ASD and the Inside Passage

[Crusty Chief]

Tom,
Glad to hear your in the San Juans. We had a great time there and hope you have a chance to drop the hook in a few places. We really like Mud Bay, south end of Lopez, had it to ourselves for 3 days. If you go over to Shaw Island and park at Blind Bay, be sure to go up to the ferry dock and see Steve. He owns the store and is a real story teller. The wife liked the passerby bench just down the road from his store.
Watch close if your going through Wasp passage, this is where we saw a pod of Orcas and saw them again on Turn point off of Stuart Island a week later. If you anchor in Reid Harbor, be sure to hike out to turn point, it's a long walk over mostly dirt roads, but the view is to die for.
Enjoy your trip and hope we meet up, we are in Vancouver until Monday then we meander north at a rather slow pace, should be at Chatterbox Falls around the 15th or so.

 

[GFC]

Tom, I think that was the one. GREAT fish & chips so it must be the same one.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

We will be heading out of Friday Harbor today for the long 20 minute ride to Jones Island and its famous deer......

 

[Bob Cofer]

We will be in Roche Harbor on Wednesday if you are still in the area.

Bob & Jill

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

We will be in Roche Harbor on Wednesday if you are still in the area.

Bob & Jill

Thanks Bob. We are currently at Jones Island and over to Sucia tomorrow for a few days, then Roche.

 

[Hawgwash]

Just a heads up, Tom, in case you are not aware May 20-23 is a long weekend in Canada and usually very busy on the water.


That's the weekend everyone who hasn't seen their boat since Labour Day, go out and drift.

 

[Bob Cofer]

Tom,

We will be in Roche from Wednesday through Sunday. Stop by if you are in.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Jones Island State Marine Park

3 days in civilization (Friday Harbor) was enough. We had heard about Jones Island from our friends so we thought we would check it out. It is 7.5 miles from Friday Harbor and the north side of the island has a small bay and a dock. Getting there was a short 45 minute ride. As we rounded the corner on the north end the USCG was waiting. Boarding and Checking people's boats. I made sure to pass them on my port. They saw I already had a safety inspection sticker and they waved and gave me a thumbs up.

As we approached the bay we got real lucky and a spot opened up at the dock, so we tied up and there were only 3 other boats here. We found out later that folks tend to rotate in and out of the bay all day. The island has a trail that goes all the way around, so off we went on our first hike. We found a few beaches made of small gravel. Kay went sea glass hunting and was able to find some. This is a wonderful island with old growth ciders, grass and lots of birds. There is also a resident black tail deer population here. As we walked the west side of the island we found a perfect spot to bring our chairs back for a sunset.

Later that evening with chair, drink and cigar we sat on this rock out crop to gather in the sunset. The swallows were busy eating bugs, we could hear bees in the background and song birds everywhere. I was warm and bright. Then all of a sudden we heard a stick break, turned around and a deer had walked up on us, not more than a few feet away. He figured we were not a threat to him so he stuck around for a while eating grass. The one thing we did notice here was how dry the ground was here. Kay and I both wondered where the deer got drinking water from. Then we were entertained but an awesome sunset.

The next day as we were running the generation, I notice water in the bilge. I opened up the generator panels to find sea water in the bottom of the pan. So I had to unpack everything, and remove the sound shield. I found a rubber 90 degree hose that was rotten and leaking. I couldn't believe I missed that on my inspection and maintenance I had performed on it a few months back, dang I was mad at myself. I called NW Cummins in Seattle and they had one and overnighted it to Friday Harbor. Oh well better to be broke down here than in the northern wilderness with no access to parks, so back to Friday harbor we go for a few more days. I had a few other things I wanted to do anyway.

 

[Hawgwash]

so back to Friday harbor we go for a few more days. I had a few other things I wanted to do anyway.

Nice sights.
Might be too late to catch you but, why not Roche Harbor then just shuttle over to Friday Harbor for the part?

Here is something that might interest you while heading on up the coast;
Biodiversity of the Central Coast - Biodiversity of the Central Coast - Home

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Nice sights.
Might be too late to catch you but, why not Roche Harbor then just shuttle over to Friday Harbor for the part?

Here is something that might interest you while heading on up the coast;
Biodiversity of the Central Coast - Biodiversity of the Central Coast - Home

No particular reason other than there is a small WM in Friday and I get a night free. Thanks for the link.

 

[JDCAVE]

Nice sights.
Might be too late to catch you but, why not Roche Harbor then just shuttle over to Friday Harbor for the part?

Here is something that might interest you while heading on up the coast;
Biodiversity of the Central Coast - Biodiversity of the Central Coast - Home

WRT the central coast, worth a stop in Pruth Bay. Amazing walks from West Beach which can be accessed by crossing through the Hakai Institute property, which is referenced in the link above. Limited hiking elsewhere in the central, so worth a visit.


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum

 

[Bob Cofer]

We are in Roche!

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Sitting on the Dock by the Bay

For the last few days I have been in Friday Harbor waiting on parts for the generator. Nothing that significant, a 90 degree hose and a 4ft raw water intake hose. About $35 worth. So I get all the parts and go to work. Take about 45 minutes. Great let's fire up the genny and get outta here. Not so fast says the generator, you forgot the "original " leak!" One of the end caps on the oil cooler was leaking. I removed it and it fell apart in my hands. Great.

Called NW Cummins in Seattle and I am sort of lucky again as they have the parts and will over night them to me. I looked the pieces over and there was evidence that this cap has been leaking for a while, but just enough to cause the 90 elbow to fail. I missed this on my inspection of the genny a few months ago, so lesson learned and blame the person in the mirror. So with any luck we will be out of here and on our way to Sucia Island. UPS gets here at 2pm.........

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

We are in Roche!

Hey Bob we are at Friday again. We are going to Sucia tomorrow. Where are you heading out to?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Genny Fixed

It would appear that I have the genny up and running again. Got these parts this morning, a whole $23.75, installed and tested. No leaks!! Yee Haw! Tomorrow morning we are off to Sucia Island for some R/R and lots of hiking. I am told this is the best the San Juan Islands have to offer.

 

[Hawgwash]

I am told this is the best the San Juan Islands have to offer.

I don't know about it being the best but if you change course to port a bit on your way from Friday to Sucia and check Prevost Harbor, you might not even make it to Sucia.

 

[dhays]

It would appear that I have the genny up and running again. Got these parts this morning, a whole $23.75, installed and tested. No leaks!! Yee Haw! Tomorrow morning we are off to Sucia Island for some R/R and lots of hiking. I am told this is the best the San Juan Islands have to offer.

Maybe the best that the US San Juans has to offer at least. I love Sucia.

 

[drb1025]

I love the hiking at Sucia and the choices of anchorages and mooring buoys, but I'm too long for buoys since the DF&W explicitly stated 45' max.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Chapter 5 Friday to Sucia Island

With the generator fixed, Kay and I were itching to get outta town. 5 days total at Friday harbor. The ride to Sucia was 27 miles. There was a slight north breeze. I saw a few dolphins running on top. What is striking about the San Juan Islands is how dry it is. All the grass is brown. Our goal was to tie up what they call a lateral mooring. Basically it is 3 buoys all connected by a large rope with round floats and in between the floats there are tie up rings. As the prediction for the next few days is wind 10-25kts, I feel a little safer on these and not a regular mooring buoy.

Once we got all tied up, I got the dingy in the water, the first time for this season. We went to shore on an outgoing tide. I know what you all thought! Dingy high and dry when we got back a few hours later. Nope I secured the anchor in the logs and I had 75 feet of line, so I pushed the dink back in the water. When we got back, it was sitting on the edge of the water. Some folks would have to drag their dink at least 50 yards back to the water.

Kay and I took a hike to Fossil Bay. This is where the island ranger lives and there are two docks. Problem with the docks on a "zero" low tide there is less than 3 feet at the END of the dock! I draft 3.6 feet, but like being in water a little deeper than that. Fossil Bay was packed! On the dock there was some spots 3 boats deep. All mooring buoys were taken and anchoring space none. The hike to this bay just about killed us. It had steep hills and Kay and I figured out real fast we were not in good shape. I told her by the end of this trip we will lean and fit. Ready for a moose hunt.....

For more pics, see the blog

The Alaskan Sea-Duction

 

[dhays]

On your hike you can spot stumps of old growth timber that were logged off back in the day. Look closely and you will see the notches cut in the sides for the boards the loggers stood on who used the saws to fell the trees.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Very cool. Thanks for yhe info. I'll try and get a pic.

 

[dhays]

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Chapter 6 Fossil Bay to Roche Harbor

It was time to move on. The dock was nice, but as our friend Kathy Evans told us you won't want to stay in one spot too long. We have been in the San Juan islands for 2 weeks. We pulled the lines at 10:30 and headed out the narrow passage that is Fossil Bay. The weather was over cast with fog in the distance. Pilot whales were swimming all around us, but we wanted to see Orcas. As we approached Roche Harbor we saw all these boats gathered in one spot. We thought it was a "hog line" (boats close together fishing). Nope these boats were chasing whales. Must had been at least 20 + boats. Poor whales.

As we came around Pearl Island Roche Harbor Marina was in sight. Folks there are millions upon millions of dollars worth of yachts here. The rich and famous. We called the marina and was told to proceed to the guest docks. I figured out where they were and then I looked up. Had a float plane landing on my right, had a 110 foot yacht coming out of the docks in front of me and another 100ft + yacht backing out of a slip to my left. Talk about traffic! I pulled the engines into neutral and drifted to allow the traffic to go by and give Kay time to place here fenders and lines.

We made our way to slip #5 and there was a Roche marina employee waiting on us to handle the lines, help us with electrical hook up and trash. Wow. But this is a resort so it was $1.90 a foot. We are 48 feet long so, about $91 for one night. We needed the rest tied up and to have electric on board. This is a nice town, but spendy, so tomorrow we will be heading to Steward Island and Reid Harbor Marine Park. Then after a few days there Canada!!!

The pics are of Fossil Bay

 

[Hawgwash]

Had a float plane landing on my right, had a 110 foot yacht coming out of the docks in front of me and another 100ft + yacht backing out of a slip to my left. Talk about traffic!

Gee, that sounds just like Roche Harbor and it's not summer yet. If you haven't learned yet, there is some interesting and comical British vs American history right there. Take a walk or dinghy ride around. Cool place but not one to stay long.

When you get to Stuart, I doubt it will be full but if it is, just go across to the bay on Satellite Island. It's a decent anchorage and short dinghy hop to the public dock and trails on Stuart. Just watch for the drying rock right in the middle of the entrance.

Turn Point on Stuart Island is probably one of the most likely spots in the area to see Orcas.

Don't forget, this coming weekend is a long one in BC and lots of folks will be making it a 4 dayer, Friday to Monday.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Thanks Hawg! So do you think Sidney harbor will be a mess or everyone will be going to the islands?

 

[Hawgwash]

Thanks Hawg! So do you think Sidney harbor will be a mess or everyone will be going to the islands?

I just spoke to Port Sidney Marina and they said you "should" be fine but still suggest you contact them if you know your plans;
Port Sidney Marina | sophisticated oasis

 

[Nsail]

If you're going to Stuart Island, I would strongly consider Prevost Harbor over Reid Harbor (I actually love Reid Harbor also) for a couple of reasons -

It looks like things will be on the cool side temperature wise, and Prevost will offer more sun (if there's any to be had).

You have access to the park from both harbors, but the ramp to the shore is much easier to deal with from the Prevost side (from your previous post this may be important to you). Reid's ramp is pretty steep.

If you have kayaks, I like Prevost better.

 

[Moonfish]

Moonrise over Prevost Harbor...

https://youtu.be/j5RyC4L96mw

 

[dbles]

If you are able to do handle the walk, the Turn Point Lighthouse is well worth the journey. Might be the most stunning view in the islands!

The shortest walk is from the county dock in Prevost Harbor (dingy only). It's straight in front of you when you enter the Harbor. Don't worry...you'll still get plenty of exercise!

 

[markpierce]

Enjoyed Sunday in the inside passage.