Convince us to visit your favorite cruising destination

[cruiserChick]

We love South Florida!
But there are lots of great places to cruise. Where is your favorite cruising destination. Let's see pics and locations.

 

[FlyWright]

I love the SF Bay and California Delta! It's got cool, humid, windy, salt water bay boating or warm, dry, calm and benign freshwater delta gunkholing. I berth near Carquinez Strait, the general dividing line between the two zones.

There's a little Secret Cove I know that I've shared with many TFers. It's a C shaped island with a lagoon large enough to comfortably hold 4 anchored with stern anchors or many more if rafted. 10-15 ft deep in mud and weeds that can constrict space at times. Trees line the entire perimeter to provide perfect wind protection. It's a little micro-environment with birds, turtles, otters, frogs, fish and the occasional human. It has excellent wind protection and concealment from nearby waterways. A marina with general store, restaurant/bar, fuel, water, pumpout is within a 1/2 mile dink ride.

Here's a video of my dink arrival into the Secret Cove a couple years ago. This year I've upgraded dinks so I might have to update the video this summer. If you want to come here, I'll have to blindfold you first.

 

[Bigsfish]

Al

No bar near? LOL

 

[caltexflanc]

We have had the great privilege of cruising virtually the entire US salt water coast and it's immediate tributaries (excepting the tributaries off the northern GOM). We love it all.

I love the SF Bay and California Delta!

I grew up as a third generation Delta Rat (5th generation Californian). If you love the Delta, the southeastern ICW, SC and GA in particular, will be your dream of what Heaven must be.

 

[FlyWright]

Al

No bar near? LOL

"It has excellent wind protection and concealment from nearby waterways. A marina with general store, restaurant/bar, fuel, water, pumpout is within a 1/2 mile dink ride. "

I usually carry enough for personal consumption but it's nice to have a backup plan.

We have had the great privilege of cruising virtually the entire US salt water coast and it's immediate tributaries (excepting the tributaries off the northern GOM). We love it all.



I grew up as a third generation Delta Rat (5th generation Californian). If you love the Delta, the southeastern ICW, SC and GA in particular, will be your dream of what Heaven must be.

I love the area when it's not hot and humid or buggy. I'm not into running the AC on a boat if I can avoid it and love the outdoors.

 

[O C Diver]

While I love SW FL during the winter, it would take a lifetime to explore the tributaries of Chesapeake Bay. Many places and interesting people to experience. When I retire, the Great Lakes (especially Superior) will be my summer cruising grounds. Imagine summer without the need for air conditioning. Until you leave the East or West coast, you can't imagine the warmth, honesty and charity of the people in the heart land.

Ted

 

[STOWAWAY]

Beware the black flies around Lake Superior. The take a chunk of flesh and invite friends for a picnic.
The view on the north shore is fantastic and the beaches on the south side look fabulous.

 

[MurrayM]

"Convince us to visit your favorite cruising destination"

Not a chance!

I'm happy with empty anchorages and not seeing any other boats for days on end. Probably 95% of the boats in my area are on the Inside Passage treadmill and scoot right past without a glance to either side. Perfect

 

[dirtdoc1]

I grew up boating the San Francisco Bay and Delta. The bay can be treacherous. Pay attention to the markers or you can end up in the mud. You'll want to cruise early and get to your destination before the winds pick up. There is a nice cove at Angel Island next to Alcatraz but it can be packed. There is a fort from the Civil War on the island and some great hiking trails. Of course Alcatraz is a must. There are some places that you have to spend a couple days at. Sausalito, Jack London Square, Pier 39 in San Francisco. Running from Redwood City up to Sacramento is a nice 2+3 day cruise or over to Stockton. Run up the Napa River via San Pablo Bay to do some wine tasting. Benicia used to have some nice restaurants close to the marina. Run up Suisun Slough via Grizzly Bay to Suisun City. The delta has an interesting history. Much of it are still duck hunting clubs. Grizzly Island is where I used to hunt. There are some great little delta towns also with interesting history. You could spend a lifetime exploring the Delta.

Now for my favorite:

The Inside Passage of the Pacific Northwest is incredible! So many islands and coves. Most of the islands have great hiking trails. You could spend another lifetime or two exploring from the San Juan's up to Alaska. Most of it is protected from the open ocean. I bought a trawler and it was delivered to Bellingham, Washington, (a great town). I was planning on immediately running the boat down to Redwood City which, is South San Francisco Bay and my home. I was talked in to spending some time cruising the local area (Washington, British Columbia). As a matter of fact by many of the people on this forum. So I cruised around for a couple of weeks then had to go back to CA to wrap up some things so I could spend more time in the PNW. I ended up staying most of the year and cruised 1300 nm, San Juan Islands, Gulf Islands then over to False Creek, up Indian Arm to Bedwell and over to Howe Sound then up the Sunshine Coast to Pender Cove then up to Cortez Island and Squirrel Cove and much more.

I'm leaving California in less than two weeks to drive back up to Canada (where I left my boat) do it again and hopefully get further North to the Broughton Islands. I don't really care just as long as I'm up there cruising.

The Pacific Northwest is the most incredible boating that I've ever done. I don't know if I'll ever get the boat down to San Francisco. The Delta is fun and relaxing and safe. The PNW is amazing, exhilarating, exciting and protected from open ocean but you have to pay attention to huge tidal changes and passages that can sink a 50' trawler if you go at the wrong time.

I've met so many gracious and helpful people up there. You inevitably start talking about where you're going next and people will warn you what to be careful of and suggest more places to go. This season I'll have an electric bike on board to I can better explore the islands.

Do yourself a favor and check it out. If getting your boat there is not doable charter a boat.

 

[ghost]

I grew up boating the San Francisco Bay and Delta. The bay can be treacherous. Pay attention to the markers or you can end up in the mud. You'll want to cruise early and get to your destination before the winds pick up. There is a nice cove at Angel Island next to Alcatraz but it can be packed. There is a fort from the Civil War on the island and some great hiking trails. Of course Alcatraz is a must. There are some places that you have to spend a couple days at. Sausalito, Jack London Square, Pier 39 in San Francisco. Running from Redwood City up to Sacramento is a nice 2+3 day cruise or over to Stockton. Run up the Napa River via San Pablo Bay to do some wine tasting. Benicia used to have some nice restaurants close to the marina. Run up Suisun Slough via Grizzly Bay to Suisun City. The delta has an interesting history. Much of it are still duck hunting clubs. Grizzly Island is where I used to hunt. There are some great little delta towns also with interesting history. You could spend a lifetime exploring the Delta.

Now for my favorite:

The Inside Passage of the Pacific Northwest is incredible! So many islands and coves. Most of the islands have great hiking trails. You could spend another lifetime or two exploring from the San Juan's up to Alaska. Most of it is protected from the open ocean. I bought a trawler and it was delivered to Bellingham, Washington, (a great town). I was planning on immediately running the boat down to Redwood City which, is South San Francisco Bay and my home. I was talked in to spending some time cruising the local area (Washington, British Columbia). As a matter of fact by many of the people on this forum. So I cruised around for a couple of weeks then had to go back to CA to wrap up some things so I could spend more time in the PNW. I ended up staying most of the year and cruised 1300 nm, San Juan Islands, Gulf Islands then over to False Creek, up Indian Arm to Bedwell and over to Howe Sound then up the Sunshine Coast to Pender Cove then up to Cortez Island and Squirrel Cove and much more.

I'm leaving California in less than two weeks to drive back up to Canada (where I left my boat) do it again and hopefully get further North to the Broughton Islands. I don't really care just as long as I'm up there cruising.

The Pacific Northwest is the most incredible boating that I've ever done. I don't know if I'll ever get the boat down to San Francisco. The Delta is fun and relaxing and safe. The PNW is amazing, exhilarating, exciting and protected from open ocean but you have to pay attention to huge tidal changes and passages that can sink a 50' trawler if you go at the wrong time.

I've met so many gracious and helpful people up there. You inevitably start talking about where you're going next and people will warn you what to be careful of and suggest more places to go. This season I'll have an electric bike on board to I can better explore the islands.

Do yourself a favor and check it out. If getting your boat there is not doable charter a boat.

He's lying. All those pictures are from Florida and California. Nothing to see around here. You are better off causing the Caribbean, where every port offers free rum.

 

[tiltrider1]

Like ghost said only it rains all the time.

 

[Shrew]

Convince us to visit your favorite cruising destination.

You gotta try them all. If every day were a beautiful, sunny day and you had nothing to compare it to, you wouldn't even notice or appreciate it.

You need to spend time in a variety of places to be able to truly appreciate the nice ones. Your life, your journey. Just get out there.

 

[sunchaser]

I've given up on WA, BC and AK. To dangerous with guys in hoodies prowling the docks just waiting for crew to leave boat. I'd take my chances in Mexico or Barbados before even thinking about buying a raincoat for Vancouver, Kitimat or Petersburg.

 

[dirtdoc1]

I've given up on WA, BC and AK. To dangerous with guys in hoodies prowling the docks just waiting for crew to leave boat. I'd take my chances in Mexico or Barbados before even thinking about buying a raincoat for Vancouver, Kitimat or Petersburg.

Sorry guys I guess I screwed up.

 

[MurrayM]

I've given up on WA, BC and AK. To dangerous with guys in hoodies prowling the docks just waiting for crew to leave boat. I'd take my chances in Mexico or Barbados before even thinking about buying a raincoat for Vancouver, Kitimat or Petersburg.

Perfect...the plan worked!