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5/16/2012

Best Dinghy Beaches (and worst) in the San Juan Islands

     What makes a good dinghy beach? Scroll to the bottom for my number one and number two choices when sailing the San Juan Islands

        At first I was just going to list some features good dinghy beaches share, then I realized San Juan newcomers  may need or want a warning to help in trip planning. So lets be clear, just because a beach is considered a good dinghy beach does not mean it is worthy of a visit and conversely, if someone says the beach is no good for dinghy's does not mean you should not plan a stop over. Forewarned is forearmed or something like that.

       In my opinion a good dinghy beach allows you to get to shore and back to the boat with a minimum of fuss and bother.
In no particular order, lets make a list of likes and dislikes.

  • not getting feet wet getting into and out of dinghy is really nice.
  • ditto for all tide levels, so the angle (slope) of the beach is crucial
  • gravel versus mud is a no brain-er 
  • sand is better than mud, but both track into dinghy and back to the boat (gravel doesn't track)
  • something nearby to tie the painter to, like a massive old log
  • a cool view of my boat when I turn around
  • a nearby restroom is handy
  • not smelling like dead seaweed is a plus
  • fires permitted and driftwood is always nice for evenings
  • nearby tide pools for exploring
  • security is something some spots lack (theft of dinghy or contents)
  • free roaming dogs! or other wildlife
  • how about a lack of bugs and bird droppings
  • what about western view of the setting sun
  • protection from weather driven waves
click on -read more- to find my two best dinghy beach choices