Thanks to all for your suggestions and comments. Here's the long and short of what we have come up with.
Sunday... anacortes to Spencer spit via swinmish canal and laConnor and deception pass.
The Swinomish Channel is an interesting trip. One issue to consider is that the trip through the Swinomish can be sensitive to tide and current. As a newb to the Swinnomish Channel, I would want to transit it at a high, rather than low tide. Currents and tides can be a bit if a guess due to the influence of river flows. But you can find references for tides and currents. In general, it is my understanding that current flows North before and after high tide and flows South before and after low tide. If I was going South, I would prefer to time it so that I would hit La Conner around high slack.
I would not transit it at low tide. Easy to do with local knowledge, but I don't have that local knowledge.
While considering current and tides is desirable for the Swinnomish, it is critical for exiting Deception Pass. Do it at slack water. The problem comes in timing. Start with the slack water for Deception Pass and then work backwards to when you will be transiting the Swinnomish. It is about 21 nm from Anacortes to Deception pass via the Swinnomish. Figure out your cruising speed (remember to factor in the no wake area through La Conner as well as any current in the channel) to time Deception Pass for slack water. Better to arrive early than late. La Conner is about 1/2 way along that route.
The Southern end of Rosario Strait can be rough if you cross it on an ebb tide with a brisk South wind. Another thing to consider.
I am not trying to discourage that route, but plan carefully. I think the Swinnomish is very cool, partly because it is unique in the Puget Sound. Deception Pass is beautiful and iconic. However, Annacortes to Spencer Spit across Rosario is much shorter with fewer tide and current issues. A rough guess is that the trip from Anacortes to Spencer spit via the Swinnomish would be about 35nm.
Monday Spencer spit to Stewart island
Very pretty spot. If the forecast has any significant North or South wind, pick with side of the spit to anchor accordingly.
I just recalled two things... The first is that you will have a charter captain on board. He/she will have a lot more experience/information than I. So you can ignore me and just follow their lead. The second is that you will be a Selene 47. You will likely be cruising around 9 knots which is a bit faster than my 7 knots, making that 35nm faster than what it would be for me.
