Favorite places in the San Juan Islands

[grwolf]

My wife and I are taking a Factory Delivery of our very first Ranger Tug R27OB this May and couldn't be more excited! We've planned ten days to cruise the San Juan Islands. We are from Boston and this will be a trip of a lifetime for us.

What are your favorite places to go in the San Juans? Hikes, restaurants, shops, hideaways - we are interested in them all!

Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas and memories.

Greg

 

[Bruce Moore]

Bumping post delayed in moderation queue.

 

[Maggie Anne]

We like Sucia and Stuart Island for hikes, they both have docks so you won't have to use a dinghy to access the land. Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor are great for staying at the marina. For a complete discussion of this area I've always liked the Dreamspeaker cruising guides. https://www.dreamspeakerguides.com/the-san-juan-islands

 

[SJI Sailor]

Congratulations on the boat!

I would recommend to get a copy of Breeding & Bansmer, San Juan Islands: A Boater's Guidebook, especially if you walk/hike ... and ideally also Waggoner's Cruising Guide.

One thing to note is that reservations may be needed at most marinas. During the week in May you might be able to find state park docks or mooring buoys, if you're flexible and have a backup plan.

Some must-dos IMO are Friday Harbor (marina), Roche Harbor (marina or anchor), Stuart Island (dock, buoy, or anchor), and Sucia Island (dock, buoy, or anchor). There are many other great places, but those are among the most special.

BTW, I would not generally recommend trying to go all the way from Des Moines to San Juans in one day. It is possible but very weather dependent. From Seattle, an hour closer, I always feel more comfortable about schedule, being able to slow down to dodge logs, etc., if we stop over in Anacortes. Anacortes is also excellent for provisioning and restaurants, and nice in its own right. It is close enough that the next day will be all in the San Juans anyway.

That is unless the weather is so good that we can cross the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

 

[bshillam]

I like Spencer Spit for a nice night at anchor. What type of boating do you like? Do you like to be at a dock or at anchor? This will help us make some suggestions. I for one love to be at the dock for easy access to land with my son. If it's just the wife and I, anchor. I do love a mooring too at Rosario, evening with oyster shooters and a swim (post Covid). Dozens of places to suggest it just depends on you and your interest.

 

[sjreib]

Avoid crossing the Strait unless the winds are light and the seas calm. Best option is Saratoga Passage and either going thru Deception Pass at/or very near slack or the Swinonmish Channel. Can spend a night at Oak Harbor, La Conner or Cap Sante marina in Anacortes. Have fun and take care of your batteries at anchor

 

[stillc]

My wife is really into Mount Finlayson's trial. We were there 3 years ago and she is still impressed with it.

 

[Toki]

Congrats on the new toy! I know the islands intimately. Been sailing them for years, and the last couple years on my R27. Suggestions above are great, and the recommended guide books are good. I'll mention a few of my favorites.

To get up to the islands, I recommend the Swinomish Channel with a stop at LaConner. Try to time it to go with the current rather than against. Read the guides about that Swinomish current, doesn't exactly follow the tides. LaConner is a quaint, touristy little town, and there are a couple new public docks right in front of downtown. But be careful docking and put plenty of fenders out, there can be strange side currents.

Do you like to hike? If so, grab a mooring ball at Eagle Harbor on Cypress Island. Dinghy in and hike to the top of Eagle Cliff. Incredible views!

Marina's mentioned above are great. I'll also throw in the Lopez Islander marina in Fisherman's Bay. Cute town, and I highly recommend renting bicycles and checking out the island. Tricky entrance to the bay though, although follow the charts and markers religiously and you'll be fine. The island past time is watching the sailboats attempt to go in/out near low tide, groundings are always a crowd pleaser.

As mentioned, Sucia Island is considered the crown jewel of the islands. There are docks and lots of mooring balls in Fossil Bay, but that gets crowded. I far prefer Shallow Bay on the west side of the island. Fewer mooring balls, but good anchorage, and your shallow draft R27 can sneak in and grab a prime spot not available to larger boats. Spectacular sunsets from here!

Another peaceful spot we love is Garrison Bay on San Juan Island. What we typically do is hit the guest dock at Roche Harbor Marina, take advantage of all the great amenities there, then go to Garrison for the night. Good anchorage, well protected, and a dinghy dock at the National Park right there at English Camp, where you can learn some interesting history about the stand-off between the brits and the Americans. There's also a beautiful hike to the top of Young Hill.

I could go on and on, love these islands. You'll have a blast!

 

[Toki]

One other thing I'll mention, as this is a factory delivery of a new boat, I'm guessing after your first couple days on it you'll have a whole laundry list of things you need to better outfit the boat. After you get through the Swinomish Channel, perhaps a night at Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes will be in order. There's a good West Marine and other boat supply places an easy walk from the marina, along with Safeway, hardware stores etc.

When are you planning to make this trip?

 

[Cutwater28GG]

Lots of great options already mentioned. let me give some other advice on the journey there.

As a new owner (not sure your prior boating experience) I would try out the resorts first like Roche and then get into the anchoring experience.

Rosario straight and the waters off port townsend can get very lumpy if you have wind against tide. plan your passages through here and look at the actual weather on wind alert.
you can avoid it all by going up behind whidbey island and choosing either deception pass or swinomish channel but its a longer distance.

I honestly find the Swinomish channel in a tug dead easy to navigate (just stay in the channel) and a lot more predictable than coming out of deception pass into a longer run across rosario straight. it just takes longer because of the speed limit and extra distance. The current doesnt move that fast in the channel and there is no wind vs current issues.

 

[Hydraulicjump]

All of this is great advice and I will not contradict a lick of it. But I will add some options you might want to consider. I am thinking of this solely because you are coming from Boston. The fickle spring weather of the PNW (says the lightweight from California) will not scare you, which is great. Think May in Martha's Vineyard at times, interspersed with New England summer. Your Webasto heater may be your best friend. It has certainly been my thermally-challenged wife's best friend. Pretty much all the way until summer starts in the PNW: July 5th.

Presumably you will be coming out of Des Moines where the factory usually (but not always) launches their boats. There is no there, there, so off you go as soon as possible. If you have 10 days, you might want to consider a first night after check out at Bell Harbor, just so you can see the famous Pike Place Market, replete with people chucking fish and an incredible array of flowers. The Seattle Art Museum is open as well and within walking distance, you just need reservations. Even though Seattle is a bit of covid ghost town, it is still marvelous.

After that, all the above advice applies about getting north somewhere in the vicinity of Anacortes. Frankly, in that boat, with that speed, Deception Pass is not a problem, as long as you are adept at boat handling and wiling to burn some fuel. When the RT folks send their boats up to the September Rendezvous in Roche Harbor, the fast ones like yours make it in a day. Rosario Straits can be rough, so always try to avoid a tide-against-wind scenario.

You got good advice on all the rest. Everything depends on weather conditions. I highly recommend that you take an iPad, download one of the leading navigation apps that support Active Captain, and consult it for planning every day. All of this is dependent on the weather, and my favorite weather site is WindyTy. The most dangerous thing on a boat is a schedule, so prepare to be flexible.

Finally, whenever weather conditions permit (winds less than 15 kts, seas less than 2' ) we make the jump across the Juan de Fuca Straits from Cattle Pass (between San Juan and Lopez Islands) and head for Port Townsend. It is a wonderful town to walk around, including the old Victorians up on the hill (built up there due to the sewer smells and licentious behavior of sailors down near the docks...in the past, of course). From there you can work your way back to Des Moines down Admiralty Inlet. Port Gamble, Mats Mats Bay, and lots of other stops in between if there is time.

Our personal goal is to never cross your own wake. And the PNW is perfect for this. Arguably the best cruising grounds in the world. Pity about the weather, sometimes, but the good days are worth the payoff.

Enjoy! All of us RT owners remember with acute clarity what our first trip out on the boat was like. It is electric with excitement. You will do same! See you anchored in Tashmoo Pond this summer when your boat is back in Boston.

Jeff

ps: if you want to whet your appetite for this, binge watch the YouTube videos of MV Freedom. The cute couple cruising the PNW in their Nordhavn. We should all be that young and good looking. Again. If ever.

 

[Cutwater28GG]

Couple of other resources to help with the pre arrival boat excitement and planning 😀

I like the Salish Sea pilots cruising guides https://salishseapilot.com/
Waggoner cruising guide https://www.waggonerguidebooks.com/store/p379/2021waggonerguide.html

My favorites in the San Juans are
Roche Harbor - also must visit Westcott oyster farm for lunch. you can dingy over, anchor and dingy to the dock or walk around from Roche.
Friday harbor lots of shopping, restaurants and you can explore the rest of the island on rental bikes etc.
Deer Harbor
Sucia
Stuart island -Prevost and Reid harbor
Rosario resort (if its open) I had a rather good lunch there a few years back
You will almost always see Orca's on the west side of san juan island between roche and San Juan channel. Ive also seen them up near Stuart island

If you are stopping on the way back down the sound and you have chosen the straight of juan de fuca approach

Port Townsend is fun to walk around the wooden boat school
Port Ludlow - super cute to moor up. they also have a very nice restaurant in the resort there.

on Lopez there is a very protected bay called fisherman bay. I went last during the forest fire season and everything was a bit dark and smoky so that may have clouded my experience but I didnt find the facilities that great and they charged Roche prices without the Roche experience!

 

[JamesTXSD]

Lots of good advice here. I drove commercial whale watch boats in the San Juans for 5 years, and cruised there in our own boat as well. The San Juans are one of the premier boat cruising waters to be found - you could spend an entire season there and not see it all. 10 days will wet your appetite for returning. I'll throw in my 2¢...

Day 1: start in Anacortes. Spend a night or two in Cap Sante Marina - it's a great place to stock up on supplies, with a Safeway in easy walking distance from the marina. A fun place to walk the docks. Good restaurants in the old town portion, also just a couple blocks away.

Day 2: Sucia Island at the northeast portion of the San Juans. Dock space is limited, but there are mooring balls and some available anchorage.

Day 3: Jones Island. The entire island is a state park. Not big, but easy hike around.

Day 4: Friday Harbor on San Juan Island; Port of Friday Harbor Marina. This is the "commercial hub" of the San Juans, but it is still a small town. Great restaurants, 2 grocery stores. Definitely walk around town to get a feel of the "quaint." The Hungry Clam is my favorite for breakfast.

Day 5: Roche Harbor, on the other side of San Juan Island. The Madrona Grille has good pizza and beef sandwiches. The Lime Kiln Cafe has an outstanding breakfast. Take your dinghy around to Garrison Bay and tour English Camp... alternatively, you can anchor there, as well. Fun history where you will learn about "The Pig War" and how the San Juans came to be part of the United States.

Day 6: a short run to Reid Harbor on Stuart Island. Dock space is very limited, but you can get a mooring ball and dinghy to the dock. Take the hike to the one-room school house, and definitely look through the offerings at the Treasure Chest (near the school). Buy a Stuart Island t-shirt. If you feel like more of a hike, head out to the lighthouse at Turn Point... beautiful views from that area (the far NW corner of the US), where you will see Vancouver Island and some of the Gulf Islands in Canada (pity the border will not likely be open, as there is also some great places in the Gulf Islands - save it for the next trip).

Day 7: head southeast to Blind Bay on Shaw Island - one of my favorite places to anchor in the San Juans. Good protection from the prevailing SW winds, and you have lovely isolation. If you feel the need for civilization, take your dinghy to the ferry landing and go in the little general store there and have an ice cream cone. Watch for the rock at what looks like a wide open entrance to Blind Bay.

Day 8: from Blind Bay, head to East Sound on Orcas Island and spend a night at the marina at Rosario Resort & Spa. You will have use of all the resort amenities and definitely take a walking tour of the resort.

Day 9: back to Anacortes, then south to your original departure.

Granted, that will be "a schedule," but it will also give you some different perspectives about life in the San Juans. You will want to come back.

As others have said, a Waggoner's Cruising Guide will make your life easier - a good investment. This "cruise" will also give you the opportunity to thoroughly shake down all the systems in your new boat. Congrats and enjoy your first trip to the San Juans.

 

[Remedy2]

All the above advice is solid and everyone has their favorites. What I didn't see, and you should be mindful, is that (a) it's Summer in the PacNW (b) our COVID restrictions are some of the tightest in the country and (c) combine a+b and it = moorage is TOUGH to come by. I wouldn't use the word "impossible" but without a reservation getting a dock with power is tough. I've been making my Summer reservations the past few weeks and can tell you:

++Roche isn't taking reservations. They open up the waitlist every morning on channel 78a. First come first serve- enter around noon.

++Deer Harbor is one of our favorites and a good central spot for a few days to cruise and return home to every night. Book now. (https://dockwa.com/explore/destination/ ... =transient)

++DockWa is a good site to look at and book moorage (https://dockwa.com/explore/washington-marinas)

++Plan on anchoring and or tying to a ball. If you don't have an inflatable kayak or the like- buy one now. This should be Priority One- contingency plan if you can't find moorage.

++Add me to the list of recommending stopping over for the night from Des Moines. My home slip is Edmonds and you can probably book guest moorage there now (GREAT little coastal town). I also have a slip at Port Ludlow. I'm obviously not at both so PM me on your dates and I'll let you know which one I'll be at and you can use my slip for free. (https://www.portofedmonds.org/)

++Waggoner is the Bible of PNW cruising. Almost a "must have" on your boat here: https://waggonerguide.com/cruising/puget-sound/

Sorry if this sounds like "Debbie Downer" but moorage in the Summer here can be tough. Add boat sales were up 700% last year and you've got a crowded Sound. The lack of Canadian boats diminishes that a little but not much.

Congrats!

 

[grwolf]

All,

Your recommendations have all been incredibly informative! I drank them up, read up on many of them in Waggoner's and AllTrails, and have a basic plan in mind now.

Considering this is a new boat to me, and a totally new area for us, we are going to break up our trip up to the San Juan's with a stop in La Conner for the night. In fact, it looks like Langley (Port of South Whidbey) might be a fun stop on the way to La Conner. I like the idea of going through the Swinowish Channel on the way north.

We've made a few night's reservations at Rosario Resort on Orcas and the Roche Harbor Resort. This gives us the flexibility of days cruises to the many hikes/harbors we've read about with an easy "out" should the weather turn bad. Stuart Island, Sucia Island, oysters at Westcott Bay (love the west coast oysters!) and Hunter Bay on Lopez are on our "hope to visit" list. As with all boating adventures, mother nature will guide our decisions. We'll anchor/moor for then night as the mood strikes us. Btw, reserving slips at La Conner, Rosario and Roche were all possible, probably because it is still May.

For the return trip, we may go through Deception Pass or just return the way we came. I've navigated Buzzards Bay and Nantucket Sound in smaller boats than the R27, but I respect rough seas no matter what coast I am on.

Thank you, all, for helping us set a plan for our 10 days in the San Juans. I'll let this group know what we actually do once the trip is over. 😀

Greg

 

[Cutwater28GG]

get a reservation for langley early. they dont have much space and covid has filled them up fast.

this is also a useful app http://nwcruising.net/