Pre Positioning boat for trip to BC

[dhays]

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?

 

[Mach_cat]

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.

 

[dhays]

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.

 

[Ka_sea_ta]

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..

 

[dhays]

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.

 

[klee wyck]

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.

 

[sunchaser]

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.

 

[IRENE]

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.

Jeff

 

[dhays]

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.

 

[dhays]

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.

 

[Tolly Roger]

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!

 

[Ken E.]

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.

 

[dennisspain]

Dave
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��

 

[Nomad Willy]

LaConner is considerably cheaper.

 

[Rebel112r]

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.

 

[dennisspain]

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.

 

[BandB]

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.

 

[Bob Cofer]

Bellingham is a great spot to jump off from.

 

[av8r]

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.

 

[Ken E.]

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.

 

[koliver]

Dave:

I can't help with the re-positioning.

Your route from Anacortes, up the east side would be boring once out of the San Juans, until you get to Welcome Passage, (the first 80 miles) then there is lots to see and many great anchorages and good harbours. Smuggler Cove, Secret Cove, Garden Bay, Fox Island, Blind Bay, Ballet Bay, ....the list is a long one. You might want to take a side trip to Princess Louisa, this year or another.
I would avoid having to wait for calm or SE winds by going as far as Nanaimo on the west side, longer, but not at all boring, and of course you already know where to stop and how long it will take. Then a relatively short jump across to Jedediah Island, then up Malaspina. If you want to see all that Malaspina and Jervis have to offer, you won't get to Desolation Sound this year. You were there last summer, so you have choices once again.

When is this trip to occur?

 

[dhays]

Great idea folks.

I will have to sit down and look at it. Keith makes the very good point that going up Malispina is not only beautiful, but in relatively protected waters the whole way. Lots of places to stop and a bunch of places to cross Georgia Strait if there is a few hour window of calm weather. OTOH, I have been there before....

We skipped over the East side of Georgia strait last year and if it was up to me, I would explore there this year and make it up Princess Louisa. However, my wife yearns for the warm waters of DS, and she will not be denied.

It is 16 hours from GH to Blaine, assuming the currents are neutral (which they never are). If I take a Friday off, I could easily single-hand the boat from GH to Blaine on Friday and Saturday and have my wife come up to get me on Sunday. Or she and I could take it up and I could con my daughter to drive up and get us. If we left the boat there, it would be about 10 hours from Blaine to Secret Cove. Lund would be a relatively leisurely 6 hours. I would do it in a heart beat. However, if the weather came up from the North, we could be stuck in Blaine for days. Nothing against Blaine, but if I'm going to be stuck due to weather, I'd rather do it in the Gulf Islands.

That is the advantage of Anacortes or Bham, if it looks like the conditions in Georgia Strait was going to be good, we could head up the east side. If not, we could via Nanaimo and take two days to get to DS, skipping Westview or Lund.

Anyway, am I just being a whimp wondering about the trip up the East side of Georgia Strait around Point Robert and Roberts Bank?

Keith asked when.... It will be the 3rd and 4th week in August. (I know, in many ways the worst time of year for crowds, but my first grandchild coming a bit later forced us to move the time table up.)

 

[Greg S]

Winds? Not northerly especially in the summertime. OTOH "never say never".

I did Gig Harbour to the Gulf Islands once, long day to anchor in Crescent Harbour and nicely finished on day two. If the prepositioning is to save travel time, by all means go to Blaine, may as well go as far north as practical without crossing the boarder and easy to get to and from with the car. Enjoy the trip by both of you going together and have your daughter pick you up.

Travelling up the east side of the straights is by no means "boring" and you should have gentle tailwind the whole way. Spend the two days you save by going up to Chatterbox Falls (Princess Louisa Inlet) then on to Wesrview(Powell River) or Lund.

 

[GFC]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but since we're talking about this specific area, how do you find out if the WhiskeyGulf military area is active or not?


Sorry for the hijack?

 

[Greg S]

Radio channel 16 announcements. WX reports also include this info. Or, don't worry about it because your entire route stays outside it.

 

[sunchaser]

WG status is broadcast on marine weather channels at least every 15 minutes or so. The is also a phone number that can be called. Some doofuses refuse to check and get escorted out with all sorts of interesting radio traffic as they are nailed.

But by going up east or west side of the Straits no need to cross into WG.

 

[Conrad]

What about biting a couple of big bullets and heading straight up to Campbell River? Right at the doorstep to Desolation Sound and other parts just north of here. Once you're here, your exposure to Georgia Strait is limited and there are other options that get you to Desolation without seeing the straits at all. Who doesn't want the excitement of going through places like Hole in the Wall or Devil's Hole?
I see many transients arrive and stay, using the marina as a base for exploring the area.

 

[ktdtx]

Just for information there is also a WF military area which no one seems to talk or care about--north of WG.

 

[Ken E.]

Area WG's headquarters is on Winchelsea island, just north of Nanaimo. They monitor vhf channel 10, their handle being 'Winchelsea Control'. As stated, the continuous weather reports give the status of WG and the Canadian Coast Guard can also give it to you by vhf.

 

[dhays]

Greg S - Thanks for the perspective on the East side of Georgia Strait.

GFC - You can't miss the WG information. Every 5 minutes some American is asking on Channel 16 if it is open or not. This is despite the Canadian CG announcing it on several channels.

Conrad - Never been to Campbell river either.