So Cal to Anacortes

Has anyone taken their boat from So Cal to Anacortes?

I use to deliver commercial boats built in S.Cal to Alaska. I also commercial fished north of SF to Canada. And I ran coastal tugs.
South of SF I consider the ocean to be mostly flat. North of SF you have NW swells of various height from spring to fall. When a storm goes thru and blows from the SW, it beats down the NW swell. Later after the storm is past, a strong NW wind blows and rebuilds the swell. Between the big swells and the storm there is usually about 5+ days of good cruising weather. The swell is worse close to major headlands and in shallow water (under 100 fathoms), so I usually travel about 25 miles out. Also traveling in deep water avoids all the crab pot buoys. The further north you travel, the more westerly the swells become. Crescent City, CA is the last port going north without a bar to cross. Bars get closed in really bad weather, so watch the weather and plan each days trip.

If you're not in a hurry and can take the time waiting in ports for better weather it can be a pleasant trip. If you're in a hurry, it can be terrible.

trip up the pacific coast - So-cal to Anacortes

Yes. several time over the years.

Don't go in winter.

Plan your weather windows.

Have a well found boat & it better be in good condition.

Bring plenty of fuel filters.

Beautiful trip when weather is nice.

Can be Miserable when it gets snotty.

Be very careful around Point Mendocino.

Crescent City, CA is the last port going north without a bar to cross.

What "Lepke" above says above is all true.

It is not like going to Catalina from Newport Beach Harbor.

Besides that, What else do you need to know ?

I agree with " Lepke" above that there are definitely two parts to the trip - So.-Cal. to San Francisco & the San Francisco north part.

Here are some approximate mileage figures for planning on the upper north trip from San Francisco north. - Maybe a few more of the guys will chime in with what they have experienced.

Here is the approximate mileage break down for reference.

SF bay entrance to Pt Reyes -- 28 miles

Pt Reyes to Bodega Bay entrance -- 23 miles

Bodega Bay entrance to Shelter Cove -- 117 miles

Shelter Cove to entrance to Eureka entrance -- 54 miles

Eureka entrance to Crescent City entrance -- 60 miles

Crescent City, CA is the last port going north without a bar to cross.

Crescent City entrance to Port Orford entrance-- 65 miles

Port Orford entrance to Coos Bay entrance -- 51 miles

Coos Bay entrance to Newport entrance -- 77 miles

Newport entrance to Tillamook entrance - 55 miles

Tillamook entrance to Columbia River light ship @ outer entrance - 40 miles

Columbia River light ship at outer entrance to Grays harbor entrance -- 44miles

Grays Harbor entrance to Cape Flattery entrance -- 96 miles

Cape Flattery to Port Townsend entrance -- 86 miles

Port Townsend entrance to Seattle area entrance -- 40 miles

so there is your trip north in a nut shell. -- or Approximately 836miles

There are a couple more harbors you can stop at as well, but this is just for general planning purposes to help you get a feel for the trip north if you choose to harbor hop.
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the so-cal part of the trip -
Newport Beach to Catalina - 30 miles
Catalina is like 22 miles long.
Catalina to Channel Islands harbor - 64 miles
Channel Islands Hbr to Santa Barbara – 27
Santa Barbara toCojo Anchorage – 35
Cojo Anchorage.to Port San Luis – 51
Port San Luis toMorro Bay – 21
I also like to go to San Simeon in NW winds conditions just north of Morro bay 11 miles or so–but no services there & no south west protection
Morro Bay to Monterey - 102
Monterey to HalfMoon Bay - 62
Half Moon Bay to San Francisco Bay -24 estimated total harbor entrance sea buoy to sea buoy – 408 miles.



-- Thanks & good luck on the trip.

Alfa Mike.

I’ve done it. I think they forgot to mention crab pots. Some days are snotty and some days are calm. Best not to have a schedule. When the weather is good you can make great time running around the clock.