Fuel Dock Recommendations in Pacific Northwest?

[MichaelB1969]

Hi all, I'm planning to leave Tue early morning from Oakland for Seattle. Currently doing some trip planning. Any recommendations for good places to fuel up (diesel) in:

Eureka, CA
Crescent City, CA
Newport, OR
Grays Harbor, WA
Neah Bay, WA

I'm trying to find fuel docks with decent prices and convenient locations.

Also, if there are any with extended hours, that would be hugely helpful!

On my way from Oakland to Seattle, I think I'll have to make 3 stops assuming I'm running at a decent speed (~12 knots). If I slowed to 7 knots I could do it on one tank in the Swift 44, but neither my available time nor the weather would allow for it at this point.

Thanks!

 

[tiltrider1]

No extended hours. All stops you have listed are decent stops.

 

[tiltrider1]

I would skip Eureka and go to Cresent if you have the range.

My standard scenario is leave Bodega Bay, motor around the clock to Cresent. Fuel up and motor around the clock stopping at Newport for fuel. Then one more round the clock and stop at Neah Bay.

 

[MichaelB1969]

I would skip Eureka and go to Cresent if you have the range.

My standard scenario is leave Bodega Bay, motor around the clock to Cresent. Fuel up and motor around the clock stopping at Newport for fuel. Then one more round the clock and stop at Neah Bay.

Right now, my plan was to top it off in Oakland, then go to Crescent City as you suggested, then Newport. But if I maintained 12 knots I'd get into Newport around midnight, so fuel dock would be closed. I could slow down and save fuel, but I want to get north as there is an area of high winds developing around the CA/OR border on Thursday late morning.

Wonder if there is any fuel dock about 80 or 90 miles North of Crescent City. I could likely get there before the fuel dock closes, fill up, and motor straight past Newport and fuel up further north. That way I continuously run through the night and not have to sit around waiting anywhere.

For example, the Port entrance at Coquille River is an option. I'd have to look at the tide chart I suppose to see what the bar might look like? Anyways, thank goodness I hired a captain!

 

[IRENE]

If Port Angeles fits your need, the Boat Haven has fresh fuel and nearly new tanks. Call me if you are coming so I may come say hello.

 

[MichaelB1969]

If Port Angeles fits your need, the Boat Haven has fresh fuel and nearly new tanks. Call me if you are coming so I may come say hello.

That might be an option. If I do swing by, I'll certainly get in touch.

Thanks Jeff!
Mike

 

[tiltrider1]

Sine you have the range from Oakland to Cresent City you should be able to skip Newport and put in at Tillamook (Garibaldi). You might be there an hour or two early but you won’t need to stop again until Port Townsend. Not much of a bar at Tillamook.

 

[GFC]

Not a fuel stop, but a fuel saver. When you get to the NW corner of Washington and Tatoosh Island, instead of going out around the island there's a channel on the Washington side between the island and an offshore rock. We went through there a few years ago while taking a boat from Seattle to Stockton. We learned about it from a retired USCG skipper who used to take his ~190' USCG boat through there.


Neah Bay is a great place to fuel up. It's an Indian reservation so there are some taxes you don't have to pay.

 

[Crusty Chief]

Cresent City, Tillimook, Neah Bay, all easy in and out. Tillimook being the only bar crossing. Grays Harbor is a long in and out for us. From the opening (Breakwater) its 90 mins in and 90 back out. We cruise at 7-8 knots. Take into consideration how far offshore your cruising and add that to time in and out.
Also, be extremely diligent with regards to the crab pots. If traveling at night you wanna be out past the ledge, (400’ plus depth) could be 15-25 miles offshore. A friend of ours last month caught 2 traps on his Stabilizers (53 Selene) spent 90 mins in the cold water cutting them loose.
Best of luck! Safe travels.

 

[MichaelB1969]

Cresent City, Tillimook, Neah Bay, all easy in and out. Tillimook being the only bar crossing. Grays Harbor is a long in and out for us. From the opening (Breakwater) its 90 mins in and 90 back out. We cruise at 7-8 knots. Take into consideration how far offshore your cruising and add that to time in and out.
Also, be extremely diligent with regards to the crab pots. If traveling at night you wanna be out past the ledge, (400’ plus depth) could be 15-25 miles offshore. A friend of ours last month caught 2 traps on his Stabilizers (53 Selene) spent 90 mins in the cold water cutting them loose.
Best of luck! Safe travels.

Thanks! Any recommended spots for diesel in Tillamook?

 

[tiltrider1]

There is only one place and it’s actually in Garibaldi. There are no other facilities in Tillamook Bay.

I only referenced Tillamook so you would know were to look for Garibaldi.

 

[romany275]

There’s no more fuel docks in Gig Harbor - went away years ago. In that area your best bet is Narrows Marina in Tacoma, Point Defiance Park - also in Tacoma, and Thea Foss Waterway in downtown Tacoma (two fuel docks there).

Romany275

 

[Crusty Chief]

There is only one place and it’s actually in Garibaldi. There are no other facilities in Tillamook Bay.

I only referenced Tillamook so you would know were to look for Garibaldi.

Concur, sorry if I confused the OP.

 

[OldDan1943]

May I suggest, you call ahead and make an appointment?
Better to do this than to pull in, on vapors, only to learn, no fuel until.... (delivery date here)

 

[Portage_Bay]

The Crescent City fuel dock can be a hand full. You'll tie to a high pier and at low tide will have difficulty getting from your boat up to the pier to pay the bill. As you approach the pier you'll see a phone # posted on the fuel dock shack, call before tieing to be sure the attendant is there. And the last time I was there I ran afoul of a local commercial fisherman who was incensed I had the nerve to occupy the dock to take on only 400 gal and delay his work.

Crab pots at night are a serious concern. On my recent trips off the Ca, Or, Wa coast I've had to run out past 100 fathoms to avoid them. And 100 fathoms is no magic number, they'll work deeper if the have to. They will avoid putting their pots on steep slopes. Quite a few of the pot buoys are very old and dark green almost black, very hard to see at night. Most pots have two buoys, read the currents as you dodge them because sometimes the buoy nearest the down line can be just below the surface, go the wrong way and you've got a pot line in your gear. Crabbers generally lay their pots in a straight line. After you've seen two with the same markings it's easy to predict where the rest of that line of pots lie. Carry a sharp knife you can rig to a long pole to cut yourself free. Doing it from the swim step or dingy in a 3 ft or larger sea is not only miserable, it's dangerous.

When rounding Flattery if using the short cut make sure to pass between Tattosh and Duncan rock, not Tattosh and Jones rock. The gap between Tattosh and Jones is wide enough but the wave action and surges can be very nasty in all but the calmest conditions.

One bit of serious advice. If you lack experience making long-ish passages running 24 x 7 think again about your intentions to run all night and not stop. Exhaustion and sleep deprivation lead to bad decisions and dangerous mistakes. You mention available time and weather windows. Don't let pressures external to the passage such as schedules put you in harm's way.

 

[SR400DB]

So I have stopped at most if not all of the fuel docks between SF and Neah Bay with the exception of Tillamook in my coastal travels. In fact I have a slip in Bandon (Coquille River) and will be moving my boat late summer/early fall. Have never had a window that got me along the coast without a 2-4 day delay. And I can cruise at 24 knots if need.

I have had great luck calling fuel docks (Crescent City, Coos Bay and Grey’s) during business hours and asking for a late/early fueling. All have accommodated. I always gave a generous tip to make it worth their time.

I would fuel In Eureka and then get Coos Bay to do an after hours stop if possible. All pending weather of course.

Pay attention to bar closures/restrictions. They start closing North and work their way South most times. Greys and Columbia are good predictions of what you will see. If they become restricted/closed start looking for a safe harbor.

Right now it’s a steady 18 knots at my place in Bandon. Watch the wind as much or more than swells. Just my advise.

 

[tiltrider1]

I have not stopped at Bandon with my boat. I have been to Bandon and always liked the town. I have always wondered how well they could accommodate a 60’ transient? I too have never made it from LA to Seattle with out being shut down for weather. On my last trip I was stuck in Bodega Bay for 4 days but then I had a 5 day window that took me home. Always best to give your self an extra 7 days leeway to be safe.

 

[rsn48]

I don't know if you are planning to come as high as Seattle and above into BC but if you do there is a free booklet out there - the "BoatersBluePages & Marina Guide."

Here is a link: https://www.boatersbluepages.com/categories

 

[SR400DB]

They have had a couple of 100’ers in Bandon and have a 75’ guest slip or two. It’s a great spot. Bar crossing is not for the faint of heart that is for sure.

 

[MichaelB1969]

The Crescent City fuel dock can be a hand full. You'll tie to a high pier and at low tide will have difficulty getting from your boat up to the pier to pay the bill. As you approach the pier you'll see a phone # posted on the fuel dock shack, call before tieing to be sure the attendant is there. And the last time I was there I ran afoul of a local commercial fisherman who was incensed I had the nerve to occupy the dock to take on only 400 gal and delay his work.

Crab pots at night are a serious concern. On my recent trips off the Ca, Or, Wa coast I've had to run out past 100 fathoms to avoid them. And 100 fathoms is no magic number, they'll work deeper if the have to. They will avoid putting their pots on steep slopes. Quite a few of the pot buoys are very old and dark green almost black, very hard to see at night. Most pots have two buoys, read the currents as you dodge them because sometimes the buoy nearest the down line can be just below the surface, go the wrong way and you've got a pot line in your gear. Crabbers generally lay their pots in a straight line. After you've seen two with the same markings it's easy to predict where the rest of that line of pots lie. Carry a sharp knife you can rig to a long pole to cut yourself free. Doing it from the swim step or dingy in a 3 ft or larger sea is not only miserable, it's dangerous.

When rounding Flattery if using the short cut make sure to pass between Tattosh and Duncan rock, not Tattosh and Jones rock. The gap between Tattosh and Jones is wide enough but the wave action and surges can be very nasty in all but the calmest conditions.

One bit of serious advice. If you lack experience making long-ish passages running 24 x 7 think again about your intentions to run all night and not stop. Exhaustion and sleep deprivation lead to bad decisions and dangerous mistakes. You mention available time and weather windows. Don't let pressures external to the passage such as schedules put you in harm's way.

Thanks for the tips everyone! I don't have experience running at night, but I hired a professional Captain who does. He seems like a cautious, safety first type of guy and he came highly recommended by the brokers up in Seattle. My assumption is we may get held up at Newport on Thursday, with another window opening up on Sat or Sun and Monday. We shall see!

 

[MichaelB1969]

Also, special thanks to Richard (Dauntless) who has been guiding/educating me on weather matters!

 

[z1nonlyone]

Man I am showing high winds from the north (over 30 knots) during that time! Please double check your weather window.