• Discover boat-in spots from Sucia’s anchorages to the trails of Stuart and Jones Island
• Experience the Islands
• Visit bustling Friday and Roche Harbors
• Find serene, secret coves • Your adventure begins now!
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What is the best way to plan a short boating trip to the San Juan Islands?
Planning a short San Juan Islands boating trip requires choosing the right launch point, boat size, and destinations. This guide explains weekend cruising routes, tips, safe boat choices, fuel planning, and recommended stops such as Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor, Sucia Island, and Jones Island. It also covers camping gear, safety equipment, and how to adjust plans when tides or weather change.
Simple 3-5 Day San Juan Islands Boating Itinerary
This step-by-step cruising plan helps new skippers organize their first San Juan Islands trip. Starting from Squalicum Harbor, the route visits Sucia Island, Jones Island, Friday Harbor, and Rosario while keeping distances short. The plan also includes advice on provisioning, anchoring, and planning a relaxed family boat-camping cruise.
A Two-Day or Weekend Boat Getaway to the San Juans
Planning a quick boating getaway to the San Juan Islands
sounds simple,just point the bow north, err, west, and go. But a trip to the islands demands a bit more thinking than your average lake
outing or day cruise. Before you load the cooler and cast off lines, you should
take a moment to make sure your boat, gear, and expectations all match what a
San Juan weekend requires.
How do you plan a boat cruise through the San Juan Islands?
Planning your first San Juan Islands boat cruise involves basic preparations:
Choosing a launch ramp
Preparing safety gear
Mapping overnight stops.
Where to launch:
Squalicum Harbor
Washington Park
Cap Sante, or Cornet Bay
Guides provide:
Tips on fuel range
Anchorages M
arine parks
Provisioning
First-time skippers can confidently plan a multi-day San Juan Islands cruising itinerary. If you're new to boating in the San Juans, here are simple answers to the most common questions, all in one place.
Because it is on a trailer does not make it a good idea!
This article serves as a mini San Juan Islands cruising guide for first-time boaters, with practical planning tips and launch locations.
While reading this somewhat abbreviated post, click the links to dig into specific details. Be sure to use the search box to find more of what you want.
#1 Where to begin this epic outing?
Launch your boat at one of these places.
Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham,
Washington Park in Anacortes
Cap Sante in Anacortes.
Cornet Bay at Deception Pass Park
One of these four places may offer exactly what you need to get the boat wet. First, if a sling is required, considerCap Sante. They offer light and heavy travel lift slings but no launching ramp. They also offer short or long-term pay trailer parking and an RV park. You definitely will want a reservation for slinging and mast stepping. You may be able to reserve a slip at the transient dock. The costs are not cheap.
Click below for the — fourbest places — to begin your cruise
What is a good 5-day itinerary for the San Juan Islands?
This post outlines a flexible route based on real San Juan Island cruising experience. Starting from common launch points like Cornet Bay or Squalicum Harbor, the itinerary emphasizes daily stops.
Exploring marine parks
Balancing travel time
Hiking and sightseeing
Anchoring opportunities.
How to Plan a Flexible Five-Day San Juan Islands Itinerary
This plan is a proven San Juan Islands 5 day itinerary that helps boaters balance travel distance, sightseeing, and overnight stops. A successful five-day trip is less about following a fixed route and more about adjusting to conditions and interests. This approach highlights starting points, typical boat speeds, and suggested stops while encouraging boaters to modify plans based on weather, tides, and personal preferences for hiking, exploring, or relaxing.
Talk to ten San Juan Islands cruisers, and you will get ten different answers to the question. Each will be correct, or mostly correct. To support their answers, they will offer first-hand, exciting personal experiences. That is why you must gather the best information, inject your wants and quirks, and then chart your own course to the San Juan's. Our experiences and local
knowledge have been earned the old-fashioned way – one cruise at a time. Sailing,
hiking, biking and gunkholing, all while immersed in nature have been our
reward. This website is a compilation of our
travels in five sailboats and two trawlers spanning three decades. Along the way we published a cruising
guide, “San Juan Islands Cruise Guide,” followed later with a Land and Sea Guidebook,“San Juan Islands Travel Guide.” My goal
for this website and these books is to help boaters, travelers, sailors, and families
enjoy the good times we have enjoyed for many years. What is the best five-day itinerary? That's like asking what's the best color. But there are certain things that our experience and local knowledge will help with. Sometimes, one just needs a little push in the right direction to get on the right tack, so to speak. It is impossible in an essay or article to cover everything important to everybody or all the possible places to go. However, this website does cover every state park, every county park, every public dock, and much much more. You will find many links to pictures and specific posts, all composed for San Juan Island boaters. Be sure, while reading to click the links and follow your interests. Be sure to use the search box at the top of this page on the left side.
You're invited!
To help you muddle through this planning dilemma and provide some interesting reading, please come along with us on our summer cruise in the San Juan Islands. Of course, you will be taking your own boat since ours is full.
Today, we use our laptop as a chart plotter. The program was free online Free chart plotter software but I had to buy a USB antenna for $19.95. You can get by with a small handheld GPS or even your cell phone but I enjoy the big screen. I don't want you to get lost if we get separated, or your battery is dead, so you should pick up a paper chart and a compass. chart #18421 I carry a colorful roadmap with us as well.
Let's get on the same page and assume this is your first boat trip to the San Juan's, and you are in a trailerable sailboat with a 5-6 mph speed. There are five or six starting points we have used but only three are preferred. They are Cornet Bay in Deception Pass, Cap Sante in Anacortes or Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham. If you have a fast powerboat or are coming up from the Seattle direction you will want to make time and distance adjustments. We will plan to sleep on board but use bathrooms on shore. Okay, let's go. ----- We have narrowed it down to about twenty parks to choose from for the first night, and that's not counting the marinas at Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor, or Rosario. Not to worry, I have a plan >>> all the parks and then some
Sometimes when we plan a vacation trip to the San Juan's, we try to make a great circle route because it saves time and resources. But this time we're going to decide where we go, as we go. We will see how that non-plan works out. Certain people on the boat have expressed a desire for hot showers, I guess we will see how that works out too. Since we may travel all the way across the San Juan's and back, your boat will need a minimum 75-mile range. Fuel is readily available everywhere but smart skippers figure one-third of the miles out, one-third back, and a third as a cushion. If your fuel tank is a little small you can tie a five-gallon can on deck. Knowing you have reserve fuel will ease anxious thoughts and ensure you have a great visit. Shall we also assume that you have a seaworthy vessel with all safety gear? If not, correct it before we head out, or stay home.Life jackets for all
Plan as we go itinerary:
Cornet Bay Launch Ramps
Let's begin at Cornet Bay in Deception Pass Park.
However, after reading this post, I suggest that you search this website and check out the other launch locations. Some may fit your plans better.launch pointsAlso, search the other parks and marinas and things to do. It is easy to overlook a great place or mini adventure that will make your cruise the best of all. I chose to launch at Cornet Bay this time because I really enjoy the pass scenery. The dock and the long-term parking are ideal. Plus being able to take off or return from both directions 24/7 opens up even more possibilities when not having a firm plan. If I was heading for the Sucia, Patos or Matia Island area first off, I may have chosen Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham but where we end the cruise may dictate where to begin.
What is a good nine-day itinerary for cruising the San Juan Islands?
A good nine-day San Juan Islands itinerary includes a mix of marine
parks, scenic anchorages, and moorages such as Friday Harbor and Roche
Harbor.Matia Island, Sucia Island, and Jones Island are popular stops.
This extended cruising plan allows time for hiking, exploring, and adjusting
routes based on weather and currents rather than rushing between destinations.
Suggested Itineraries for a first-time boat trip to the
San Juan Islands
(Updated (2014) alternate itinerary with Echo Bay and Sucia Island as 1st stop)
Friday Harbor is just one of many places where cruisers can access towns and shore amenities. For more options, see our list of public-use docks around the San Juan Islands.“public-use docks around the San Juan Islands”
Planning a San Juan Islands cruise can be as simple as setting a firm departure date and getting a chart or map of the islands. This article shows how committing to a date and visualizing your route helps organize everything else, from choosing launch points to preparing gear, turning a vague idea into a real boating trip. The hardest part of a San Juan Islands trip is deciding to go.
Planning Your San Juan Islands Cruise: Two Simple Steps to an Unforgettable Trip
Many
moons and several magnificent sunsets had passed when I finally embarked on the
grand adventure of planning a summer trip to the enchanting San Juan Islands.
However, fate had a different plan in store for me. Due to circumstances, we
found ourselves without a vessel.
We were at Yellowstone National Park, gazing
at the late spring snow. Time was slipping away, and our planned departure
date to the San Juans was fast approaching, yet we were still boatless. A
thousand miles away from home in a campground full of bears, I resorted to
browsing Craigslist on my laptop while clutching my cell phone in hand. It was
then that I stumbled upon a boat for sale posting that caught my attention.
To
my surprise, the sailboat in question was of the type I had previously owned. The
price was right, and a surge of confidence swept over me. I made a daring
decision to promise to buy it sight unseen upon our return in two weeks.
However, there was a hitch. The seller had just embarked on their own vacation
and would not be back for another three weeks. Oh, dear! That meant they would
only be back a week before our planned departure for the San Juans. Time seemed
to be playing a cruel game with our hopes.
Fast
forward three weeks later, and I found myself standing at the seller's
doorstep, armed with cash and eager to drive away with our trusted vessel for
the San Juan Islands. Back at home with our new boat and trailer, time was
short, and I could only manage a few essential tasks.
I diligently checked and
greased the bearings, stepped and unstepped the mast, and on the eve of our
departure, I hurriedly took her for a test run in the river to gauge the
motor's performance.
As fate would have it, the 7.5 Honda motor ran smoothly
for ten minutes before suddenly quitting. I drifted back towards the ramp in semi-darkness.
Moments before hauling her out, I tried the motor once more, and lo and behold,
it roared back to life. Quite perplexing, indeed.
Undeterred
by this glitch, we embarked on our journey to Anacortes the following day. Upon
launching at Twin Bridges on the Swinomish Channel, the motor graced us with
its smooth-running presence just long enough to steer us away from the dock and
set a course for Padilla Bay before surrendering once more.
Still undeterred,
we continued our voyage under sail, finally anchoring at Pelican Beach on
Cypress Island.
There, we reveled in the joys of a magnificent beach fire
before retiring for the night. Throughout the evening, my mind couldn't help
but wonder if the motor would start the next morning and if the capricious
currents and winds would carry us to our next destination at Matia or Sucia.
But
enough of my ramblings. We spent a glorious week in the San Juan Islands, and
to my relief, the motor never faltered again. It proved to be a reliable
workhorse that faithfully served us on several more boating expeditions in the
years to come. The initial mystery of its temporary failure remained unresolved.
As soon as we returned home, with plenty of summer still ahead, I wasted no
time in placing a Craigslist ad to sell the boat. I recouped my entire
investment, and as a bonus, I held onto the now trusty Honda outboard for many
years afterward.
Reflecting
upon this adventure, it became evident to me that setting a firm departure date
was the catalyst that made the trip possible.
Of course, we took a gamble with
an unknown boat, motor, and rigging. However, I had the foresight to equip ourselves
with basic essential gear: PFD’s, a bucket, a portable GPS, a handheld radio, a
cell phone, and a paper chart. I had done my homework and discovered that the
boat ramp offered long-term parking for a modest fee of $8 per day. With all
the pieces falling into place, we made our dream of another San Juan vacation cruise
a reality.
So, the best advice to all the dreamers longing for a San Juan vacation cruise is simple
yet crucial:
#1 Mark your calendar ASAP with your departure date.
#2 Purchase a San Juan Islands paper chart or just a map and
proudly display it on a wall where you will see it every day.
Rest assured, with these two actions as your guiding stars, everything else will naturally fall into place. You'll see your San Juan dreams materialize right before your eyes.
How do you plan an unforgettable San Juan Islands cruise?
Planning an unforgettable San Juan Islands cruise is easier than most people think. It starts by setting a firm date, choosing a launch point, and keeping your itinerary flexible. Popular starting locations include Cornet Bay, Squalicum Harbor, and Washington Park, with routes shaped by tides, weather, and interests. Allow time for parks, harbors, and spontaneous stops to make the trip memorable.
Embarking on any adventure begins with making a firm decision to go and setting the date. Follow these easy steps for the boat trip of a lifetime.
Washington Park ramp
1.Setting
the Perfect Date:
Choosing the right time for your trip requires careful
consideration. We have traveled throughout the San Juans from early spring to
late fall, and each month offers a unique experience. July and August offer the
best weather and blooming flowers but also attract the most visitors. May and
June may bring cooler and wetter days, but they also offer excellent sailing
winds and the chance to see newborn fawns. September and October may bring
foggy days, especially near Deception Pass and the Strait of Juan De Fuca, but
you might be rewarded with fewer crowds and wonderful weather. Keep in mind
that early spring and late fall may find some businesses and parks closed or
partially operational. It's essential to make inquiries to ensure it doesn't
affect your plans.
2.Where
to Start:
The answer to this question varies for each boater, but there are a
few common options. If you're coming by boat from Seattle or the Puget Sound
area, you'll need to go around Whidbey Island through either Admiralty Inlet
and Port Townsend or Deception Pass. Many skippers prefer Deception Pass due to
calmer waters and no commercial shipping. The Deception Pass route also allows
for a visit to Cornet Bay or a detour through Swinomish Channel to explore La
Conner and Anacortes. Although Port Townsend is an option. Personally, I
recommend choosing La Conner or Cornet Bay.
3.Trailering
Boat Arrival Options:
Most boaters arrive with their boats on trailers. To find
suitable ramps for launching, you can refer to this comprehensive list: (http://www.sailingthesanjuans.com/p/taking-your-boat-for-camping-vacation.html).
However, only three ramps are typically preferred: Squalicum Harbor in
Bellingham, Cornet Bay at Deception Pass Park, and Washington Park in
Anacortes. Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes offers a travel lift hoist but no
ramp. Washington Park is the closest to the San Juans and allows for a quick
start, but parking may be limited during peak times. Parking at Cornet Bay and
Squalicum Harbor is always readily available. We have utilized all three ramps
multiple times, and our choice depends on our destination and who accompanies
us. Sometimes, dropping off children at Washington Park is convenient if they
need to return home early. Personally, I enjoy the Deception Pass area, so if
our agenda is clear, Cornet Bay is our preferred choice. Note: I do not
recommend taking a ferry to the islands with plans to launch at any of the
county ramps. The ramps are inferior, and most don't allow overnight parking.
An exception may be small skiffs or kayakers.
4.Rest
After Travel:
If you've traveled a long distance and then rigged and splashed
the boat, chances are you are exhausted, and it is getting late. It's advisable
to spend the first night at a nearby dock or location. Both Cornet Bay and
Squalicum Harbor offer transient docks next to the launch ramps. Note that
Washington Park only offers a launch dock and is not suitable for overnight
stays. Anchoring out front in exposed Guemes Channel, while very doable, will
not be much fun due to the many wakes. Nearby welcoming places like James's
Island, Cypress Head, or Saddlebag Island, located about four miles away, offer
great options depending on your route. Keep in mind that anchoring requires a
dinghy to reach the shore. Alternatively, last summer, we tried inflatable
paddleboards instead of a dinghy, but their usefulness as a full-time dinghy
substitute is still uncertain.
5.Planning
Your Itinerary:
Your itinerary doesn't have to be rigid, with specific stops
for each minute or day. It's more enjoyable to have a rough idea and a list of
preferred stops. For example, you might want to have a late lunch and buy ice
and groceries at Friday Harbor, but you can do the same at Lopez Village, Roche
Harbor, or Eastsound. Consider visiting stores when your ice melts on day two
or three and take the opportunity to enjoy a hot shower. Most villages and
marinas offer groceries, fuel, and shower facilities. Don't worry about being
turned away as ample anchorage is available throughout the islands. Consider
saving fuel and time by following a great circle route and avoiding
backtracking. Visit the outer points early while you still have ice and snacks,
and then recharge in the villages. Allowing seven days for your trip is ideal,
as anything less might feel rushed, while more time will be well spent.
6.Additional
Excursions:
Don't miss out on Butchart Gardens and Victoria; both can be
day-only overnight additions to your San Juan Islands trip. While
reservations aren't necessary, make sure to carry your passports for re-entry
into the US.
7.Easy Five Island - Ten Stopover Itinerary:
Day 1: Launch at Cornet Bay in Deception Pass Park, spend the night at the transient dock.
Day 2: Run to Jones Island, spend the night at anchor or dock.
Day 3: Run to English Camp, hike up Young Hill, have lunch at Roche Harbor, and return to Jones.
Day 4: Run to Friday Harbor, have lunch and showers, buy groceries, and return to Jones.
Day 5: Run to Stuart, hike to the lighthouse, and dock or anchor for the night.
Day 6: Run to Sucia, anchor or dock for the night in Fossil Bay, and hike to China Caves and Ewing Cove.
Day 7: Swing by Pelican Beach On Cypress and/or Saddlebag Island for a short hike.
Then run through Swinomish Channel, have lunch at La Conner, and arrive in time for a beautiful Sunset back at Deception Pass, spend the last night at the Cornet Bay dock.
By
following these guidelines, you'll be well-prepared to embark on an
unforgettable boat trip through the stunning San Juan Islands. Enjoy the
breathtaking beauty and create lasting memories. Most of all, you will
have fun.
If you really want to take advantage of tides and currents, consider this guide
What is a good place to begin a boat trip to the parks of the San Juan Islands?
There are three choices for where to launch:
Cornet Bay in Deception Pass Park
Washington Park in Anacortes
Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham
Matia Island
This post is written to help new cruisers headed to the San Juan's needing the same simple answers we needed.
From time to time, I refresh my thinking and remember our first visit nearly thirty years ago. Specifically, what a pain it was not knowing the simplest answers to questions we take for granted today.
I define the San Juan cruising area not by county or even country, but rather by places we want to visit and spend some time. But that also means, places we have the capability to get to without too much effort or time. So that being stated, I think of Port Townsend and Deception Pass Park (Cornet Bay), and Swinomish Channel as our loosely defined southern boundary. I think of Vancouver BC and Nanaimo as our northern most point, and everything in between Vancouver Island and the mainland completing the east west box. Keep in mind, with a day or two extra, you can run down to Olympia or up to Princess Louisa Inlet.
For this discussion, we are sticking to the
core San Juan Island area and what you need to get there.
You need a boat, but you can rent a sail or powerboat in Anacortes or Bellingham if you prefer, and it doesn't take much experience to qualify.
Size matters? yes and no. Bigger is more comfy, costly and feels imminently safer in a storm. As size goes up, so do your skill requirements. Once past about thirty five feet you will find you don't fit at some docks and fuel burns at over twenty five gallons an hour. Smaller is better at times. Eighteen foot ski and fishing boats or day sailors are very easy to get in and out at virtually all places but with all your food and gear, you could be crowded on board. When packing and provisioning, be honest and admit you don't really need all that stuff you take car camping. Above all, don't let your lack of a perfect boat cause you not to go. Take what you have, you can make it work.
Bring a dinghy, even a two person inflatable kayak is okay. You need a way to get to shore where there are no docks. You don't have to carry the dinghy on board, you can tow it everywhere you go. Yes you can beach your runabout and let the tide leave you dry on a beach but bringing a dinghy is so much easier. (update 2025) Lately we have seen inflatable paddle boards used as dinghys and we have done it ourselves so we know they work.
Sleep on board, at anchor, at the dock, or in the many park campgrounds. (there are about twenty marine campgrounds, you can camp at a different park every night) If preferred, you can spend every night at a marina or resort and sleep on shore.
The best weather will be in July and August, but the shoulder seasons have less people and okay weather too.
I suggest you plan a week, but you can make a weekend work. If you have a comfortable all weather boat, spend the summer.
If you rent, don't forget you have to park your car(s) If you trailer, plan on a daily parking fee of around $12. (Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham is free, even long term) Call harbormaster for current rules.
See this posting for launch ramps. ---launch ramps with long term parking This is probably the only real planning decision you need to make before you go, but we have changed our planned take off point as we drove up the highway. Do not start your San Juan cruise down south in Olympia, Seattle or Everett or Port Townsend or Port Angeles. If you do you will spend much of your time motoring long distances (both ways) My advice is to start in Bellingham or Anacortes using one of the ramps from the list above.
You need with you on the boat, a chart, or you will get lost, count on it. You should have a list of parks, marinas and resources preferably marked on your navigation chart. Get this chart. Noaa # 18421 - We use noaa chart # 18421 you can see it by clicking here or anywhere charts are sold. Navigation charts do not show what's on shore, (roads, city's, marinas, parks, etc) so we carry a highway map as well.
Don't run out and buy an expensive chart plotter. At minimum, you need a paper chart, a portable GPS and a compass, your smart phone will probably do. All boats need a depth sounder or you are risking an expensive grounding.
Sample itinerary: #1. Begin at Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham (open 24/7).
2. Head for Friday Harbor and get a slip for your first night or every night (they take reservations).
3. Use Friday Harbor as your base, returning every night to your own slip with power, water, restrooms, on shore restaurants and entertainment.
This plan will work for virtually all boaters regardless of gear, experience or creature comfort requirements. None of the Marine State Parks have reserve-able docks or anchor buoys, everything is first come first gets it. This means you should plan on anchoring and using your dinghy, it also means when someone pulls out you may grab the spot at the dock. Rafting is the term used when several boats tie together at anchor or the dock.
Sample itinerary: #2. Begin at Squalicum again but this time head for Matia or Sucia.
Tie up to the dock at Fossil Bay (Sucia) or anchor. Sleep on the boat or camp on shore.
Next, Jump over to Stuart, repeat and then Roche Harbor or Jones, then to Friday Harbor, then Fisherman Bay. This itinerary will make sure you have a shower and food store available (Roche and Friday) when you really need and want both.
Fuel is readily available but you should try to have a minimum range of seventy five miles just to be sure should you encounter adverse conditions.
How many days you spend at each park is up to you, your car and trailer will be waiting in the free parking lot when you circle back to Bellingham.
You can do exactly the same cruise, but begin at Washington Park or Deception Pass (Cornet Bay) and perhaps change the order.
Search this website for other suggested itineraries. The possibilities are endless.
Get my San Juan Islands Cruise Guide, it has all the parks,
marinas, fuel, resources, phone numbers.
The guide is written specifically for visitors coming by boat. The companion book, the San Juan Islands Travel Guide is written for visitors coming by car.
Don't be cheap, the books cost less than a meal and will pay for themselves in saved frustration, making your cruise a real success.
Lastly, I can't address everything you may want or need to know in a single post, so I suggest you search this site and read some more articles. There are several with detailed day by day itineraries. Next, after becoming more knowledgeable about what and where you want to go and do, set aside a week and go. It really is that easy. The central cruising area is small enough that you can completely change your plans on the fly. You don't need reservations, you don't need a plan, you don't even need to bring food, just grab your gear and boat and hit the road. OH - bring some cash or plastic for, fuel and park fees and that food I just said you don't need.
If you happen to see us on Kraken somewhere, please say hello. We hope to be anchored in Fisherman Bay for the Lopez Island 4th of July fireworks show.
Feel free to use the e-mail contact form with your questions
What is a good itinerary for the San Juan Islands?
Ideas, itinerary, and wish list for a San Juan Islands Summer vacation.
In an earlier post I made a wish list for my summer travels, this is a follow up. But first a link to my earlier post so readers may see what I wanted to do and compare that with what we really did.
Because of a hectic summer with two weddings and a Boston trip we almost stayed home, but just before Labor Day I said lets go or forever wish we had. On the morning of our departure we were battening down and about to hit I-5 north when a neighbor came walking by. He is also a San Juan traveler so we ended up talking for two hours.
Finally heading out, we immediately stopped to fill the trucks 33 gallon tank, next stop besides the usual rest areas was Seattle where we picked up another 29 gallons. It is always a shock to find out we only have a few gallons left when I am hauling 10,000 lbs. Next stop was Winco in Tulalip where we purchased our entire food and beverage supply. No shopping list for us, we just walked the aisles and filled the cart with everything we liked, except we forgot to get a sack of ice for our drinks even though we talked about it in the check out line.
Day 1. We arrived in Bellingham about two hours before sundown,
took the port of Bellingham exit and went straight to Fred Meyers for the forgotten ice. I am thinking, I hope this 30-40 minute delay doesn't bite us, especially after losing 2 hours gabbing at home. (see, no stress for me!)
Splashing the boat and parking in the free lot was a breeze as it always is, but hosing down my salty trailer got me all wet because the water hose is full of holes. ( zero kudos to Squalicum Harbor staff in charge of wash down hoses.)
Staying at the transient dock and paying the tourist per foot fee just didn't interest me this trip, I wanted to get underway. I said to Linda, we have one solid hour of daylight and I can anchor in the dark at Inati Bay if I have to, so off we went. We arrived at Inati Bay on Lummi Island almost exactly at sunset. I set the anchor in fifteen feet, thirty feet from shore, opened the first box of wine and broke out the barbecue as darkness settled around us. I remember looking at the ink-black water and the nearby shore cliffs blending together and thinking how anchoring in the dark would have meant dropping the hook a lot further out.
Day 2. Got the coffee dripping first thing.
Last night was great, stars were out. Actually slept in a little. We listened to the weather radio for conditions expected if we head for Victoria. Sounds like a go but I'm not sure. With deteriorating conditions expected that evening we might be headed into a gale if the front blows in early, but at this point I am set for going to Victoria.
We up anchor and head south around Lummi so I can get a better picture of the Lummi Island Campground sign (takes two minutes), when we clear the south end and head northwest, I'm staring right at Clark Island, Clark is another on my bucket list of places I need new pictures for my planned updated Cruising Guide. We grab a buoy at Clark and dinghy ashore. I haven't changed my negative opinion of Clark but I did get the pics I wanted. Linda thinks I'm unfairly maligning Clark but I am more convinced than ever that putting a state park in the middle of Rosario Strait is a dumb, bordering on dangerous idea.
This is the view of the trail leading off the beach at Clark to the well hidden six site campground. To find this trail, anchor or use a buoy in the cove on the east side of Clark. Now walk all the way to the very far south end (left end) until you are blocked by boulders and cliffs. There it is, you can't miss it. All the other dozen or so camp sites are waterfront along the beach.
How do you take your boat from the San Juan Islands to Victoria
Note: this is a very old post I am re-posting so some prices will be off.
Suggested Cruise to Victoria BC with Whale Watching
and San Juan Islands Stop Overs
This article is for first timers to the San Juan Island area and has the answers you may be looking for. Timeless advice to make your first trip a fun success.
places to launch and stay on your boat
distances between stops
customs and immigration
alternate planning
what to expect
basic boating information
Study this map and familiarize yourself with names and places. (Find Victoria, Roche Harbor, Swinomish Channel, Deception Pass)
Lets start this Cruise at Cornet Bay in Deception Pass State Park
(Your going to Canada and back, did you remember to bring your passports and Children ID's? the rules are changing)
Boat launch at Cornet Bay (Deception Pass)
Day one, you arrive at Deception Pass
and its probably late in the day and your tired, so lets plan on spending the night right here on the boat securely tied to the dock at Cornet Bay. You will pay a launch fee and $10/day parking, plus 50 cents a foot for spending night at dock. Pay at the self serve kiosk. If your not sure of when your coming back simply estimate, leave a note explaining, the ranger will understand. The ramp is very good, all tide. The parking is huge, you will not have a problem.
There is a very minimal park store, but you should have done your provisioning in Anacortes.
Heading westward facing an incoming current, (another ten minutes and we wouldn't have the speed to overcome the 7+ mph current)
Day two, leg #1, our destination is Friday Harbor,
but first you must time the pass. You should already be familiar with the tide levels and times at Deception Pass (download a page from any of of dozens of sites including NOAA) so cast off at high or low tide. You can be half an hour early or late, this gives you a one hour window. (it takes just ten minutes to reach the pass from the dock) If you are catching a falling tide (current is going out to sea) you can be very late but standing waves may scare you and the crew as you take a fast sled ride and shoot out into the Strait of Juan De Fuca. If you are late and head out on a rising tide, your boat may not have enough speed to overcome the in rushing torrent, and your stuck until the next slack water. The pass is not a problem, it is narrow with the fastest water for only about 250 feet, but slow sailboats can meet their match every four to six hours.
Yes, within reason of course, but we have seen them all.
As the primary irritant and contributor to this website, I am drawn back to promoting boating and heading to 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:
I can't because =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.
I can't because - 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 all their 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. That's 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! (once you set a date and mark it on the calendar, you are as good as at Jones Island already)
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. Friday Harbor, here I come.
Take what you have and -- GO!
This was supposed to be a picture of Mt Baker and a ferry but the auto focus got the knot instead.
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
Click below for a satellite view of the boat ramp at La Conner
