Anchor Rode Marking

       Why mark the anchor rode?  Easy -- sooner or later you will wonder how much line is out.

         In my opinion, marking the rode is not hard nor costly.  Suppliers sell tags, with footage numbers, some people use cable ties or bits of yarn.

        Some exuberant skippers, mark every twenty five feet and use day-glo colors.

        Years of anchoring in the San Juans has honed my system, or should I say reduced it to what works for me.


      My obvious observations:

• Anchoring, like coming in to the dock or slip must be done fairly quickly or the boat floats away.  This means doing math calculations or untangling snarly rode should be completed beforehand.
• Under water, red, black,and other colors look the same or just disappear.
• Trying to spot, cutesy paint marks, little tags or bits of string flying out of the hawse pipe is problematic, especially for newbie crew.
• Guesstimating how much rode has been let out is not accurate, but is never the less the system I used for years.
• I tried using a code, such as two marks, three marks, four marks to designate small increments. It was confusing, hard to keep track of, and kinda pointless anyway since I forgot the code.
• Anchoring in dark or windy conditions, or stiff current, quickly identifies inadequate systems, poor planning, and lack of preparation.

     What I do today:

• My experience has been that all paints I have tried last only one season in salt water. Now I  use whatever left over black or red latex paint or spray paint I have. I apply it on a three to four foot section.  
• My first mark is at fifty feet, then one hundred, then one fifty, etc. Since I usually anchor in 15 - 20 feet the third mark never sees water and stays in good shape.
• If I suspect problems or crucial timing issues, I will pull all the needed rode out of the locker and cleanly flake it on deck beforehand.
• When I up anchor, if conditions permit, I flake the rode on deck for cleaning and drying and then carefully drop it in the locker later. Sometimes I put my thirty feet of wet or muddy chain in a milk crate and leave it in the sun.  Putting away wet gear tends to stink, so I avoid it when  I can, especially if I plan to anchor again that day.
• I have a pair of dedicated gloves I use for anchor handling.

How well I anchor is proportional to how well I sleep!

Visit Vendovi Island Preserve

       For years all of us have been going around Vendovi  Island on our way to Sucia or the inner islands.  If you are thinking Vendovi sounds familiar but can't quite place it, I will tell you - it is the little 200+ acre dot on your chart due south from the southern tip of Lummi Island.  200 acres is about the size of Jones Island if that comparison is of any help.  The map clipping below should help you zero in on Vendovi's location.

        The San Juan Preservation Trust has owned and protected Vendovi Island since 2010.  Visiting  days are  April 1st through Sept. 30.    Open hours are 10 am to 6 pm, Thursday through Monday. They are closed Tues. and Wed.

        Access is a small cove at the north end.  There is a 70 foot, first come no reserve dock behind the breakwater, or you may beach kayaks and dinghy's in front of caretaker home if the dock is full. No anchoring in the cove or overnight stays at the dock are allowed.

      Bring your hiking shoes and plan to immerse yourself in unspoiled wilderness, but you should stay on the trails if you  truly respect the wilderness and the SJPT mission to preserve.  No camping, fires, bicycles, or hunting, pets are to be on leash.  Enjoy!

      Learn about the many San Juan Preservation Trust  preserves  here  >> Map of SJPT preserves

Is disaster simply one little mistake away?

 This is a short accounting of what we watched evolve on a balmy calm peaceful Sunday afternoon. The gentleman side tied behind us cast off, he said he was going to swing by the pumpout on the other dock and then head for home. I waved from our cockpit and dove back into my magazine. Suddenly my concentration is interrupted by a revving engine. "Somethings wrong," I said to Linda, "look over there." The boater that had just left had entered the next fairway, the current was dragging him towards the two foot high aluminum footbridge that connects the walkways.  "He's in trouble," I said, "the currents too much and he can't complete the turn."  Next, to my surprise he guns the engine of his thirty footer, full throttle, attempting to make a 180 degree turn before he strikes the walkway.  His boat does indeed miss the footbridge and almost completes the turn but instead, he hits the dock next to the pumpout and with engines screaming, he drives the as yet undamaged boat  three quarters of the way onto the dock.  Not quite out of the water and at a steep angle he slams it into reverse.  The boat instantly pulls off the dock, sliding back into the water. Now mostly turned around, the boat powers backwards towards the footbridge.  The unmistakable sound of crunching fiberglass is heard a split second afterwards as the driver finally throttles back and then kills the engines.

The whole sad episode is over as fast as the engines could rev up.  By the time I and some other onlookers get over there with our boat hooks the boat is back in the water floating peacefully next to the pumpout. What can you say to someone that has just trashed their boat in a frenzied show of dumb mistakes compounded by more dumb mistakes.

Speaking for myself and probably a few other skippers that have misjudged currents and our boats handling or lack of handling.  I will say, I too have gunned the motor in a last ditch effort to clear an obstacle. I may even have bumped a few times.  Luckily I have never done any real damage or I have suppressed the memory.

Experience teaches us lessons, sometimes expensive lessons. In this instance, one lesson learned is to not try to turn around upstream of anything you don't want to hit. In lieu of that, don't hit it at full throttle.

In this situation two alternative actions come to mind. #1 the driver could have turned his boat around outside the fairway and backed down to the pumpout, although he would still run the risk of crashing if he lost power or control in the strong current. #2 and a better choice, would be to choose another location or wait for a tide change.  Sometimes it is best to not push your luck.

How to tie to an anchor buoy in the San Juan Islands Marine Parks

      This may seem like a no-brainer, but  watching crews struggle while tying up in a calm mooring field  says otherwise.   Aside from the entertainment angle,  lessons may be learned.

        The basic anchor buoy is often simply an old foam filled tire with some sort of strong attachment ring on top, but smart skippers approach unknown buoys with caution and skepticism.

        This list of dos and don'ts are suggestions, and observations, not rules, and may not apply to your boat, your gear, or your crew.

• Anchor buoys may not be in deep water, in fact you may run aground on approach.
• Don't bang into buoys, they may have sharp edges, and gel coat slashing barnacles.
• Many buoys (most in my opinion) have large amounts of plant life growing and trailing from them.  
• Some buoys have abandoned lines tied to them, ready to foul your rudders and propellers.
• You can't stand on them, they won't support your weight, even for just a second while you grab the ring.
• Buoy components corrode and break and then they float loose, it is a fact!  Seaweed might be all that is holding it together.
• Therefore backing down on a buoy, just like setting an anchor, is a good idea.

       Tips based upon my experiences: 

• Approach buoys dead slow from down wind and current, and off to one side.
• Check it out - make sure there are no long trailing lines or bits of flotsam hanging in the buoys wake.
• Match your rpm's to the current and wind so your boat is stationary next to it before moving over.
• If your boat has low freeboard, have your crew reach the ring and thread a line through it and back to a cleat.  Don't tie fast to the buoy or use a snap hook or shackle or biner, you want to be able to release it from the boat, possibly in an emergency. Use a heavy line, it will chafe at the ring.
• Is your line already tied at the other  end?
• Is your crew wearing a pfd?
• Make sure the crew cleats the line before you release your helm control, the current or wind may be more than they can hold by hand.
• If your boat has high freeboard, instruct crew to use your boat hook to snag the ring, but make sure you are holding stationary.
• Many anchor buoys are designed with a lifting ring and chain that you may pull up several feet out of the water enabling you to slip a line through.  Sometimes lifting a heavy chain is a two man job.
• If enough seaweed is growing (attached) on the chain, it may be impossible to lift the ring, even with ten crew.
• WARNING - If the skipper leaves the helm to help, allowing the boat to drift with the current, they still may not be able to lift the ring or hold against the current.
• The boat hook may get pulled from their hands or not be possible to easily unhook for a retry.   This results in losing the hook as soon as the buoy is grabbed  - another good reason for having a floating hook and wearing pfd's.
• You may also pull the boat hook apart or break off the end.
• Most boats have lower freeboard in the cockpits than up on a high bow and simply grabbing the ring from the cockpit may be all that's required.
• But, watch out when working from stern!
• The boat will be much harder to control, you may tangle with propellers and rudders.  Once hooked, the boat will likely spin in the wind and current increasing difficulty and strain on lines.
• Do not treat anchor buoys like fixed docks or floats.  They are simple to use, but can bite the unwary.  
• Lastly - don't forget that the anchor buoy has its own anchor and rode that you could tangle with, especially if you set your own hook nearby.

White with blue band is the official anchor buoy marking.

Close inspection reveals missing  shackle pin set this buoy free at Jones Island 

The mooring buoys and campsites are free at Pelican Beach, Cypress Head, and Eagle Harbor on Cypress Island

How to go Ashore on Lummi Island for Bicycling or just going to the Store

For some time I have advised cruisers to use Inati Bay on Lummi Island as a storm refuge and lunch stop, or a very convenient anchorage when they don't have time to make it back to Bellingham or Sucia.

If you have the time you should consider going ashore, but not at Inati Bay where all the land is private and only has a logging road at that.

Follow these simple instructions for getting to shore on Lummi Island at the public access beach.

About three miles north of Inati Bay is the Whatcom Chief Ferry terminal. The tiny but speedy 25 car ferry makes several Hale Passage crossings every hour, so you will see it for sure.

Head for the ferry terminal and about one football field length north, anchor your boat in front of a  long stairway leading up the bank.  At the top of the stairs where the old car deck and ramp once was is a rustic wood deck, turned into a public park complete with picnic tables.  All the pilings are gone, there is nothing left, your only landmark will be the stairway with the Beach Cafe in the background.  Beach the dinghy, not forgetting the current and tides, offload the bikes and clamber up the stairs.

The local anchor buoys are quite a ways from shore suggesting thin water, you are well advised to follow their lead and anchor far off as well, unless your stay is short.

Across the street (Nugent Road) is the Beach Cafe, turn left, south on Nugent and it is 1300 feet (1/4 mi) to the Islander Grocery Store. (just past the current ferry terminal.)

Look for public stairs and Beach Cafe. Land your dinghy on slab rock or gravel at low tide.
Driftwood suggests high tide reaches to stairs.

Mt Baker across Hale Passage is a great backdrop.

That's it -- for bicyclists head left or right on Nugent Rd and circle the north end of Lummi.  It is an easy (not too hilly) 7 mile loop that takes you around Migley Point, Legoe Bay, and  West Shore Drive with sweeping vistas of  Rosario Strait.

Some first mates may find the rule of twelfths handy when anchoring in the shallows off the stairway. Below is the link to refresh your memory of how it works. Don't forget that the current changes 180 degrees and may unhook you.  I set two longish rode anchors (boat in the middle) before I take off for an extended time if I anticipate current shifts. 

Note: expect wakes from ferry to rock you mercilessly every thirty minutes.

The rule of twelfths

Anchoring tips

Marine Parks of the San Juan Islands and Surrounding Area

Below is the marine parks list
             followed by reviews, charts, and pictures
                         in the order listed.
        This is not all the parks, just the ones you may want to make part of your cruising. It's unlikely you can visit all in one trip and still do a decent job of sightseeing. You should plan multiple visits to the San Juans.
Many people choose Jones as their favorite for just hanging for a few days, so Jones is first.
For hiking, Sucia, or Pelican Beach on Cypress Island are the best, but all the parks have hiking trails.
      Some parks are in a convenient location when you need to spend the night and you're between destinations, Saddle Bag, Eagle Harbor, and Odlin would fit this description.  Most parks with docks have picnic tables on the floats, which are very handy for extending your living area, socializing, and meeting other boaters.
        For marinas/etc. where you can get fuel and provisions try this list >> Marinas - fuel - beer and ice - slips for rent

• Jones Island
• James Island
• Clark Island
• Doe Island
• Obstruction Pass
• Pelican Beach
• Eagle Harbor
• Cypress Head
• Matia
• Patos
• Sucia
• Stuart Island  (Prevost & Reid Harbor)
• Spencer Spit
• Odlin County Park
• Washington Park
• Deception Pass Park
• Saddlebag Island
• Sidney Spit Marine Park (Canada)

Click here to go to complete description and maps of above listed parks

4th of July in the San Juan Islands - Fireworks - Parades - Celebrations

Here is a list of independence day celebrations, parades and fireworks planned on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Island.

     Reserve a slip at the Friday Harbor Marina, but if you just show up, there is always room for another anchor and the paddle over to the dinghy dock is super short. (FYI -  anchoring in the cove places you directly in front of the fireworks barge -- there is no better or closer view possible for your independence day grand finale)

           We had such a fun time last year at Friday Harbor celebrating the Fourth of July that we are going back for a vacation cruise repeat in 2017.    

Don't limit yourself -- below is a list of Orcas, San Juan, and Lopez island fireworks and celebrations planned for the 4th.

Some of the festivities are for different dates so with a little planning you can attend several events.

I copied some of these snippets from last year (so the dates are wrong for 2017 and some events may be altered) 

You may read about the entire year of events right here >>  >> Chamber of commerce for San Juan Island

Roche Harbor Resort Events on the 4th of July


Enjoy the Family 3.3K Fun Run, log-rolling contest, blindfolded dinghy race, doughnut eating contest, children's games, live music and fireworks.

Fun Run at Yellow Brick Road

Kids Games at Pool Lawn 12:30-2:30 p.m. - Doughnut Eating at West Lawn

Blindfolded Dinghy Race 4:00 p.m. - Log Rolling at Wharf Building

Fireworks Show in the Harbor at dusk!

Friday Harbor: on the 4th of July

Monday, July 4, 2016  All Day

​Friday Harbor's 4th of July highlights include a small-town parade, a community picnic, live music, dancing and fireworks! The parade, known as one of the top 10 small town parades in the nation, passes through downtown Friday Harbor at 10:30am. Immediately following the parade, the 'Pig War Picnic' put on by the Kiwanis, will be held at the San Juan Historical Museum grounds. Expect live music and a great lunch. At dinner time, the Port of Friday Harbor will be putting on music in the Port parking lot, followed by the biggest and best Fireworks show beginning at dusk, approximately 10:00p.m.

Orcas Island: for the 4th of July (check dates)
Orcas Island chamber of Commerce


July 1. Orcas Community Parade. Sponsor: Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce
July 3. Deer Harbor Fireworks. Sponsor: Bellport Deer Harbor Marina

July 4. Eastsound Fireworks. Sponsor: Orcas Island Chamber of http://orcasislandchamber.com/Commerce



Lopez Island: on the 4th of July
Lopez Chamber of Commerce - calendar
fireworks are at Fisherman Bay on the 4th


I copied this from the Lopez Chamber website, there is a lot more planned during the year, music, food, art etc.

Event Description

The 4th of July on Lopez Island has become one of Washington State's most treasured celebrations. Many come from all over the country to enjoy a "down home" themed parade and one of the most spectacular community funded fireworks displays you can find anywhere. The island rolls out the red carpet every 4th of July when they host what has become one of the "don't miss" events associated with the beautiful San Juan Islands. Make sure you plan ahead as it has, for good reason, become the busiest time getting to and from Lopez and lodging can fill up quite early in the year. What really makes this great event a success year after year are the multitude of volunteers and generous donations from both local businesses and individuals throughout the local community and families who come to Lopez to enjoy the show year after year.

Join us, for what has grown into a larger than life tradition, this 4th of July. It's a day packed with many events and activities, not to mention an island full of patriotism.

More Info: www.lopezfireworks.com
http://www.lopezisland.com/index.htm






Our new "Land and Sea Guide" is packed with suggestions,
and outside the box ideas
for getting around the San Juans.

 

Amazon - Books available now

Take What you Have and -- GO

      As the primary irritant and contributor to this website, I am drawn back to promoting boating and the San Juans.

        How many times have you heard  (or said yourself)  "I can't because...."   -- finish the statement with any handy excuse for not making that long talked about trip.  In many cases, the excuses I use are bogus or easily overcome.

For instance:

• The no money excuse:
• If you are dead broke, I suggest that you forge ahead and make plans anyway, things have a way of working out.
• Reduce the budget some,  try dialing back what you really need to get going to the San Juans.  
• New radar - NO, new motor - NO - how about used? New plotter - NO.  You may be  hopeless if you need all the newest toys to vacation or go on a boat ride.

• The no boat excuse:

• Take what you have, or consider renting or buying a used runabout or skiff.
• One time we came across a couple (a well seasoned couple I might add) at Pelican Beach.  They arrived in an 8' plywood sailing pram (with oars and no motor) and they had towed another 8' pram with  camping gear.  They told us they had put in at Anacortes and were spending a week as they had done for many years.  I was  impressed and somewhat embarrassed for my boat full of goodies, and creature comforts.

                Let's expand on the idea of buying a used boat.  Once a few years back, I sold our primary boat just a few weeks before a planned trip to the San Juans.   Now boat-less, except for my beloved 9' dinghy, I was faced with canceling my family vacation. Instead, I decided to buy an inexpensive boat, and use it once for our  San Juan trip and then sell it upon our return.  I bought a small well known   readily available sailboat and trailer.  We boat camped for ten days, and then  I sold the temporary boat for 100% what I paid for it. 

          The overall cost for that trip was just the cost of fuel and provisioning.  I know, some people will criticize the wisdom of taking an unknown boat, breakdowns, blah blah blah. Thats OK, I agree what we did is not for everyone, but it worked well for us, and besides, I brought my dinghy and trusted 5hp Honda as back up.

• The no time excuse:
• Baloney - If you really want to go you will make the time, so go mark your calendar right now!
• help for procrastinators --- click here for Step by step plan for that San Juan trip

• One last thought; life happens, when everything in life gangs up on you conspiring to stop your boating trip, don't give up.  Instead, postpone the boat part and go in your car. Camping or resorting around the San Juans is almost as good as boating around the San Juans.

Take what you have and -- GO!

     My new travel guide may be just what you need.  That's right, I am shamelessly promoting my 2017 "San Juan Islands Travel Guide" -- It is a Land and Sea Guidebook, so whether you are a boater, biker, or car camper, it has what you want.   CLICK HERE   or search Amazon Books - "San Juan Islands Travel Guide"

Thanks - John

How to Predict Current Direction in Swinomish Channel

        Sooner or later regulars to the San Juans learn to love or hate Swinomish Channel.  Many skippers form an opinion on their very first transit through this popular eleven mile alternative to Deception Pass. Sailors and under powered puttsters fighting the current, hate it, but turn them around and  suddenly their tune changes as the current whisks them along at four miles per hour.

         One day we pulled in to the city float at La Conner and I grumbled to a local boater about how we had been battling the current for hours on our way from James Island.  I remember his comment, he said, "The current flows one way for twenty three hours and then reverses, and no one knows when."  We all laughed and I figured I should get over it.

         I came across this rule of thumb posted on the Port of Skagit County website for estimating the current direction.  

        The rule of thumb for estimating Swinomish Channel current direction at La Conner goes like this:

                 
The current flows north from 2.5 - 4 hours before high tide to 2.5 - 4 hours after high tide
The current flows south from 2.5 - 4 hours before low tide to 2.5 - 4 hours after low tide
Slack water occurs 2.5 - 4 hours after high or low tide, not at the tide change like in some areas.

          You will still need to consult with high and low tide predictions for La Conner to put these rule of thumbs to use.  Be forewarned, many people consider La Conner tide predictions as hocus pocus because they are often wrong.

      I cannot remember this rule so I am going out on a limb here and offering my own memory trick as follows.   We already know that in the San Juans a rule of thumb is that the current flows north on an incoming tide (flood) and south on the ebb, and we know in the Puget Sound and southern area it is basically the opposite.  So my memory hack is to consider Swinomish Channel as part of and subject to the San Juan rules of thumb.  This means, Swinomish Channel flows NORTH on the flood just like the San Juans, but it is late due to distance.

FYI - did you know that all of Swinomish Channel (at least where land is) is a "No Wake - Slow Zone"