Need WA suggestions

[klee wyck]

Hey Bill, Blaine has a lot of appeal, looked it up, both marinas as one enters, one on each side, looked up the weather numbers and seems bleak and cold though. I am no longer a sun person but wondering your take on that corner of the world? 90 min to various cruising grounds fine, what speed for this time, 8-10 knots? Seems like a non pretentious area without urban attitudes and expectations....my email if you choose, stuart@sfcharterboat.com, or fine to stay on thread if of benefit or interest to others.
Thanks, Stuart

Stuart,
There is no doubt that this corner of the world is damp and dark this time of the year. Around 45" of annual rainfall and the dark days can cover most of the Nov-March period. While the 100 or so bright, sunny days of Summer can reveal the spectacular scenery of this region, this Winter period can also be beautiful in a different sort of way if you are well protected in the right kind of craft. Diesel heat is mandatory in my view for year around enjoyment of this area. You can have a millions of acres marine playground almost to yourself in the offseason. I like Winter cruising and don't do enough of it.
Oddly enough, leaving G dock in Bellingham and now resting G dock in Blaine, I find Blaine warmer and better protected most of the time.

It is also true that leaving Blaine Harbor/Drayton Harbor/Boundary Bay, you will find yourself exposed to a nearly 100 NM uninterrupted NW fetch that is the Strait Of Georgia which can kill you with poor timing in an inappropriate craft.
Probably not often, but there are times that you will be pinned at the dock in your boat.
Also, keep in mind that the water temperature here will also kill you if you find yourself in it unexpectedly and unprotected. This is true year around as this is essentially the North Pacific and almost never above 52 degrees.

I think all of this, including the 'seasons' aspect of the area, is what endears it to many of us here. I acknowledge and appreciate that it will not be so for others.

 

[Even Kiehl]

Bill,
Thanks for the input and experience in your response. I have a diesel heater I removed from my trimaran once I sailed it down from French Creek, Vancouver Island, to San Francisco. Winter here milder, but between the storms it is ideal in SF Bay for a power boat, no one out, so I see the appeal of no crowds. What speed took you 90 min to get to your destinations? My boat is small, 28' and do not know it, as it is a recent purchase, but built like a Bertram, twin diesels, former one owner used to go out 100 miles off the coast, so the boat is solid, just have to get some time on it.
Blaine sounds interesting as it does not seem to be a trendy destination. Cool that it is literally on the border. Assume with proper credentials, etc not an issue going in and out of Canadian waters? The area sounds fascinating, thanks, Stuart

 

[klee wyck]

Bill,
Thanks for the input and experience in your response. I have a diesel heater I removed from my trimaran once I sailed it down from French Creek, Vancouver Island, to San Francisco. Winter here milder, but between the storms it is ideal in SF Bay for a power boat, no one out, so I see the appeal of no crowds. What speed took you 90 min to get to your destinations? My boat is small, 28' and do not know it, as it is a recent purchase, but built like a Bertram, twin diesels, former one owner used to go out 100 miles off the coast, so the boat is solid, just have to get some time on it.
Blaine sounds interesting as it does not seem to be a trendy destination. Cool that it is literally on the border. Assume with proper credentials, etc not an issue going in and out of Canadian waters? The area sounds fascinating, thanks, Stuart

I am full displacement, heavily ballasted SLOW. About 8 knots thru the water and 6-10 over ground, always current here. Timing these 12 foot tidal switches matters with a boat like mine in this region. Wind against current in the Strait also matters if it gets a little sporty out there.

 

[klee wyck]

Bill,
Thanks for the input and experience in your response. I have a diesel heater I removed from my trimaran once I sailed it down from French Creek, Vancouver Island, to San Francisco. Winter here milder, but between the storms it is ideal in SF Bay for a power boat, no one out, so I see the appeal of no crowds. What speed took you 90 min to get to your destinations? My boat is small, 28' and do not know it, as it is a recent purchase, but built like a Bertram, twin diesels, former one owner used to go out 100 miles off the coast, so the boat is solid, just have to get some time on it.
Blaine sounds interesting as it does not seem to be a trendy destination. Cool that it is literally on the border. Assume with proper credentials, etc not an issue going in and out of Canadian waters? The area sounds fascinating, thanks, Stuart

Yes, we are right at the border but that does not make crossing super easy for me. We are Global Entry qualified but still generally need to show up at a government dock in either direction and the ones I use are not real close to the marina. Friday harbor is about 3 1/2 hours away and what we general use on the way back in. Pender is about 2 1/2 when leaving the US.

There are two better options that I have not used if you are staying on the east side of the Strait. I think you could check into Canada at the government dock at White Rock just outside of Blaine Harbor. Looks like real skinny water and I have an irrational fear of skinny water. I draw between 6 and 7 feet and pucker uncontrollably under 10'. On the way back to the US if you stayed on the East side again, I think you can use Point Roberts. I was appointed to use PR when I imported the boat from the Netherlands but felt I couldn't get in there under the circumstances. Long story. Look up an old thread named 'long way home' if you are bored.
Perhaps someone on this forum from here with experience at White Rock or PR can comment for you. I need to go look at White Rock in the tender to see if I could get comfortable getting to that dock. Really convenient if I could.

 

[Toki]

Couple areas to put on your radar:

Shelter Bay in LaConner. Cute community with dock-front homes and homeowner marina slips. Quick jaunt by boat to the San Juan Islands. Seems reasonably priced, but I think it may be reservation property, so you lease the land your house is on.

Skyline Marina in Anacortes (where my boat is). All condo, you own the slip rather than rent. Many dock-front homes as well, but I'm guessing quite pricey. Right in the heart of the San Juans, great cruising.

Good luck in your search!

 

[Portage_Bay]

Couple areas to put on your radar:

Shelter Bay in LaConner. Cute community with dock-front homes and homeowner marina slips. Quick jaunt by boat to the San Juan Islands. Seems reasonably priced, but I think it may be reservation property, so you lease the land your house is on.

Skyline Marina in Anacortes (where my boat is). All condo, you own the slip rather than rent. Many dock-front homes as well, but I'm guessing quite pricey. Right in the heart of the San Juans, great cruising.

Good luck in your search!

It is reservation land. If interested be advised to study the lease "negotiations" going on with the tribe. If you can tolerate the uncertainty there are some good deals to be had.

 

[Beaverlake]

La Conner hasn’t been mentioned. Nor has Flounder Bay/Skyline. Without a budget number hard to make relevant recommendations.

 

[sledge]

La Conner is a fantastic little town and I'd guess just slightly less pricey than Anacortes. Someone mentioned keeping boat on trailer for a while; just be aware one of the advantages of the PNW is for the most part you can keep your boat in the water year-round due to mild winters. However, if the boat is on the hard in winter without the extra insulation of the water, you might end up having to winterize it.
As for popping in and out of Canada; if you settle in up there and want to do this often, look into acquiring a NEXUS card. It is better than global entry in that it is meant specifically for crossing the Canadian border without necessarily having to stop at a port, plus it has the side benefit of also giving you TSA pre-check for general air travel.
the Canadian gulf islands are great, some of my faves; Victoria, Sidney, Ganges, its all great cruising grounds up there....

 

[ghost]

I’ve found annual moorage in Friday Harbor area one of the cheapest as most folks only want a few weeks in the summer at most and need to fly up just to use it. If that is out of your price range, you just eliminated a solid 75-80% of what you are going to find. I think you need to be more explicit about your budget.

My instinct of your pricing level eliminates most of what is being discussed. I think you will need to concentrate on something on the west side of Puget Sound or Bellingham and North, which is mainly Blaine. Literally everything else is going to be out of your price range. This is an expensive area to keep a boat.

Other options would be SW Washington or Oregon from Astoria to Portland. Still lots of comparatively cheap moorage there.

So maybe put a dollar figure on it if you can. Maybe I’m mis-calibrated.

 

[localboy]

Assume with proper credentials, etc not an issue going in and out of Canadian waters?

You only need check in if you drop anchor or get off the boat in Canada. You can cross on water, fish or drift and return to US waters without checking in. However, you must check in with Canadian authorities if you plan on any stopping.

1. One can physically check in to Canadian customs with passports etc at White Rock, Bedwell Harbor, Victoia or Nanaimo, but the latter is a full days steam at 12 knots for us from Bellingham. When returning, you can use the CBP ROAM app. It allows you to "check in" to US Customs from your boat, via cell phone.

2. Apply for and get a NEXUS pass. Entry can be made to Canada and the USA via phone. So much simpler and efficient. Only caveat is all passengers must have one to be able to use it. In our case, it's The Admiral and I, so it works.

 

[rsn48]

If Blaine is being recommended then also consider Point Roberts. The negative is you will be driving across the Can/Am border to get to Pt. Roberts as there is no road way directly to its location through Washington. If you find it pricey to rent or purchase a land based home there, you can always live in Blaine and get easy access to your boat in Pt. Roberts. Get a Nexus card,quicker to get across the border.

Pt. Roberts has historically catered to Canadian wants and needs. In the Rum Running days, it was a stop off for illicit booze coming from Canada. Then for the longest time it was the party area for Vancouverites who couldn't purchase booze on Sundays. So on Sunday it was a continual party. You will be happy to know this era has passed. Now when you first arrive to this tiny patch of American land, you will notice some large gas stations far out of proportion to the areas needs. Vancouverites living close to the Point will purchase their gas at these stations as gas is much cheaper in the States.

The nice thing about this marina is that it is behind a gated community and border guards are your security. You have to pass through customs to enter the area. Probably one of the most secure marinas in the States.

https://www.pointrobertsmarina.com/

 

[Even Kiehl]

Hi
Looking at all the suggestions from yesterday, my budget for a house is $500K. Would like to keep the boat in the water, but, as someone mentioned, some of the marinas will splash and take the boat out with notice. Lots of options and mulling them all
Many thanks for the contributions
Stuart

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Try the Columbia River. For boats Oregon seems to be cheaper, but they do have an income tax. Boat taxes are much higher in WA, no income tax.

That being said you can still park your boat in the Sound or make the trip around the horn out the Columbia River Bar to the Sound.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I've always liked Lagoon Point in Greenbank and Mariner's Cove west of Oak Harbor, both on Whidbey Island. Many homes have docks, if you buy one without perhaps you can rent dock space from a boatless neighbor. Oak Harbor Marina has short waiting lits. VA support nearby. Trader Joe's will be a long-ish drive. Mariner's Cove puts you close the NAS Whidbey and their jets.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

"I do not want to be in a trump dominated environment, one of the reasons I am not considering the south of the US."

Don't be too quick to judge - you will find plenty of middle-of-the-road, live and let live, and even a few far left folks down here also .

 

[firehoser75]

Hi Stuart,
I used to moor in the Point Roberts Marina for several years. I have many friends who still do. There is space available, so that is a positive compared to several of the other areas suggested that have somewhat lengthy wait lists. It is a small, isolated US community that has limited facilities for shopping. However, the marina has a nice restaurant and full service haulout with repair facilities (fuel dock as well). It is approx. 10 nautical miles closer to any "cruising grounds" than Blaine or Semiahoo, but again, limited shopping (only really gas stations and a grocery store with liquor).
Clearing customs both ways (on the water) is usually very easy if everyone on board has "Nexus", and the items of concern going into Canada are fire arms, alcohol, and some food products. Going into the US, is usually some food products. Both ways, what food is prohibited does change based on the "latest issues".
If you contemplate buying property on the Point, check it out first as it is a small peninsula only accessible by land by going through Canada (it is also accessible from the water (obviously if they have a large very well protected marina)). Property prices should be low, due to the geography (it's isolation from the rest of the US).
By the way, this entire geographic area (PNW, southern BC, Oregon) is basically a "rainforest". It does rain here alot, especially in the late fall, winter, and early spring. Basically that is what gives the area it's beauty!

 

[localboy]

When I moved here in 1999, locals used to joke “summer here is beautiful...both days of it”. I’ve come to realize it wasn’t that far from the truth in some years. I remember sitting in the cabin last July 2nd, while anchored in Liberty Bay, Poulsbo with the diesel heater running and it dumping so hard we didn’t get off the boat.

The winters here can suck the life right out of you. Not for the cold, but for the never-ending drizzle and gray, depressing gloom.

 

[Even Kiehl]

Tom, thx for Pt Roberts, they claim a unique weather area. Interesting for both a marina and maybe a home, but the Nexus thing would be a pain as I often bring last minute guests and friends of friends, so that would pretty much make things very complicated just to go out and back at the last minute. BTW, I bought a trimaran in French Creek and sailed it to the Bay area.
Still looking at all the ideas and thinking about various combinations, including just keeping the boat somewhere in WA and keeping my house here, but I am pretty much over this area for various reasons, but do love the climate...
Someone sent me a message about Oregon which I have not even considered, not wild about just a river but will give him a call and learn more...
Stuart

 

[ksanders]

We live in Port Angeles, and keep the boat in Sequim.

The marina in Sequim is clean and peaceful. It is not a boating destination as there is nothing to arrive to. We can be in the San Juan Islands in 4 hours (7 knots).

If you would like a deeper dive on either, please get in touch via private message and we can talk.

A Great thing about the Sequim harbor is the wonderful restaurant downstairs.

 

[firehoser75]

Stuart,
Not trying to convince you about Point Roberts, just trying to ensure you have as much info to help with your search.
If you leave from Point Roberts and stay in US waters, eg. the San Juans, Anacortes, etc. there is no border crossing involved at all, therefore, guests don't need Nexus. Also, you can clear back into the US right at the Customs dock in the Point Roberts Marina (with just a Passport - no need for Nexus). Like wise clearing into Canada, there are several clearing "ports" in the Canadian Gulf Islands that are very close to Point Roberts, so it is really no different than say Blaine, Bellingham, Anacortes, etc. from the point of view of "clearing Customs".
Just saying,

Tom

 

[Even Kiehl]

Tom, Good points will have to look at the boundaries and cruising areas and routes. Obviously if I stay in US waters nothing has to be done. If I go to Victoria, for example, it will not be a spur of the moment and time to plan, so appreciate the input and will do a little more studying of this area. Hope to get up there to look around at different areas.
Cheers
Stuart

 

[Rebel112r]

Google, Birch Bay Village. A few miles south of Blaine, still N of Bellingham. It is a gated community, with a private marina(affordable), and many other amenities, has its own fuel dock(gas only), pump out. Homes available in price range you mentioned. Been living there for 20 years, don’t plan on leaving.

 

[Max Simmons]

I lived in mariner's Cove, Oak Harbor on the North end of Whidbey Island for several years. Built a house with water view, but was not on the water. There are two community docks, and I rented space for my boat. Can't remember the exact moorage fee, but it was a bargain, something like a couple hundred for the year. Only drawback was you were limited on coming and going by the tide, so had to plan accordingly.

 

[Even Kiehl]

I am 73 so prefer not building, and kept my boat In Tiburon, CA where tides were a factor, not again. Looked at Birch Bay, one of the links was "cheap houses", love it, no fancy terms. Not really a gated community person but looks well kept and certainly advantages to a group with common standards. Like the idea of a slip nearby, would guess a bunch of the big boats in the pix use diesel, as do I, but that not a big deal.
All these ideas and suggestions very helpful to making me think about possibilities. One is get a small cute house inland, or somewhat nearby, and leave the boat in the general desired cruising area...
Thanks everyone for the input, the thinking cap is on
Stuart

 

[Rebel112r]

Even: A group of us diesel users, schedule a truck to come several times a season. Backs up to fuel dock ramp, and we line up and take turns fueling. Also Semiahmoo fuel dock is just 7 miles away, with good prices. Good luck on your search. D S

 

[WayneDana2]

Try the Columbia River. For boats Oregon seems to be cheaper, but they do have an income tax. Boat taxes are much higher in WA, no income tax.

That being said you can still park your boat in the Sound or make the trip around the horn out the Columbia River Bar to the Sound.

Even better, look at floating homes in the Columbia. What better than to have your boat parked on your own dock in your backyard? In fresh water even. $500k will be way more than enough to get a nice one.

There is a TJ's a very nice VA hospital, and PDX is even more liberal than Seattle.

 

[Slowmo]

We keep our 40' boat on the hard in Anacortes. It works out great, especially if you're retired and can launch/retrieve off the peak days. You could just draw a circle around Anacortes and see how far you want to drive to your boat. We're paying just under $300/mo with the added cost of about $140 to launch and retrieve.

Frankly, I'd ignore politics and focus on location, weather, and services. Drop the political limitations and you might find some really nice and talented people to get to know.

 

[GFC]

Stuart, I second ASD's suggestion to moor the boat on the Columbia River. $500K will buy a pretty nice home in eastern WA, right on the river. Keep your boat here, use it on the 235 miles of the Columbia and the 150 miles of the Snake. Plus, unlike the Wet, errr, I mean West side of the state, we get 300 days of sunshine a year.

 

[Cat2sail]

Check out Hat Island. Right off Everett.

 

[squimmy27]

I have no idea why I lucked out, but I bought a house in Sequim in 2018, bought my trawler last August, got on the 50' live aboard waiting list for John Wayne Marina, my number came up this week & I'll be moving from Port Ludlow to JWM. Poulsbo has a heck of a waiting list, as does La Conner. Pleasant Harbor, down on the canal doesn't have a waiting list, it's a bit 'hippie', very friendly. Port Ludlow actually seems to be fairly open for slips, not for live aboards, although I've been 2 weeks on/2 weeks off since August & no one seems to pay attention to the days on aboard. And the 'Blue Hole' is weird, but real http://www.olympicrainshadow.com/olympicrainshadowmap.html