Sugested route from Blain to Elliot bay

[magna 6882]

What, you don't own a pair of swim trunks??? Afraid of a little cold water???
Sounds like the docks would be best then or anchor out.

My wife and i were just talking today about that. Neither of us have ever fallen into the water but with glasses and depth perception along with age we are figuring were going to make a miss-step at some time .

 

[klee wyck]

We do not have a dingy yet so getting to shore will be a problem. Dingy has been delayed to mid july.

Shore.......?

 

[firehoser75]

My wife and i were just talking today about that. Neither of us have ever fallen into the water but with glasses and depth perception along with age we are figuring were going to make a miss-step at some time .

Good reason to always wear your PFD when underway and docking. A lot of people do not understand the effects of cold water immersion, especially the "gasp" reflex. There have been many drownings just a few feet from the boat due to this. When you hit the shock of the cold water, you cannot help gasping resulting in the inhalation of water. Then the real trouble starts. especially if not wearing a PFD.
This can occur year round in our area, but more so in the cooler months.
Can't help myself, Power Squadron training and safety background.

 

[dirtdoc1]

I agree with Dhays. The slough is a great trip. I took my NP45 that way at low tide because the lady at La Connor marina told me it wasn't an issue back in Jan 2018. And there is an easy access fuel dock just before La Connor Marina. It did get to a point where there was only a couple feet below my keel but just for a few seconds. It was only in one area where I got away from the middle of the slough. The tide can move through there but the NP45 handles pretty well and you can punch that thing up to 11 knots if needed. That was my trip to show the boat in the 2018 Seattle Boat Show and 2019 Bremerton Trawler-Fest. Spent the night in La Connor on the way down and Kingston on the way back. It's a beautiful trip and Kingston was beautiful. I did grow up boating in the San Francisco Delta area and Sacramento River so I'm used to sloughs. Things can silt up pretty quickly so you should check with the locals. I was completely new to trawlers and the area when I made the trip and I only owned fast boats prior to owning the North Pacific. So I wasn't new to boating but I didn't know anything about trawlers. And had never seen tide changes in narrows before. The thing about the NP45 is it is a slow boat so you can't just power through big tide changes in really fast narrows and following seas out in the open. My first experience with following seas in the NP45 was interesting. I loved following seas in my fast boats because it meant I was going to enjoy a smooth ride without pounding on waves. But the NP45 is limited to about 11 knots with a single so the waves can push it around more than a little bit. If yours has two engines your good. The following seas must have been pretty tall because I had salt water everywhere in the lazarette. Not enough to pump out but enough to get things wet. My transom door was closed so the waves had to be coming over the back of the boat in to the cockpit. The lazarette hatch is self draining so I don't know how water got down there. Talk to your captain about following seas. Other than that the NP45 has done everything fairly gracefully. I hope that you take the slough because it really is a beautiful trip. There are some beautiful bridges and some lovely little towns past La Connor if I remember correctly. I know one thing for sure is I loved the trip. I'd take a slough rather than open water anytime. Talk to Trevor. He knows exactly what his boats can do and he grew up boating the PNW. Dave Rasmussen knows the area and the NP boats as well. Between those two guys you are covered. I know you are going to really enjoy your NP45. Again - Congratulations!

P.S. If you are going to stop by Cap Sante it is poorly marked and gets shallow around there as well. I had a horrible time trying to find the channel there. They don't use a lot of channel markers in the PNW. That took some getting used to. Many of the marina entrances are not seen until you are almost on shore. Waterways are marked a lot better in the San Francisco bay area. Call ahead and go online for a marina map. Many times you just have to trust your chart plotter. Always plot your course before you go! I also have paper charts open to my destination. I had a second depth sounder installed too because I don't stay at marinas. I anchor 99.9% of the time. That's probably why I'm still not very good at docking. I hope that I haven't scared you. I have had the best time of my life cruising the PNW. I was supposed to take the boat to California in 2017 and it's still in the PNW!

 

[tiltrider1]

Get the app Perdictwind or Windy. They are free apps. If the wind map is showing green, blue, or purple the straight is an easy crossing. If showing yellow, probably best to avoid until you are more experienced. If showing orange or red don’t go, you will scare yourself.

There are 4 basic paths you can take. Through the islands and across the straight. Down Rosario’s straight and along the shore of Whidbey Island. Down Rosario’s straight and through Deception Pass. Through the swinomish slough. All have there pros and cons. All of them should be respected, none of them feared.

 

[magna 6882]

So were thinking

blaine to anacortes wed.
port townsend thurs.
elliot bay fri.
If weather and wind dosnt look good then we will go east of whidbey.

 

[tiltrider1]

So were thinking

blaine to anacortes wed.
port townsend thurs.
elliot bay fri.
If weather and wind dosnt look good then we will go east of whidbey.

Sounds like a good plan with a back up option.

 

[Ruffryder]

WA ST marine parks buoys are 50 cents per foot, all DNR buoys are free like in Wotmough bay and Cypress Island.