klee wyck
Guru
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2014
- Messages
- 988
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Domino and Libra
- Vessel Make
- Malcom Tennant 20M and Noordzee Kotter 52
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.