Heavy waters through friday harbour?

[Peureux79]

I'm wondering what the water is like up around friday harbour. I know it will depend on the weather, but on a sunny day with minimal wind, is this something a smaller boat would be concerned about? I've seen an ocean swell before, and I'm not sure if large swells come through the area frequently or are pretty much only frequent with bad weather.

Any ideas??

 

[DavesWorld]

We were in Friday Harbor about a week ago and had the same premonition. Upon entering the main guest waterway everything calmed down and we were able to get to our slip without a problem. The harbor appears to be really protected from the wind.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Ray 40]

Friday Hbr. itself is very protected from ocean swells - it is on the inside (easterly) side of San Juan Island - the Harbor itself is protected by Brown Island due east of it.
The waters from Seattle to Friday Hbr. can at times be a little rough.
You have (2) choices .
Seattle out to Point No Point - to Port Townsend - across the Straights of San Juan DeFuca to Cattle Pass (between Lopez Island and San Juan Island) and then North up San Juan Channel to Friday Hbr. Your only open water exposure is the leg from Port Townsend to Cattle Point which is approx. 22 miles. It can be as flat as a pancake or as you know 'mother nature can be a bitch'.
The second choice is a more protected route.
Seattle to south end of Whidbey Island - stay east side of Whidbey Island up thru Saratoga Passage. You then can make the choice of going thru Deception Pass - out to Lopez Island and up outside (South side) of Lopez to same Cattle Pass and Friday Hbr. or watching charts at top of Saratoga Passage and taking a starboard turn to go into the Swinomish Channel and up to Anacortes. This is the most protected route but you must watch your charts and respect all red buoys -not cut corners- entering the channel.And then be sure to stay in the middle of the channel. From Anacortes you go Guemes Channel to Thatcher Pass -to top of Lopez Island between Shaw Island and Lopez - and into Friday Hbr.- almost all protected water.

It's easier to follow all my jibberish on yout chart/chart book.


On a nice sunny summer day I'm sure you could make it to Friday Harbor in somewhere around 3 hours if you left Seattle early in the AM before the PM winds kicked up.

Bud

 

[smanier]

watch the forecast but normally no weather issues this time of year. One foot or less up there this weekend.

 

[Sundancer]

Left Friday Harbor Saturday morning. The waves aren't bad, but the fog was a little nerve wracking. As mentioned above, the waves aren't nearly as bad as some of the open water you have to travel through to get there. The 30 footer won't have any problem! Maybe you are referring to another boat?

 

[The Bill Collector]

Watch your weather forecasts (wind) and you'll be fine....
Did it several times in our previous 300 Weekender.
We have used all 3 routes described above.

Get out there, Mark