First-Time Cruising the San Juan Islands: Itinerary, Launch Ramps, Parks, Docks, and Anchorages

    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, consider  Cap 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 — four best places — to begin your cruise

Planning your San Juan Island's cruise is as easy as two things.

   How do you plan a San Juan Islands boating trip?   

   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.

Easy Itinerary for a spur-of-the-moment cruise 

Fast track to the San Juans

Friday Harbor Marina

Click below for a satellite view of Friday Harbor

Is the Best Vacation Destination in the San Juan Islands Friday Harbor?

Is visiting Friday Harbor worth it?

Yes and no. In my opinion, missing going to Friday Harbor on your first San Juan Islands trip is like missing seeing the winning score at a game.  The flipside is that Friday Harbor is just another small touristy seaport. Another consideration is that you can visit Friday Harbor by car, but the marine parks are only accessible by boat.  In my case, I enjoy Friday Harbor and other ports of call, but many times we have not stopped at Friday Harbor or any other port and just visited the outer island parks.

OK, let's get serious, the best vacations will offer great value and astounding memories. True!

         So having an orca breach just a few feet from your dinghy fits the description - right again!

So does a romantic sunset dinner in a deserted anchorage, discovering a tiny octopus in a tidepool, or having a lost seal pup crying at your transom.  But if history fascinates you and killer whales terrify you, perhaps a museum should be on your short list.

Friday Harbor Marina

      If you are visiting the San Juans by car, by boat, or on foot and only have one place to choose for your stop, make it the city of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. 

 If at all possible you should allow a full day for exploring and then spend the night on board your boat at the marina or at a local tourist lodge, B&B or motel. For campers, head for the county campground at Smallpox Bay on the west side. 

       Ride your bicycle, drive your car, or purchase an all day transit pass for $15. Friday Harbor and San Juan Island is your number one choice. 

     While on San Juan Island, stop by the  visitors center in Friday Harbor for maps and brochures. ( it's on Spring street across from Kings Market) Check out the Whale Museum,the San Juan Historical Museum, American Camp, English camp, Lime Kiln State Park (aka "Whale Watch Park")and a host of private enterprises and artsy craftsy studios, but don't miss Roche Harbor, and the Sculpture Garden at Westcott Bay Reserve.  Local shops and eateries will satisfy your appetite for cuisine and collectables.

read more >>> clickety click

Where do you go on a Typical Cruise to the San Juan Islands -- What does a week long Itinerary include?

     What is a perfect San Juan Islands cruise?   

Okay, sorry - that was a trick question.
There are no perfect cruises, only typical cruises.

Aspiring San Juan cruisers might be a little nervous and holding back making that long talked about trip.  If you are not quite sure you have it figured out and need a little push to take off for the San Juans, let me assure you that you can do it. Everything doesn't have to be figured out. To help you take the plunge and to entertain vicarious armchair captains, I have put together a simple rundown of one of our outings in the San Juans. 

      Our cruises start out with a general idea and a few hard dates, but no carved-in-stone  plans.  It just happens. 
There are no typical cruises.

       In the months (year maybe) leading up to actually departing, we talk and think about what we want to do.  Kinda daydreaming if you will. Part of our early dreaming included young children, and that morphed into teenagers, which morphed into adults on their own boats.

This time:

• I wanted to Orca watch off San Juan Island in Haro Strait.
• I wanted to visit Victoria without rushing.
• I hoped to see English Camp and hike Young Hill again.
• I wanted to hang out, and have a campfire on Jones, and go dinghy sailing in the bay, and maybe circle the island if conditions are favorable.
• I had already promised Linda a romantic dinner in Friday Harbor
• We had a firm date to pick up our kids in Eastsound - with bikes and gear.
• We had a firm date to drop the kids at Odlin Park on Lopez (these kids are 30 something's)
• I promised I would drop the kids somewhere they could catch the ferry back to Anacortes.
• I semi-promised I would take them to some neat places they could only get to by boat.
• I wanted to ride my bicycle some since I bring it everywhere.
• We knew we would start at Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham for the great ramp and free parking.

So that pretty much sums up my plans, or you could call this a one plus week or so San Juan Island's itinerary.

Let's see what we really did:

1. 1st night, I slept like a baby on board at Squalicum Harbor after pigging out at a  Chinese buffet in Bellingham.
2. 1st morning, had a great but costly breakfast downtown, (always hungry after Chinese), and then cast off about noon and head for Inati Bay for a look-see at the logging operation dropping logs in the bay. We have lots of time, so I detoured through Pea Pod Rocks over to Doe Island to verify the dock is still missing, it is, and then we stopped by Shaw Landing for a cold Coke and a quick look around to check out bicycling possibilities. Next, we moseyed past Deer Harbor and on to setting the hook at Jones Island before dark.  Fire danger has canceled campfires anywhere in the state (again) so I cross off number four on my list of things I want to do.  But it's ok, who wants smoky clothes anyway? We cooked hot dogs on the stove and cracked open the 1st boxed wine. 
3. Drip coffee on the boat is how every day begins.  We headed out mid-morning on the north side of Spieden Island into Haro Strait for whale watching and a lazy run to Victoria.  A couple of hours later,  all hell broke loose on us and over the decks. The little ship was tossed, we were tossed, provisions were tossed. It's not long before I lost interest in whale watching (couldn't see anything anyway) and Victoria and said to heck with this bs and turned toward Roche Harbor. Scratch one and two from my list. We pounded into Roche Harbor and peacefully putted right by the resort and on to English Camp, where we anchored and then got a spot at the dinghy dock and enjoyed walking around the park. Some volunteer hosts entertained us in the interpretive building. When leaving I continued out Mosquito Pass and took another stab at Haro Strait and big waves.  We turned around quickly to putt putt right by the Roche Harbor marina, again without stopping.  We anchored back at Jones in my favorite corner in time for a nice hike.
4. Spent the next two days hiking (two days we could've been at Victoria) and reading at Jones, (and washing dried salt crystal from windows) finally at 5pm on our 4th night we tried to start the motor to discover the starting battery had shorted (could've been at Victoria) and the house battery was too discharged to help. Two hours later (another story), we got her going with help from the generator, and headed for Eastsound and tied up at the county dock just before sunset.
5. 8 am, there is a warning ticket tied to our lifeline by the local sheriff for overnighting at the dock.  We have a really great breakfast in town and hitch a ride to NAPA, by noon our new battery is online, and our daughter and her husband show up on bicycles after riding the 7:30 ferry from Anacortes. They drop some gear and pedal off to tour the local brewery.  Eventually, we take off for Jones, where we anchor back in the very same spot, waving to the folks we met earlier. Still can't have campfires, but there is plenty of time to beachcomb and hike around. The kids camp on shore, not the boat, that was a hard, fast deal we made before agreeing to meet up.
6. This morning, we head for the county dock on Stuart Island.  We spent a busy day riding out to the lighthouse museum and the shut-down schoolhouse museum.  I bought a T-shirt at the honor system T-shirt stand. We then motored all the way across the San Juans to the county dock at Odlin Park on Lopez, where we drop the kids and their bikes on the dock and then anchored in front of their reserved campsite and dinghyed their gear ashore.  It's close to 5 pm, we say adios and run over to Friday Harbor where we take a slip for two nights.  Alone again,  we talked and hung around the promenade enjoying the local musicians. This was a busy day, but it worked out great. We are really tired.
7. We start out this next day by sleeping in, eating on the boat, and then walking around town, we end up riding the Transit Bus out to Lime Kiln (Whale Watch Park) for another shot at spotting Orcas in Haro Strait, but no luck.  Back in town we eat at a water front crab place overlooking the harbor, its not romantic, and not very good.  I think number five on the list needs a do-over, but we spent lots of money so someone is happy.  Btw, the kids are bicycling Lopez, but forgot and left their helmets on board with us.
8. I think we slept in this morning too, after topping off with fuel, we eventually got going back to Lopez to pick up the kids. We did the reverse of when we dropped them off, all the gear came off the beach by dinghy, and the bikes off the county dock.  We left Odlin Park and went straight to Blakey's for double ice creams, we hung around sitting on the lawn and watched deer try to out-lazy us. Boaters came and went getting fuel and zoomed off through Peavine Pass, it was peaceful to be sure.  At about mid afternoon we left Blakely's for Cypress where we snagged a buoy off Pelican beach.  We dinghied ashore and hiked to the top of Eagle Bluff.  An hour later we let go of the buoy and ran down to Cypress Head where we wanted to anchor and the kids could camp but couldn't find a suitable place because of the wind. By now, it was getting late so I took my own advice and headed for dependable Saddlebag Island, anchoring in the cove just a stones throw from the beach.  The kids set up in an empty campsite,  (still no fires)
9. This morning there is no rush, there seldom is, we have breakfast burritos, and then we all hike the figure eight shore trail from different directions.  From Saddlebag Island State Park, it's only five miles to Washington Park where they left their car when they biked over to ride the ferry four days earlier. They wanted to get back to the car around 1 pm so we pulled the anchor at noon.  We dropped them at the Washington Park dock with their gear and bikes, and then, alone once again, we headed north for Squalicum Harbor where we tied to the transient float for our last dinner and night on the boat.

      From my lame descriptions, you should be able to follow our course on the maps or charts.  The distances are small enough that just about any boat could duplicate our wanderings, but that's not the idea.  The idea is to just cut loose and go, charting your own great cruise.

       That's it, that's what a typical cruise is for us today.

 Many years ago a cruise might have included all day sailing in the straits and keeping little kids entertained around tidepools.   

You might want  to stay at Friday Harbor seven nights in a row, venturing out to distant points each day and then returning to a waiting slip and four star restaurants.  You could even sleep on shore at a B&B or hotel.  For me, I prefer to hang at Jones Island.

Here is the promised itinerary if you still want a day by day list of where to go  --  click here  >>

Cruise Itinerary around the San Juan Islands

Click below to see >>>Thatcher Pass <<< satellite view