather, speed we would travel?

Also thanks to the group - I get my daily c-dory fix here every night, even when out most of the day in S Puget sound

Jim
 
Good tip for the whales... the guide boats are always calling each other on the vhf, channel 80, with the location of the pods. The catch is that they use code. You will hear " k off of 4" This means that k pod is off of area four. Now area "4" could be any where. I had several of the numbered areas written down on my charts but they changes the numbers this spring. i have not been to the islands a lot this year, which sucks, so I dont know the numbers. If you listen long enough and know the area or have a good map you will be albe to figure out the numbers. You do not need all the numbers just two or three tops. They will forget the number and give a location or a land mark in conversation. Once you figure out where 4 is for example you have a starting place . then the next number you get is 12, well if 12 is north of four 5 miles and you hear that Jpod is at 8 then you know which way from 4 to motor and you can quess how far by equally dividining the land marks( not miles) between 4 and 12.


Also a good thing to do, if the water is flat, is to hang off of henry island on the west side of san juan island and glass with your bino's. you are not glassing for whales but for canadian whale boats. They mostly come out of victoria harbour at high speed. So if you see them coming or going up haro starit then the whales are on the north west side or even way north. If they are headed east then its either cattle pass area or rosario straits.

Another thing to remember is that the whales will often swim with the current. so if the incoming is just starting and you hear that they are at lime kilm to false bay , then you can go sit off of smugglers cove and wait because they will be headed north along the west side of san jaun. if they are east of cattle piont then they will follow the tide around the bottom of lopez and up the rosario straits. if they are at smuggles at the tide change then the tide will push them up pass stuart island to turn point. just get a map. i like the ones from "fishing- map co" to use for a quick guide and over all planning.They are foldable and water proof also you can write on them.

These are some of the ways we have been finding the whales the last three years. We see whales 9 out of 10 times we go looking. other times they just appear out of thin air while your fishing.
 
Thanks so much for all the information, everybody. Now, I'm getting excited.
As far as speed goes, I have to break in the new Hondas on the TomCat, so will be varying the speed alot. I want to try that single engine cruise technique a bit if the water is calm enough. I may have to make a fast run or two to pick up one of my sons who is flying in from Boston.

I'm just praying they get the boat done in time, the electronics on, and the title to me fast enough to get some numbers!

John
 
Good point about the whale watch boats. The Canadian ones are real easy to spot. Bright Red Inflatables with pasengers in bright red jackets going real fast.
If they are headed towards a fleet of drifting boats then it gets real easy.

Merv
 
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