Summer Cruising Plans - Do it now! - Ten resorts and phone numbers where you can reserve a slip

 Sometimes it is really nice to have a slip reserved just for you.

      After spending a few nights on the hook somewhere, or jostling for dock space at a park that only holds four boats and has no water or shower, I look forward to my guaranteed reservation.

If you have a firm date planned, 4th of July maybe, you can call or get online and reserve a slip.

1. La Conner 360 466 3118
2. Cap Sante  360 2930694
3. Squalicum Harbor 360 676 2542
4. Blakelys   360375 6121
5. West Beach  360 375 6121
6. Islander Resort  360 468 2233
7. Friday Harbor   360 378 2688
8. Roche Harbor   800 586 3590
9. Deer Harbor  360 376 3037
10. Rosario Resort  360 376 2152

Most of these places will be able to fit you in with short notice, but plan ahead to be sure.

Did you know?
For your land bound friends and relatives (children). They can make campground reservations.

• Sucia Island State Park
• Odlin County Park
• San Juan Island County Park
• Spencer Spit State Park
• Washington  Park (Anacortes city park)

These five parks are boater accessible and take reservations for camping.

Think outside the box, and plan a combination land and sea adventure with your non-boater friends.

Follow this link to a post outlining a land and sea outing involving - cars - campgrounds - ferry rides - bicycles and one boat used as a taxi.
Outside the box cruising

What are you waiting for - Winter?

Farmers Markets on San Juan Island - Saturday Markets on Lopez Island, Orcas Island Saturday Market

If your running out of things to do and places to go when cruising the San Juans, try Saturday Markets, Farmers Markets and Craft Fairs.  Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Island, all have regular scheduled markets in the summer months.

 At Friday Harbor on San Juan Island you will find every Saturday morning, April through September the "San Juan Island Farmers Market" at the Brickworks Plaza. Bring your appetite for breakfast or lunch and feast on the island cuisine, then bring home locally made arts and crafts.

Tie up in a slip, or anchor out and use the dinghy dock, its a very short walk.

In Lopez Village on Lopez Island look for the "Lopez Farmers Market" next door to the community center. Open 10am to 2pm mid May into September every Saturday. Plan on having lunch and picking up some local produce and seafood. Local crafts people and artists will be  displaying their work.

Berth at a slip in Fisherman Bay and walk about a half mile to Lopez Village.

OR go by dinghy and land right in town -  here's how >>> Lopez Village by dinghy

Don't miss the "Orcas Island Farmers Market" in Eastsound on the Village Green, Open every Saturday from 10am to 3pm  May through October.  Crafts, arts, food, gardeners, museum and history booths, you will find just what you need. 

Eastsound county dock

Music festivals on the green

Use the county dock at Madrona Point or anchor out, and dinghy to the dock, its just a block or two to Eastsound.

Anacortes, Bellingham, and LaConner should be on your short list of things to do & places to go!

At Anacortes the Farmers market is at 611 R Ave in Anacortes, just a few steps from Cap Sante Boat Haven, and runs 9am until closing every Saturday beginning in May.
Don't miss the "Waterfront Festival," normally held in June

Bellingham boasts a Farmers Market that is just a one mile walk from Squalicum Harbor at Depot Market Square, Railroad and Chestnut streets, open 10am to 3pm April thru Christmas.

Lastly, LaConner on Swinomish Channel has several public docks downtown where moorage is on a first come basis. As of this writing there is no established close by Saturday Market, but they have an extensive menu of shops jus steps away on main street. Visit the chamber website calendar of events right here.   http://www.laconnerchamber.com/chamber_calendar.cfm

Where are the BIG grocery stores on Lopez, Orcas, San Juan Island?

       When you cruise somewhere with no local knowledge, you must bring it with you or make do as best you can. That's how you avoid buying $5 wine for $20, and getting outdated perishables.

        Just about all little landings have snack bars and minimally stocked shelves, and I admit I buy lots of stuff from these guys and so should you.  If we don't support them with our purchases they will not stay in business. When they are gone, everyone loses.  

        But,  what about the other products that the little guys simply don't have?

• Lopez Village
• Friday Harbor
• Eastsound
• Cap Sante
• La Conner
• Roche Harbor

These places have major stores with everything we want.

Lopez Village:  This is a hard one to get to from a dock, but you can dinghy ashore, here's a link to get you provisions.  Anchoring and Getting ashore at Lopez Village

The store is about a one block easy walk.  You can walk from the Islander in Fisherman Bay, but its further than I want to carry groceries.  You can bicycle from Odlin Park in twenty minutes.

Friday Harbor:   The marina will let you park in a slip or at the breakwater while you walk up to Kings Market. It's about two blocks right on the main street, you cant miss it. This is a big and busy place and so close you can run up from the boat when your cooking breakfast and need eggs.

Eastsound:  It's kind of a long run up East Sound to Eastsound but the store is big and only one block to walk from the county dock.  Note: the dock is small, you may not get to park the mother ship and may have to anchor and dinghy over. One time we dragged the dinghy up on to the dock because there was no room in the water, you can also beach the dinghy and climb up a trail.   Don't worry, you will get to the store one way or another.  BTW - Eastsound has a good assortment of places to eat, yum.

La Conner:  There are three public docks scattered along the city waterfront,  all right on main street.  (these docks are not the marina, which is a little longer walk)  Once on shore, walk to the  left on the main drag to the stop sign and then follow the only main street to the right.  Follow this street about one block to the towns grocery store, it's pretty big, keeps long hours and is only two blocks from boat at worst.   

The above map shows the five tie up floats at La Conner and the red dot is the grocery store, (no, not the dot marking the boat ramp under the bridge)

Cap Sante (Anacortes):  The store is a full size Safeway and is directly across the street from the marina.  Call the harbor master to arrange for a short term shopping slip.  If you are transiting Swinomish Channel, its just a small detour into Cap Sante to provision.

Roche Harbor:   Lastly, don't forget Roche Harbor for groceries.  The store is right at the top of the marina gangway.  You can get a free slip assignment for shopping or anchor out and dinghy over to one of several dinghy docks.  You could even walk upstairs while getting fuel.  The Roche Harbor store is the smallest of the bunch but is complete and stuffed to the gills.

More Stores: Yes, but those are the biggies with complete inventories.  The smaller stores include Blakely's, Rosario, Deer Harbor, West Beach, Shaw Landing, Orcas Landing, Cornet Bay at Deception Pass, and that's pretty much all of them.