San Juans Wonderland, August 2007

Overview

We'll set sail from Squalicum Harbor Marina on Bellingham Bay before lunchtime on Saturday, August 11. The skipper's meeting will occur just before departure, and we'll pair up so nobody will make the crossing alone.

Friday, August 10: Earlybirds will launch on Friday and have the opportunity to daysail Bellingham Bay, overnight at Chuckanut Bay, or just get settled into the boat at the marina.

Saturday, August 11: Depart by 11 am to catch a 2.1-knot flood current up Hale Passage and arrive in Echo Bay on Sucia Island before dusk. If buoys are available, grab one, otherwise anchor out or raft up with another Potter.

Sunday, August 12: Follow Saturday's course in reverse to return to Bellingham. If you get a late start (after 10 am) you may need to motor southward through Hale Passage (slack tide at 12:01 pm, and a peak flood current of 2.11 knots at 3:55 pm).

For those wishing to extend their time in the islands, a small group will continue westward from Sucia Island on Sunday, spending the night at Stuart Island. On Monday, the group will head south to Friday Harbor. On Tuesday, we'll head east and overnight at Blakely Harbor Marina or at Olga Dock (Orcas Island). The group will return to Bellingham on Wednesday. Details of the extended trip are contained in a separate document.

The time-and-distance chart below assumes an average boat speed of 3 knots. On Saturday, we'll catch the flooding current in Hale Passage which will boost us along. On Sunday, we'll be transiting Hale Passage against a building current, so motoring is the likely course of action.

Day	8 am	9 am	10 am	11 am	Noon	1 pm	2 pm	3 pm	4 pm	5 pm	6 pm
Fri 8/10	Travel day to Bellingham, launch, overnight at marina or sail to Chuckanut Bay and anchor out overnight.
Sat 8/11		Rig and launch, skipper's meeting at 10:30	Skipper's meeting at 10:30	Depart from marina	Cross Bell. bay	Round S end of Portage Island, enter Hale Pasage		Exit Hale Passage, turn W at buoy N end Lummi Island		Enter Echo Bay	Hook down, time for dinner!
distance				0 nm		6 nm ∑ 6 nm		6.5 nm ∑ 12.5		6 nm ∑ 18.5	1.5 nm ∑ 20 nm
Sun 8/12		Depart Sucia Island	Exit Echo Bay		Enter Hale Passage		Exit Hale Passage, round Portage Island		Arrive marina, take out and prep for towing
distance		0 nm	1.5 nm ∑ 1.5 nm		6 nm ∑ 7.5 nm		6.5 nm ∑ 14 nm		6 nm ∑ 20 nm

Route details

Friday, August 10

Friday will be a travel and launch day for those who wish to have a relaxed Saturday sail, or who wish to assist sailors arriving on Saturday. If you are coming from the south and have to pass through the Seattle area, I recommend going through Seattle before 2:00 pm. Launch in the afternoon from Squalicum Harbor Marina and daysail Bellingham Bay. Overnight moorage at the marina is $12, or you might consider a night on the hook in Chuckanut Bay, five nautical miles south of the marina.

Driving directions: Finding the boat launch can be confusing. Several turns are required to get to there, and a change in the orientation of city streets along the route can be disorienting.

From I-5 south, take exit 253, turn right on Lincoln Street, then right to Lakeway Drive. Take a slight right onto E. Holly Street and follow it. E. Holly Street becomes W. Holly Street; continue on W. Holly Street.

Continue on W. Holly Street, turning left on F Street, then turn right onto Roeder Avenue. Turn left off Roeder Avenue into the boat launch parking lot.

Saturday, August 11

Launch from Squalicum Harbor Marina in the northeast corner of Bellingham Bay. Head southwest, rounding the south end of Portage Island to enter Hale Passage.

Bellingham Bay can be quite busy on a weekend, so pay attention to other craft. Be sure to round the south end of Portage Island; there is no passage through Portage Bay!

We'll follow the passage northwestward with Lummi Island to port. There are areas of shoal water close to shore off Portage Island and the Lummi Reservation, so don't get too close.

In Hale Passage, stay east of Green #5 off Lane Spit. The area between Lane Spit and Gooseberry Point is where you are likely to experience the fastest currents in the passage.

Round Point Migley on the north end of Lummi Island and head due west for Sucia Island. If you pass close to the buoy, you'll get a good idea how the current is setting.

If you pass close to the buoy, you may be able to see the yellow buoy due west. This is another visual aid to help you find Sucia Island. (The yellow buoy marks the center of the precautionary area for shipping in Rosario Strait. The precautionary area is where ships turn. Even though a ship looks like it won't intersect your course, be aware it may turn. Big ships can't slow down quickly. Give them a lot of room.)

A good sight line is to look due west from the Point Migley buoy, and find the yellow buoy marking the precautionary area. Just south of your sight line is Matia Island. Make your course toward the north side of Matia Island to clear the precautionary area.

Respect the south end of Matia Island because of charted rocks. In a northerly to westerly blow, the keyhole cove on the southeast corner of the island can provide shelter. There is a State Park dock in the largest cove on the northwest corner of the island.

From Matia Island, it's not much farther on a west-northwest bearing to Echo Bay on Sucia Island. Echo Bay is the largest bay on the island. Avoid shoals to the northeast of the island. Enter Echo Bay in the widest area of open water, or pass between North and South Finger Islands to see some trademark sandstone formations.

Here's a closer view of the Finger Island approach.

Anchor or moor at the head of the bay near the narrow neck of land between Echo Bay and Shallow Bay. Some boats also anchor in the northwest corner of the bay.

Sunday, August 12

Reverse course to return to Bellingham Bay:

• Exit Echo Bay, heading east, staying just north of Matia Island.

• Sight the yellow buoy that marks the center of the precautionary area east of you, and head toward it.

• From the yellow buoy, look eastward to the north end of Lummi Island. Find the red marker buoy off the north end of the island, and aim for it.

• Round the north end of Lummi Island, entering Hale Passage.

• Follow the passage southward.

• Round Portage Island, heading northeast toward the head of Bellingham Bay.

• The entrance to Squalicum Harbor Marina is at the right (east) end of the breakwater.

Safety

Required equipment

Boat U.S. maintains a list of required and recommended equipment at http://www.boatus.com/foundation/toolbox/requiredequip.htm

Boats 16 feet in length and greater must have:

• One personal flotation device (in good condition) for each person on board plus a throw-able cushion or ring is required. You must have the PFDs out of the plastic and in a READILY accessible location. The throw-able should be close by the steering station.

• Three current-dated, hand-held, approved flares are minimum equipment to serve for day and night distress signals, both inshore and offshore.

• The correct number of approved fire extinguishers, readily available for use is based on the size of your vessel.

• A sound making device.

• Working running lights.

Boat U.S. adds that U.S. Coast Guard minimum requirements are just that, minimum. They suggest you carry additional safety equipment, such as:

• Anchor with sufficient line/chain (at least five times water depth)

• Bailer (bucket)

• Oars or paddles

• First aid kit

• VHF radio

• Extra fuel & water

• Tool kit

• Sun protection

• Flashlight

Partnering

For safety, we will partner at launch time. Don't leave your buddy boat behind. Be sure you know the boat name and cellular number of at least one other boat in the group, so you can seek help for yourself or your partner boat.

Communications

All boats should be equipped with a VHF marine radio. The U.S. Coast Guard requires all boats equipped with a VHF marine radio to monitor channel 16 while underway. Channels 9 and 16 are hailing channels, and are not to be used for extended conversations. We will hail on channel 16 and converse on channel 68 or 69 if one of those channels are clear. (Channel 71 has been limited to port operations since January 2005. See http://www.rbaw.org/2005/vhfch71.shtml for a notice covering this information.) General information on proper use of your VHF radio is available in the PDF document available at http://www.rbaw.org/2006/VHF_Pamphlet_v16.pdf. If you have Digital Selective Calling – also known as DSC – on your VHF radio, please let everyone know during the skipper's meeting.

You should also have a cellular phone. Before or during the skipper's meeting, we will exchange phone numbers.

Fog

Because of commercial shipping traffic and the number of recreational vessels in this area, the prudent action when fog substantially impedes visibility will be to stay in port. Fog is more common in the spring and fall, but it is not unknown in the summer. Pack some extra water or food, just in case.

Anchoring

Bring at least one anchor and a suitable chain and/or rope. Anchoring in Echo Bay will usually be in less than 30 feet of water. Since there will be many boats in the bay, the textbook ratio of rode to water depth of 7:1 is impractical. You may be anchoring at a 5:1 ratio or less, so you should have 100 to 150 feet of chain and/or rope for anchoring purposes.

If you don't have an anchor, please let the group know during the skipper's meeting. We'll make sure you are partnered with a boat that does have anchoring tackle.

Wind

Winds in the San Juan Islands are often inconsistent. Winds are impeded by islands, causing them to swirl and reverse. They are channeled by passages and ridges, sometimes greatly accelerating in velocity. Williwaws – high velocity winds that descend from mountainous areas to the sea – may occur.

Be prepared to quickly uncleat your mainsheet at all times. If winds are gusty, sail with the sheet in hand, not cleated. Be prepared to reef your sails. Know how to heave to. If you have never reefed or hove to, let the group know and we will conduct a mini-clinic before departing.

Rain

Yes, August is summertime in the San Juans. But cold, rainy weather can and does occur. Sea air is colder than air above land, so you and your passengers can quickly become chilled.

Bring rain gear and warm clothing. For warmth, I carry polyester fleece pants and a jacket, plus a warm fleece hat that covers my ears, plus wool gloves. I can wear these articles of clothing under my rain pants and jacket to stay warm and dry.

It seems that we resist putting on warm clothing as we get chilled while sailing. It must be human nature. I usually put too much clothing on when I prepare to start sailing, because it is easier to take clothing off if I get too warm than it is to dig it out of the cabin and put it on as I get chilled. Getting too cold can affect cognitive functions, and as a sailor, my safety depends on being able to think clearly at all times.

Charts

Online NOAA digital charts are viewable at http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/PacificCoastViewerTable.htm

GPS coordinates

You can get the actual coordinates from the maps available at the links in the following table.