boating 4th of July weekend

[adventres]

This summer will be our first time using our boat. We were planning on using the boat this July 4th weekend. oops, but didn't make reservations at marinas because we didn't think about how popular boating is during the holiday weekend. We were planning on Port Townsend for the weekend. Point Hudson is full. Any thoughts on if Ft Flager State park is busy on the dock or the bouys?
thanks,
Lisa

 

[BradOwens]

Hello,
I just spoke with a ranger at Fort Flagler, who said they have 13 mooring buoys between them and Mystery Bay. Also some dock space. It's first come, first served, but a possibility. There's also excellent anchoring there. I've moored at Mystery Bay, and liked it a lot.

 

[Auklet]

Lisa and Karl --- You've learned the first lesson about holiday cruising anywhere in the Salish Sea. Do plan a trip to Pt. Hudson for later, it's worth it. Ft Flagler is also a great stop, but be careful. Knowledge of lateral buoyage is essential. Count the buoys and beacons as you go into Kilisut so you don't miss any one of them. Part of the show there is watching boats go aground in what appears to be open water. The mooring buoys are in a channel and vulnerable to swift currents. This is not a problem for your boat but rowing ashore can be a challenge. An alternative would be to go on to Mystery Bay. This is a very small park with a large dock that will probably be full. But no matter, all of the bay is great protected anchorage.

Don't know how you are with anchoring but as a reference the best anchorage in Pt. Townsend is west of the ferry. Closer to town you might have to go a little too deep. Lots of areas in town to beach your dinghy.

I am one of those old geezers that still carry a boat load of charts. But for the new generation, check out Pt. Townsend chart. (http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/18464.shtml). Zoom down on the north end of Marrowstone to the entrance of Kilisut.

Have a wonderful time. The weekend weather looks great. I will be taking the grand kids to the parade in Anacortes.

Cary

 

[adventres]

Thanks for the tips! We have camped at Ft Flagler many times and always thought it was cool to see the boats on the dock or the buoys. Now we get to do it, if we can get a spot. Thanks for the anchoring idea in Port Townsend. During our trip to Poets we explored San Juan Islands and we anchored for the first time over at Spencer Spit, we saw other boats doing it, which we thought to try. thanks!
Lisa