Desolation Sound Cruise 2013

[baz]

Our current plan is to cruise up from Edmonds on the 25th starting at around 11am and layover at La Conner for the night. Then on 26th Friday morning at around 8:30am we plan to leave La Conner and cruise up to Bedwell/S. Pender/Poet's Cove for Canadian customs, and then from there onto Ganges arriving mid afternoon or there a-bouts. We should pass by Cap Sante/Anacortes at around 9:30am Friday morning on our way to Bedwell.

If anyone wishes to contact us they may do so via PM or Cell 206-310-2671 to establish any timings/meetings.

We are flexible for starting from Edmonds on 25th and can easily change this to start on 24th allowing us to stay at La Conner or Cape Sante on 24th, then Poet's Cove on 25th and then onto Ganges during Friday 26th.

 

[Bruce Moore]

If you're not already following his trip, folks planning on returning to Desolation Sound, or making their first trip up will enjoy reading Mark Bunzel's (Editor and Publisher of Waggoner Cruising Guide and Fine Edge Publisher) cruise report as he heads up to Alaska. He's stopping at several locations on the way and reporting new and/or improved facilities.

Mark Bunzel's Cruising Report

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

Thanks Bruce for the post on Mark Bunzel's updates cruise. While reading what he wrote I came up with a Customs question. We've cruised to and from Canada many times but not in the PNW and we've always used just our U.S. Passport(no Nexus or CanPass) and make a call from a designated Customs calling station to clear and get our #. In my research I see there are many Canadian Customs stations, do the ones at Bidwell and Victoria (we may visit here first) have calling stations? or do they require one of the fee based passes? What's your advice for us and others making their way into this part of Canada by boat for the first time?

 

[baz]

Jim: Can't vouch for Victoria, but the one at Bedwell (you typed Bidwell and assume you meant Bedwell) has a calling system when I was there twice now. However, I'm told that there could be actual customs people manning that location these days.

At Bedwell, I've had all of my boat's documentation, Passports, Dog vaccination rabies certificates on hand and simply pickup the phone and wait for customs person to start talking and asking me questions, etc. Finally get a number and write that down on the spot. No fee has been imposed on me in the past. 🙂 I do not carry a Nexus card or special Driver License ID that allows quick land-border crossings.

 

[Don and Brenda]

Thanks for the link Bruce, have been following his counterpart at Waggoner's Sam Landsman who is a C-Brat doing the Vancouver Island circumnavigation in his 22' C-Dory, here is the link to his blog.

http://www.samlandsman.com/

 

[Rick&DebS]

We are so excited about joining the group on our first Desolation Sound cruise this year on our R31, the About Tyme. We will depart from Everett and would love to join up with any other boats leaving from the Seattle area.

We are flexible on the departure date and time and can meet up wherever would be convenient. Please contact us at 503 629-4892 cell or 503 440-4422 cell.

Cheers,

Deb Schmunk

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

Hello Deb:

Whether you hook up with someone going north from Seattle or not before hand I think you'll find a natural assimilation with others will soon follow. By VHF when spotted on the water, meeting those docked at marina's you might stop at on your route or when sharing an anchorage on your way to Ganges you'll meet fellow boaters when they reach out to you or vice versa and the camaraderie begins. We'll be launching in Anacortes so we'll keep an eye out for "About Tyme"

 

[Rick&DebS]

Jim and Lisa,

Thank you for the insight. I can see how coming across others us on their way North will happen. That will be part of the fun I'm sure.

Well keep an eye out for the Kismet too.

Deb

 

[Don and Brenda]

Made reservation today for Sidney, BC as we will spend 2 days there prior to heading to Ganges, $1.50/ft + tax and electric. The wife likes shopping on Beacon street and we enjoy the relaxed pace there vs Victoria. We will clear customs here also.

Don

 

[avpilot]

We will be trailering Santolina from Texas and plan to be in the Seattle/Kent area for the 50 hour Yanmar maintenance checkup (as well as a couple other maintenance issues) July 18/19. We'll trailer to Anacortes either on July 19 or 20 and plan to put in at Cap Sante. Whenever a group departs from Anacortes to/toward Ganges we'll be ready. Hopefully, we'll have time to recoup from the long drive, have time to pick up a few provisions, and take a couple day trips in the San Juans before heading out on the Desolation Sound adventure. We're looking forward to meeting our traveling companions and forging new friendships.

Gregg and Kathy Dohrer
Santolina, R25SC

 

[Rick&DebS]

A question re: stern line for anchoring on shore. We understand there are tie rings for anchoring on shore in some of the Desolation Sound anchorages. Can anyone tell us about what diameter the tie rings are? We are thinking of using quick splice lengths of line and want to be sure the splice is not too thick for the tie rings.

Also, what length/lengths of stern line is needed?

Thanks for the info!

Rick & Deb Schmunk
R-31 About Tyme

 

[Don and Brenda]

Gregg

You will have plenty of company at Cap Sante, grocery store across the street and planty of eating places. West Marine is down the street, all walking distance. Lots of Ranger Tugs in the marina. Our boat is on the hard down the street and we will launch on the 23rd, I might have too stop by Willy's tug for the 5pm happy hour.

Don

 

[walldog]

A question re: stern line for anchoring on shore. We understand there are tie rings for anchoring on shore in some of the Desolation Sound anchorages. Can anyone tell us about what diameter the tie rings are? We are thinking of using quick splice lengths of line and want to be sure the splice is not too thick for the tie rings.

Also, what length/lengths of stern line is needed?

Thanks for the info!

Rick & Deb Schmunk
R-31 About Tyme

In Desolation Sound, you will use more trees, bushes and or boulders for stern lines. There are few rings available only in a couple of places. Most rings I have seen are at least 2 inches or more. Knots are not fun in stern lines. Most folks carry about 400 feet or so of line. You want enough to go to shore and back to your boat. That lets you drop an end and retrieve the line without rowing back to shore to untie.

 

[walldog]

Gregg

You will have plenty of company at Cap Sante, grocery store across the street and planty of eating places. West Marine is down the street, all walking distance. Lots of Ranger Tugs in the marina. Our boat is on the hard down the street and we will launch on the 23rd, I might have too stop by Willy's tug for the 5pm happy hour.

Don

😀 😀

 

[walldog]

The proper way to stern tie:

Laura Cove July 2011

 

[walldog]

Lots of excitement building about the Desolation Sound Cruise this year. For the newer folks, Willie of Willie's Tug wrote a blog and took tons of pictures during the past two cruises in 2011 and 2012.

Here is a link to the start of the 2011 Cruise:

http://andwilliesaid.blogspot.com/2011_ ... chive.html

After the first post at Roche Harbor, click on the August link to the right and you will see the rest of the cruise day by day.

Here is a link to the start of the 2012 Cruise same drill:

http://andwilliesaid.blogspot.com/searc ... -results=7

 

[baz]

The proper way to stern tie:

Laura Cove July 2011

Hmmm. I have to agree with this approach... :roll: :lol:

 

[fpower]

Nice catch, Herb! Is that Willie?

 

[walldog]

Hi Fred, I just showed Willie your post....she is still laughing.

 

[Bruce Moore]

Hi Fred, I just showed Willie your post....she is still laughing.

You mean, it's not Willie?