My wife and I are the nearly new lightly experienced owners of an R23. We would like to travel to the San Juans from Tacoma for a few days. Any suggestions on easiest marinas to access would be helpful. We intend to travel up the east side of Whidbey and through Deception Pass. How many hours might the trip take? Any helpful advice on lodgings would also be appreciated. By the way, in the few months we've owned the boat (54 hours +-) we have enjoyed reading and learned a lot from Tugnuts. Thanks
Newbie trip to the San Juans
- Thread starter Seamus
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scross
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Well from Foss Waterway in Tacoma to Friday Harbor is approximately 100 NM. If you left at 10 AM, caught the slack just right at Deception Pass you could be at Friday Harbor by 3 PM. Everywhere in the San Juan’s is an hour or two apart at 20 Kts. So think about what you want to see and visit on your cruise, make sure you go through Deception Pass at or near slack and you should be good!
Lots of cruising guides out there that talk about all the great places to visit. Here’s a mileage table.
https://nwcruising.net/
Lots of cruising guides out there that talk about all the great places to visit. Here’s a mileage table.
https://nwcruising.net/
Toki
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"a few days" to get from Tacoma to the San Juans and back again? Two LONG brutal days at 80%+ throttle, and hope you catch all currents and weather just right. Sure you can't add a few days to the itinerary? 2 days up, 2 days back, and a few days to island hop?
Brian98133
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Agreed that the nwcruising.net is invaluable. Also agree that a 'few days' may make it hard to give useable advise as to how to cruise.
We love to bypass Deception by going up the Swinomish channel and stopping for a few hours at LaConner, which is a wonderful place to walk and tour some fun shops.
On the other end of the Swinomish channel is Cap Sante Marina, which is a nice place to stop overnight. From there, it's just a hop to the Islands.
But, if you are pressed for time and truly only have a 'few days', bypass Swinomish and head through Deception to your destination.
When navigating the Swinomish, it's important to know the median point is roughly Twin Bridges. This is where the "red right return" rule reverses. This channel is very narrow, so knowing where to cruise can mean the difference between a fun trip and 'something less' :cry:
Nevertheless, there is nothing about this cruise that is anything short of a great time! Enjoy! 😀
We love to bypass Deception by going up the Swinomish channel and stopping for a few hours at LaConner, which is a wonderful place to walk and tour some fun shops.
On the other end of the Swinomish channel is Cap Sante Marina, which is a nice place to stop overnight. From there, it's just a hop to the Islands.
But, if you are pressed for time and truly only have a 'few days', bypass Swinomish and head through Deception to your destination.
When navigating the Swinomish, it's important to know the median point is roughly Twin Bridges. This is where the "red right return" rule reverses. This channel is very narrow, so knowing where to cruise can mean the difference between a fun trip and 'something less' :cry:
Nevertheless, there is nothing about this cruise that is anything short of a great time! Enjoy! 😀
Cutwater28GG
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Not sure if you have a trailer but you could trailer up to anacortes and put in at capt sante. Otherwise yes it’s a bit of a trek in 1 day from Tacoma. I do Elliot bay to roche in one day quite often. Leave around 8 get the tides right and be in early afternoon. I’m only a 18 knot boat.
I often watch the wind conditions in the strait carefully on the way and make a game time decision to head out via port Townsend. It can save a bunch of time. You have to watch the tides against wind at port Townsend though. It’s hard to give yourself both a tide option at both deception pass and the strait in the same run but can be done especially with a faster boat like the 23.
I often watch the wind conditions in the strait carefully on the way and make a game time decision to head out via port Townsend. It can save a bunch of time. You have to watch the tides against wind at port Townsend though. It’s hard to give yourself both a tide option at both deception pass and the strait in the same run but can be done especially with a faster boat like the 23.
Karll
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+1 on going through Deception pass on the slack. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that you could go on the outside of Whidbey or through the Swinomish slew. If you plan to goth through the slew make sure you watch your GPS chart and stay close to Whidbey until you turn into the slew as the body of water on the mainland side can be very shallow.
scross
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Here’s some homework for you if you don’t have or have seen this material:
Ranger Tugs Points North Seminar is intended for those considering cruising in Canada but has great references to tides, weather resources, etc On YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FCFDRH9PKGk
Waggoner Guide covers the whole PNW. Get one! They also carry the must have Ports and Passes tides book.
https://www.waggonerguidebooks.com/
Dreamspeaker Guides drills down with a lot more info on the San Juan’s
https://www.dreamspeakerguides.com/the-san-juan-islands
A five night trip stoping at marinas only will just barely scratch the surface of the San Juan Island cruising experience
Friday Harbor (if open)
Deer Harbor
Roche Harbor
Rosario Resort
Fisherman Bay (tricky entrance)
More days gets you state parks at a dock or mooring buoy
Stuart Island (either Reid Harbor or Prevost Harbor)
Jones Island
Sucia Island (Echo Bay or Shallow Bay)
This is only a partial list that covers what we explored during our first season in the San Juan’s back in 2014. Have fun!
Ranger Tugs Points North Seminar is intended for those considering cruising in Canada but has great references to tides, weather resources, etc On YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FCFDRH9PKGk
Waggoner Guide covers the whole PNW. Get one! They also carry the must have Ports and Passes tides book.
https://www.waggonerguidebooks.com/
Dreamspeaker Guides drills down with a lot more info on the San Juan’s
https://www.dreamspeakerguides.com/the-san-juan-islands
A five night trip stoping at marinas only will just barely scratch the surface of the San Juan Island cruising experience
Friday Harbor (if open)
Deer Harbor
Roche Harbor
Rosario Resort
Fisherman Bay (tricky entrance)
More days gets you state parks at a dock or mooring buoy
Stuart Island (either Reid Harbor or Prevost Harbor)
Jones Island
Sucia Island (Echo Bay or Shallow Bay)
This is only a partial list that covers what we explored during our first season in the San Juan’s back in 2014. Have fun!