South Puget Sound Recommendations

We are thinking of doing some South Sound cruising this spring, maybe a week or so. 50/50 dock and hook preferred, bypassing the big marinas.
Haven't been further South than Kingston in years.
Recommendations?

Thanks

I like the state parks. Blake Island is fantastic. Hope Island, Jarrell's Cove, and Penrose Point are great too.

Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island has a very good (if expensive) grocery store and several good restaurants within just a few blocks of the marinas. Also room to anchor our.

Poulsbo is another great small town. Norwegian heritage, restaurants, nice place to walk around.

Tacoma is much-improved. Dock Street Marina is really nice. The Glass Museum, Washington State History Museum, LeMay Car Museum, and Foss Waterway Seaport are nearby.

Gig Harbor is a nice small town. Restaurants, anchorage, several marinas, small shops, etc.

I like Lakebay Marina and Boston Harbor Marina. They remind me of the mom-and-pop marinas further north. Both are small, old, and kinda charming.

Olympia has a very nice farmers market Thursday through Sunday. Use Swantown Marina or Percival Landing (30 amp power now at Percival).

Max,
Funny you should mention that. We are about 7-10 days away from heading so from LaConner. 1st noght prolly at Holmes Hbr near Freeland. 2nd at Poulsbo. 3rd at Quartermaster Hbr and then somewhere inbetween or at Olympia. Shelton and poking around after that.
We like small towns but not marinas except for showers ect. Boats not quite ready now and I'm about ready to rig up a dink w OB to tow.

We spent a very enjoyable summer a few years ago cruising the south sound. Retriever is spot on with his descriptions of places to go. We also agree with porman, Olympia can be a lot of fun.

Are you a yacht club member? That was our first year as Port Townsend YC members and we spend 18 nights on reciprocal docks those three months (from Everett to Olympia). Saved us about $900 in moorage...

All great suggestions. Gig Harbor is a great place to stop and anchor. Nice town, lots of good places to eat. Two good, free, pump-outs. The maritime museum and the Edson boat shop are both great places to visit. The downside is not great grocery shopping within walking distance and no fuel. Otherwise, a very nice place to visit.

Add Eagle Island Marine park to the list as well as McMicken Island. McMicken is one of of my all time favorite quiet places to drop the hook in the South Sound.

Oro Bay on Anderson Island is a nice, quiet place to anchor if you don't need any services. If the timing is right, stop in at Narrows Marina for fuel and the Narrows Brewery and Boathouse 19 restaurant.

As Darren mentioned, if you are a Yacht Club member with reciprocal privileges, there are some good places to stay. Even though I am a member, I would avoid TYC right now due to the construction there. The Olympia YC is a good place to stop however for a night or two on their reciprocal dock. Very friendly dockmaster, great location right next to a grocery store and a short walk to good dinning and the Saturday market. The docks are a bit worn but nice bathroom and shower and only $3.00 for power.

[QUOTE=dhays; The Olympia YC is a good place to stop however for a night or two on their reciprocal dock.
Olympia Yacht Club is rebuilding their docks, so their recip dock is not available right now. But Percival Landing is right next door.

Thanks for starting this thread. How far south is there to go? Shelton for the Oyster fest? What about Hood canal, is that considered south sound?

A few of our favorites are Langley marina, Quartermaster Harbor-Vashon Island, Penrose State Park, Blake Island-can get busy in tourist time but still nice trails and seclusion and Gig Harbor.

Enjoy it!

FWIW, I have never seen that pump-out in working order. (Insert snide comment about Olympia being the state capitol and location of the WA dept of ecology here).

Purcival Landing is in a great location however, so improvements there would be good. It tends to be a bid rowdy in the summer months and security has been an issue in the past. Sounds like they are making efforts. It certainly is a fun place to visit.

Dave,
"Rowdy" and "security issues" dos'nt sound good. I may wish we were back in Alaska.
Some of these places I've not heard of. Better get out the old cruising guides.

dhmeissner wrote;
"What about Hood canal, is that considered south sound?"
I don't think so but it's just my opinion.

Nomad Willy said:

Dave,
"Rowdy" and "security issues" dos'nt sound good. I may wish we were back in Alaska.
Some of these places I've not heard of. Better get out the old cruising guides.

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Never have had a problem there except during nice summer weekends in July and August when it gets exceptionally busy. During the week, and during the cooler months (every month but July and August) it is just fine.

BTW, I was stopped and inspected by the Olympia Police Harbor Auxillary a few years back while moving my boat from OYC to Purcival Landing. I was given a citation for an out of date registration (I had somehow failed to put the new sticker on). They also did an inspection of the boat similar to what the USCG does when they board you. They were great folks and the ticket was reversed when I faxed a copy of the registration to their office later that week. Very professional and helpful.

Oly is a nice place to go.

Hi, dhmeissner
Hood Canal is not part of south sound, you con only access Hood canal from just east of Port Ludlow.

one of the admiral's favorite stops is Bell Harbor. But we don't get to the big town very often.

mramoo said:

Hi, dhmeissner
Hood Canal is not part of south sound, you con only access Hood canal from just east of Port Ludlow.

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Thanks, I guess I really knew that since we cross the HC bridge quite a lot, how far south does one venture down the Hood canal?

If this is a hijack disregard.

Hood canal goes as far south as Potlatch and Hoodsport, then hooks back north north to Belfair.