Pacific NW: Help requested for float plan

FootballFan

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2012
3,567
Florida
Boat Info
Marquis 59
Engines
MTU Series 60
All,

We have signed up for a bare boat charter, leaving out of Bellingham, WA. Towards the end of July.

Have ordered a Cruising guide (Don & Reanne Douglas). Have a link for the Waggoner guide to download.

Open for ideas on where to go?

Ideally we will move most days, maybe stay two nights at the most in the same place. Planning 7 nights.

We have visited the area via car, but never on a boat (well we rode the ferry over to Victoria).

Starting to look at charts in the area.

How useful is Active Captain information in the area? Is it accurate, up to date in the area?

On a bareboat charter we prefer to be either on mooring balls or marina most nights. No confidence in ground tackle on a boat we just got on.

The boat does have a dinghy.

I am sure I will have a lot more questions - just wanted to start some conversation.

Thanks,

Mark
 
The San Juan Islands are amazing! We went last summer for the first time and am going back again this summer.
The places are endless in the San Juan's.
 
Are you planning on staying on the USA side or crossing into Canada ? Into fancy bars & restaurants or quiet coves ?
 
Wife wants to go to Victoria, may do that.

Still trying to sort through the options.

I have read a lot about desolation sound, thinking if we went there, it be up there and back.

We may stay more focused in the San jaun island area. Depends on what we learn.

Mark
 
Check out your charts... with a jump off at Bellingham you are smack in the middle of it. Desolation is beautiful but with only 7 days you'll be underway 2 days, to & fro. San Juans are great, but the wife & I prefer the quieter slower pace on the Canadian side. Victoria Harbor is great for sightseeing but it is a very busy harbor, not peaceful at all. We have stayed at Port of Sidney Marina and either drove or rode the bus into Victoria for a day. Butchart Gardens a little out of Victoria, they are gorgeous and you can get moorage in Brentwood Bay with access to the resort pool w/f&b service. I'd be happy to give you ideas...
 
Coming out of Bellingham you're just around the corner from Sucia Island, one of the most beautiful places to stop. Nice trails to hike, beautiful rock sculptures on the beaches, good mooring buoys and/or great anchoring. It's well protected and the east side offers great views of Mt. Baker.

From there I'd check out Roche Harbor for an overnight stay, then on to Friday Harbor. If you like quaint little towns, you would easily spend two days and nights there.

From Friday Harbor it's a nice cruise over to Victoria. Yes, it's busy but docking in front of the Empress Hotel is phenomenal. It's a great place to spend a couple of days and nights.

From Victoria head back around to the SJ's and hit Jones Island for a night. You'll be anchoring there but the bay on the north side is fairly small and well protected. A good/safe place to anchor.

Then your week is done and you're headed back to Bellingham.

OH, and don't forget to post pics. Without pictures it didn't happen!
 
Start with looking at Washington State Parks. Lots of nice places. If you want a dock or buoy in July you will need to be there before 11AM.
We normally spend May in the San Juans. If you want to have less people the Hood Canal is nice. At the end is a State park that has buoys and a nice dock.
A week is not much time you will not see every thing in that time.
Victoria will be full book your moorage well in advance.
If you want a feel for the San Juans arrive a day early. Go to Anacortes and take the ferry to Sydney and back in a day as a walk on passenger. It is about 3 hour boat ride and will take you through some of the area you will boat in.

http://parks.state.wa.us/651/Northern-Moorage-Sites
 
Leave Bellingham for Roche Harbor for night 1.
Leave Roche Harbor for Victoria for rights 2 and 3. Clear Canadian customs
Leave Victoria for Todd Inlet/Buchart Gardens on anchor for night 3 and 4.
Leave Todd Inlet for Ganges for night 5. Eat at the treehouse.
Leave Ganges for Friday Harbor for night 6. Clear US customs.
if you have a night 7, buoy at Sucia Island for night 7.


thjs gives you some amazing places to stay and really experience Pacific Northwest boating. Easy slow-boat cruising from destination to destination. Ganges to Friday harbor is your longest run I think. Maybe Victoria to Todd inlet.

We we keep our boat at Bellingham. This is a great 1 week trip.
 
Thank you for the suggested Float plans. I will go to work on the charts and cruising guide. Once I get some "agreed to" plans with the Admiral, will post back here for thoughts.

Questions:

Regarding Marina's are these pretty busy this time of year? How far in advance does a person need to lock down reservations? Are locations with Mooring balls typically reserved or first come?

Someone in a different thread mentioned a Nexxus card? Is this the card that came with Global Entry?

Boating into Canadian waters (definitely new for me) - radio channel use the same? Anything specific to be aware of, ie restrictions?

Thank you all for your help.

The specific dates are the week beginning July 24th.

We have been working with a charter company out of Bellingham, Pacific Northwest Charters. So far, at least the part leading up to getting on the boat, they have been great to work with.

Thank you all,

Mark
 
Coming out of Bellingham you're just around the corner from Sucia Island, one of the most beautiful places to stop. Nice trails to hike, beautiful rock sculptures on the beaches, good mooring buoys and/or great anchoring. It's well protected and the east side offers great views of Mt. Baker.

From there I'd check out Roche Harbor for an overnight stay, then on to Friday Harbor. If you like quaint little towns, you would easily spend two days and nights there.

From Friday Harbor it's a nice cruise over to Victoria. Yes, it's busy but docking in front of the Empress Hotel is phenomenal. It's a great place to spend a couple of days and nights.

From Victoria head back around to the SJ's and hit Jones Island for a night. You'll be anchoring there but the bay on the north side is fairly small and well protected. A good/safe place to anchor.

Then your week is done and you're headed back to Bellingham.

OH, and don't forget to post pics. Without pictures it didn't happen!

Pics will be forthcoming.... I agree..
 
Coming out of Bellingham you're just around the corner from Sucia Island, one of the most beautiful places to stop. Nice trails to hike, beautiful rock sculptures on the beaches, good mooring buoys and/or great anchoring. It's well protected and the east side offers great views of Mt. Baker.

From there I'd check out Roche Harbor for an overnight stay, then on to Friday Harbor. If you like quaint little towns, you would easily spend two days and nights there.

From Friday Harbor it's a nice cruise over to Victoria. Yes, it's busy but docking in front of the Empress Hotel is phenomenal. It's a great place to spend a couple of days and nights.

From Victoria head back around to the SJ's and hit Jones Island for a night. You'll be anchoring there but the bay on the north side is fairly small and well protected. A good/safe place to anchor.

Then your week is done and you're headed back to Bellingham.

OH, and don't forget to post pics. Without pictures it didn't happen!

Mike's cruise is excellent! This is some the most beautiful cruising down n the world. And please do make sure you get to Victoria. It's a beautiful city and harbour. Lots to see and great restaurants.

And yes, radio channels are all the same.

enjoy

Mark
 
+1 to the suggestions so far for the destinations in the San Juans, I can't recommend any Canada stops as I've not been there yet (planning to venture further out this August). I would add two more stops to the possible list for you - Stuart Island and Garrison Bay.

Stuart Island has a great walk from either Reid or Prevost Harbors up to the Turn Point lighthouse. When there you can tour the historic landmark and maybe even catch a pod (or even superpod) of Orcas as they round the point. There's always activity up there, you just have to time it right. My favorite harbor on Stuart is Reid Harbor, they have floats at the head of the bay that are great for setting up camp on. They have picnic tables on them, so you can eat and hang out on them, it's a really cool setup.

Garrison Bay is just south of Roche Harbor, through Mosquito Pass. Very good anchorage, and you can dinghy over to see the British Camp. From there, you can hike up to the top of the hill behind the camp and get a spectacular view of Haro Strait, even seeing over to Canada. It's one of my favorite places to anchor, it's always very quiet at night, and well protected from wind and waves.

Love to hear what you come up with for the float plan, and of course we need to see pictures afterwards!
Kevin
 
Regarding Marina's are these pretty busy this time of year? How far in advance does a person need to lock down reservations? Are locations with Mooring balls typically reserved or first come?

As soon as you have your float plan and if they are full one day maybe reroute so you come back on a different day.

Someone in a different thread mentioned a Nexxus card? Is this the card that came with Global Entry?

We use Can Pass going in & an I-68 coming back... With this, it's just a phone call for us.


Boating into Canadian waters (definitely new for me) - radio channel use the same? Anything specific to be aware of, ie restrictions?

Channel 16 and we've never had an issue. Just watch out for their ferries... (they're everywhere lol)

 
For a Nexus card to work every one on board must have one. If you do not have one go to a customs port pick up the customs phone and they will ask you for information. They may or may not come see you. Make sure you have no band food entering Canada. The list changes look it up on the web before you start your trip.
 
Mark: are you and Lina attending the LUSR Roche Harbor rendezvous this year? Keli and I will be there.
 
I am trying to get a float plan together this weekend. Will post it here for your comments and input.
 
Mark: are you and Lina attending the LUSR Roche Harbor rendezvous this year? Keli and I will be there.

Yes, our first one since they left Poulsbo & Bremerton... See you & Keli there !!
We'll be in the Gulf Islands for 2 weeks ending @ Roche.
 
that's great - will be good to see you both again. It's been a few years (since Bremerton) and now we have a bigger boat!
 
that's great - will be good to see you both again. It's been a few years (since Bremerton) and now we have a bigger boat!

Congratulations on the new boat, I noticed that in your profile. I would be honored for a tour of your new vessel... See you there!
 

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