Cruising the San Juans again

[David Patterson]

Cruising the San Juans in June can be idyllic, though the sailing us often light to gentle breeze work. To sail rather than motor in low winds is to attempt mastery of time as much as distance, however. Two photos below: the first is little CLOUD GIRL in the north bay of Jones Island, a WA state marine park. Waldron Island in the background. Beyond that are the Canadian Gulf Islands, enticingly. The second photo is looking west from Jones toward Spieden Island across upper San Juan Channel. Indescribable light, for my vocabulary.

[David Patterson]

June is not all light airs. This photo is in Force 4 winds while heading down the upper part of San Juan Channel on 6/9. Looks like my main needs to be hauled more taut.

[David Patterson]

Some of the bays on San Juan Island are deeply indented, and therefore protected. This one, Garrison Bay, was home to an Indian village beginning 1000 years ago, followed by an English Royal Marines post during 1860-1872, until the US/Canadian boundary dispute was settled. CLOUDIE is the boat closest to the lower dock. She made it through challenging Mosquito Pass from Roche Harbor under sail alone, and back out. Both I consider to be personal accomplishments, given my usual abilities. The first photo is of a wind-altered tree, not to be confused with the decision tree of a sailor in rapidly changing conditions, yet similar.

[David Patterson]

Evening, Friday Harbor again, looking east toward Brown, Turn, and Lopez Islands. Sunset echoing in the eastern clouds.

[David Patterson]

Gaff rigged topsail schooner ZODIAC, 160 feet, about 90 years old, sailed in under her main alone to share my anchorage on 6/15.

[David Patterson]

The photos are a closer look at big 160' wooden-hulled ZODIAC, and the Wasp Island from north in San Juan Channel. Both are from this morning. I made a four hour passage under sail alone from Parks Bay, Shaw Island, to Ried Harbor, Stuart Island. The effective planning for the currents was as satisfying as being on a wing 'n wing run nearly the whole way. On my way to Canada's Gulf Islands. Data limits will mean no photos for a week or more.

[David Patterson]

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Turn Point Light, Stuart Island. Haro Strait meets Boundary Pass at the border. Also, a freighter preparing to turn south down Haro Strait toward Juan de Fuca Strait. Thankfully a clear day. A gathering of Alberg designs in Ganges Harbor may include a CD 40 again this year.

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[John Ring]

Beautiful shots! Looks a lot like the coast of Maine with the wooded shores and wooden schooners.

Thanks for posting!
John
CD36 Tiara
Cape Ann, Massachusetts

[David Patterson]

Similar latitudes and coastal topography between Maine and this part of Washington. Others are commenting on it. Makes me wish to cruise in Maine one day. While some might find it only variations on a theme, I love the theme, the elements involved. I'm glad you are enjoying my phone camera snapshots.

[David Patterson]

A couple of scenes, same morning, that represent the stereotype of the Pacific Northwest weather. Rare enough in summer in the Gulf Islands of Canada to be worth capturing for me. These are from Ganges Harbor, Salt Spring Island, where the small lively northwest group of Alberg designed boats met for their annual gathering this year. Cape Dory was represented by two boats. I was able to be aboard an Alberg 29, his last design. My cruise was from Shaw Island to Stuart Island, on to clear customs at Bedwell Harbor, Pender Islands. Next was Salt Spring Island for the rendezvous. On to sweet Montague Harbor on Galiano Island, followed by Prevost Island. A return to the Penders led to a passage back to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island to re-provision. Mostly under sail, often in light airs. Close study of the Current Atlas was essential, as always here. Especially challenging was working in and out of anchorages under sail, if possible at all, which it usually was. Deeply memorable cruising. See US chart 18400, though more detail is greatly preferable. I've left out the straits, channels, passages and passes I traversed.

[David Patterson]

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Two photos here. One is of the entrance to narrow Glenthorne Passage between Secret Island and the rural Prevost Island, Canadian Gulf Islands. I stopped for a quick night there, leaving with the next tide. Two highs, two lows a day here. The other is a journal page on which I listed my two June cruises, one with a 65 yo sister, new to cruising, who adapted well. CLOUD GIRL accompdated brother and sister well for 10 days. The other was solo into Canadian waters. The sailing was either great or quite challenging, working with strong currents and light airs. Spectacular, to me, cruising grounds all through these islands.

[David Patterson]

In Friday Harbor to re-provision for a cruise up to Sucia Island, a remarkable island park first gathered by a consortium of yacht clubs out of Seattle and other cities, then turned over to state management. Visionary. Then on down to Port Townsend, no small undertaking in a 25 foot boat mostly (hopefully all) by sail. I'm grateful for my 25D. There is help from a current known locally as "The Sucia Express." Hope I catch it. In Friday Harbor I saw this scene of young boys between ferry arrivals, waiting for business. "Jokes 25ć". I'll bet they know some good puns.

[David Patterson]

Fossil Cove, Sucia Island. Two photos. One is a generic one of little CLOUD GIRL at anchor near very typical power yachts that cruise the area, chartered or individually owned. She is in her harbor dress. The other is sunlight on madrona/arbutus bark, as though glowing from within. Lots of hiking available in this marine state park. Unusually, also wheel chair accessible camping spots. A brilliant and fair amenity.

[David Patterson]

A couple of photos from a recent passage across Juan de Fuca Strait in little sv CLOUD GIRL. She acquits herself well in more open waters, not that inland waterways can't be quite rough. One of the photos is of a tug and tow in the strait, in evening sun. The other is of old Port Townsend at dusk. The second annual Pocket Cruiser Palooza is in mid July, boats to roughly 24 feet. Many are lovingly crafted of wood. Think of SURPRISE-sized (Gartside?) and down to 16 feet or so. The pocket cruisers tend not to just motor their masts from marina to marina, but actually use their boats. That old dictum that the smaller the boat, the more the fun, I suppose.

[David Patterson]

Two photos: one of a derelict boat and float on a tidal flat during a minus tide, the other an indistinct one of what looks like an Alberg design to me. A Cape Dory. Both are near my anchorage at Port Townsend, which doesn't have good anchoring. Floats and marinas for those who use them, however. A very strongly wooden boat oriented place. An large and active boat yard with an 80 ton lift. Old Port Townsend is in the background, a medium sized state ferry to the right. Cruising in the northern Puget Sound, especially primarily under sail, can be challenging: currents, fog, traffic, big wakes from freighter traffic, strong winds off Juan de Fuca Strait. Interesting sailing challenges as well, like short-tacking through the narrow Port Townsend Canal, or in and out of the sinuous entrance to Kilisut Bay, under sail for both. Both are tests of planning for winds, tides, and currents. Not to mention other boats.