San Juan Island Ferry shedule

Will ferry wakes make boat camping dangerous?

No, surprisingly ferries do not make horrible wakes, but friendly boaters do!

When making your plans to visit places in or near the San Juan Islands, you will invariably end up dealing with the Washington ferry system in one way or another.

Boaters sometimes need to send someone home or meet an arrival. Simply avoiding a Friday Harbor traffic jam out on the water or on land is avoidable if you know when and where ferry's hang out. For most of us, the ferries are never an issue, we just give them plenty of room out on the water.

According to WSDOT the busiest ferry travel times are Thursday and Friday evenings westbound and Sunday afternoons eastbound.

  Peak travel times from Anacortes are Thursday and Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Peak travel times from the islands are all day Sunday and Monday mornings.

If you think about it, you will realize that commuters and vacationers share the same system. People are heading to work and coming home from work mixed in with tourists.

     Armed with a little ferry knowledge it is easy to work out a vacation schedule that minimizes or complements just about all visitor plans.

    Follow this link to the WSDOT ferry schedule page. 

Ferry schedule

The Fastest Way to the San Juans On Your Own Boat Begins in Anacortes at Washington Park or Cap Sante

What is the easiest way to take a boat to the San Juan Islands?

Traveling to the San Juan's requires a starting point,
 a jump off point where you can leave your rig.
"Washington Park" and "Cap Sante Boat Haven" in Anacortes fill the bill.

Washington Park has a campground

 and a boat ramp with a float.  You can reserve your campsite in advance, launch and retrieve your boat every day to make day trips or take an extended cruise into the islands knowing your campground is waiting for you when you return.  You may also choose to not stay at the campground, just launch your boat, and leave your car and trailer in the long-term parking lot while you're in the San Juans.

Cap Sante does not have a ramp but has a sling 

and a travel lift to launch your boat, they can also assist in stepping sailboat masts. Guest space is usually available at the dock and long-term parking for your car and trailer are just steps away.  You should make arrangements ahead of time for the travel lift and guest docks

There are several other places I recommend over these two depending on where I'm going and other plans.
Take a look at this post >>    Trailer boat ramps

Click Anacortes below for satellite view