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Old 04-09-2017, 04:48 PM   #1
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Pre Positioning boat for trip to BC

Larry asked in another thread about going from Anacortes to Desolation.

This got me thinking about pre-positioning our boat from Gig Harbor to a convenient more Northerly marina before and then after our trip to save a few days of travel. During the summer, my biggest concern is the availability of slips to use.

I see the most likely option to be Anacortes, as they have a lot of inventory of slips and are a pretty good jumping off spot. I could take a weekend and take the boat to Anacortes and get my wife to pick me up and drive me back home. Then for our vacation, we could drive to Anacortes and leave from there. The weekend afterwards, just reverse the process and bring the boat back to Gig Harbor.

Anyone local to that area have any recommendations as to a marina to check with? It is tough as I am really only looking at 2 weeks of moorage separated by two weeks.

Any other spots other than Anacortes that would be worth looking at?
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Old 04-09-2017, 05:05 PM   #2
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You could also position to Friday harbor and take the clipper back to Seattle.
There a a couple marinas next to Friday harbor you could use.
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Old 04-09-2017, 05:18 PM   #3
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You could also position to Friday harbor and take the clipper back to Seattle.
There a a couple marinas next to Friday harbor you could use.
Good suggestion, but the jump to Friday Harbor is very dependent on weather. Also, I'm not sure I want to spring for the Clipper. If my wife has to drive to Seattle to pick me up, she might as well drive to Anacortes.
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Old 04-09-2017, 05:21 PM   #4
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If you need some work done, I would look at Sidney. Philbrooks is there and with the good exchange rate it's a good place to have it done. The marina there is as good as any and better than most... You can clear customs there and it's an easy trip using the Blackball out of PA. Leaving from there it's an easy two days to Desolation..
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Old 04-09-2017, 05:25 PM   #5
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If you need some work done, I would look at Sidney. Philbrooks is there and with the good exchange rate it's a good place to have it done. The marina there is as good as any and better than most... You can clear customs there and it's an easy trip using the Blackball out of PA. Leaving from there it's an easy two days to Desolation..
Great suggestion, but as I am still working Sydney is a bit too far to get to reliably in a weekend. I could do it, if the weather cooperates. But if the weather doesn't then I would be stuck short of the straits with no place to leave the boat.
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Old 04-09-2017, 05:59 PM   #6
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Probably more than you want from Gig, but Blaine generally has some room where I am. The fisherman's side is pretty sparse these days.
Probably a two day run from Gig to Blaine, but then you could make Sarah Point from Blaine in one 14 hour day up the East side of the strait when vacation starts. Not sure where you would clear customs though.
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Old 04-09-2017, 06:31 PM   #7
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All so far are good suggestions. I'll toss in Port Townsend as well. Easy one day trip from there to Sidney. You went through this same agony last year. Flip a coin, make a reservation and power up.
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Old 04-09-2017, 06:34 PM   #8
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Sidney

John Wayne Marina in Sequim could be a bail out option for the Sidney plan...or just an option by itself. This would allow you to avoid driving through the center of the universe, Seattle.

If you do Sidney, you can take the bus to the ferry in Victoria and walk on for Port Angeles.

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Old 04-09-2017, 06:35 PM   #9
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Probably more than you want from Gig, but Blaine generally has some room where I am. The fisherman's side is pretty sparse these days.
Probably a two day run from Gig to Blaine, but then you could make Sarah Point from Blaine in one 14 hour day up the East side of the strait when vacation starts. Not sure where you would clear customs though.
I hadn't thought of Blaine. It would be a least an 18 hour trip from Gig Harbor, through the Swinomish Channel then up to Blaine. I have never been there by boat. If the wind was coming down from the North, I would imagine that the Southern end of Georgia Strait could be a bit rough.

I've also never been up the East side of Georgia Strait. Looks like a nice strait shot but exposed.
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Old 04-09-2017, 06:45 PM   #10
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John Wayne Marina in Sequim could be a bail out option for the Sidney plan...or just an option by itself. This would allow you to avoid driving through the center of the universe, Seattle.

If you do Sidney, you can take the bus to the ferry in Victoria and walk on for Port Angeles.

Jeff
Another place I've never been. I have never been West of Protection Island. It is about the same distance as Anacortes from me, but doesn't get me quite as far North. The advantage is that it is a much quicker drive from home. A lot may come down to availability of moorage for a couple of weeks during the summer months.
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Old 04-09-2017, 06:55 PM   #11
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You will be 100% guaranteed a slip at POINT ROBERTS MARINA!
They are about 50% full now with the US/CDN dollar and other factors.
I am sure they would give you a deal for a short term stay.

2 Things to consider:
1. Its a bit harder to get back to the rest of WA State. but not impossible
and
2. Its a bit harder to clear into Canada from here once you want to head North, but there are options. (We do it a few times a year albeit with NEXUS)

Let me know if you want more info!
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Old 04-09-2017, 06:59 PM   #12
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Bellingham usually has transient slips in the summer. Many boats heading for Alaska allow their slips to be used for visitors. We do this each year when we're gone.
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Old 04-09-2017, 07:03 PM   #13
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I made the same trip last year from Olympia. I don't know your speed but I have a slow boat, a very slow boat. I stayed in Anacortes. There they think highly of their slips there ($$$) even on the empty commercial dock! Call La Conner or Oak Harbor as alternatives.
The challenge is where to go next. I spent a very nice night in Point Roberts and then into Vancouver BC. From there to Secret Cove and then to Lund. You can skip Vancouver if your wife will let you.
You don't need a Port of Entry you can clear Canadian Customs by phone.
Don't miss the cinnamon rolls in Lund��
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Old 04-09-2017, 07:20 PM   #14
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LaConner is considerably cheaper.
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Old 04-09-2017, 07:54 PM   #15
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Bellingham Blaine or Point Roberts all good. It was crowded in Point Roberts last time I was there, 4 years ago. Customs can be done at White Rock, which I have done the last 3 years. Brought boat home from Port Townsend, yesterday, 6.5 hour trip to Birch Bay. So Bellingham would be shorter and Blaine about 45 minutes longer, at our boat speeds. It is a long day from Blaine up the east side. I have done home port, to customs at White Rock, and then on to Smugglers Cove in a day. Stops at Snug Hbr or Gibsons would add a day, but good stops.
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Old 04-09-2017, 08:15 PM   #16
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TRS for Canadian Border Control

Another slick trick is to preregister with the telephone reporting system in advance. Then you can call in as soon as you enter Canadian waters via cell. Much more flexible and not port specific.
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Old 04-09-2017, 08:24 PM   #17
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I think Cap Sante in Anacortes would be good, but Bellingham certainly gets you positioned further up the route. I am a fan of repositioning. Before we started the loop, we quickly ran the boat to NYC so then we could start from there.
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Old 04-09-2017, 08:43 PM   #18
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Bellingham is a great spot to jump off from.
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Old 04-09-2017, 08:53 PM   #19
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We use Cap Sante in Anacortes for prepositioning since long-term parking is easy and options from Gig Harbor include car, train, and Bell-Air shuttle between Cap Sante and Sea-Tac. As you say, it saves 2 days and is easy to get to.
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Old 04-09-2017, 08:56 PM   #20
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Another slick trick is to preregister with the telephone reporting system in advance. Then you can call in as soon as you enter Canadian waters via cell. Much more flexible and not port specific.
Dennis, could you elaborate on preregistration? Is this a new program and does it have a name? Both Nexus and Canpass are 'port specific'.....Canada wants to know your first port of call so they can meet you after the phone clearance if they choose to.
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