ATTENTION!

This site has oodles of information about boating and the San Juans, it helps to use the search box BELOW to find what interests you.
Search - "things to do" or try "places to go"
search - Sucia Island
search - Friday Harbor
search - hiking or bicycling
try - kayak - try CAMPING - try Anchoring

++++ ============================= All Posts Below

Current Posts Below

9/26/2013

This sites purpose

sailingthesanjuans


Before ever going boating in the San Juans, I thought about it a lot.
 What's the right boat? Where will we put in, and park the car? Where will we go, spend the night, get gas. What about the horrible currents, Scary Deception Pass and whirlpools. Was it foolish, reckless, or endangering my family. 
The list of questions was endless and it was frightening making that first big step.




   Our first trip started by putting in at Olympia, I thought that was how to visit Victoria and cruise the San Juan's.  We foolishly attempted to cross the Strait of Juan De Fuca in the fog with a  truly dangerous and scary massive flood tide sporting fifteen foot waves.  We almost lost everything under the Narrows Bridge at Tacoma when we ran out of fuel and the current threatened to drag us under a barge. (ouch) We paid for reservations at Roche and Friday Harbor and then abandoned our prepaid fees when our plans changed.  We averaged around 10 mph at under 3 mpg  paying dearly for fuel.



         You would think after reading this that we had a horrible time and are lucky to have survived, but you would have to ask each member of my first crew to get their own personal perspectives.  I for one had a great adventure and have eagerly come back again and again for many years. Some of my crew (children) have moved on. Some have been leading their own forays by boat, car, and bicycle to the San Juan's for some time now.



        It wasn't long before I became acutely aware that there was very little information for first timers and out of area boat travelers, (namely yours truly) We put in at Olympia that first trip because we didn't know any better, plus the marina office at Swantown said we could park for free. I thought it was close enough to the San Juans and knew of nowhere else to go. After all isn't, Puget Sound, The San Juans, Juan De Fuca, Hood Canal, all one big place?  And Deception Pass, we thought was this dangerous road block to be avoided?  We had never heard of Swinomish Channel or Squalicum Harbor, had no idea that wonderful little Jones Island even existed.


                                                                        <>


So, for my enjoyment and to help others I write little tidbits about the area and our good times.  At times I espouse more wisdom than I really have so please use caution.  My opinions are just my opinions, even though I may try to act as an expert,  I am not.



I have tried to share information that others will find useful, especially  budget conscious trailer boaters dragging along family's.



At some point I realized that many and sadly I think most readers will not actually be able to visit the places I write about, so I try to keep articles entertaining and include pictures where I can.
John

Sucia Island, look closely, you can see boats anchored in every favorite hole. There is always room for one more.