Pac NW Overview info sources, please...

[Jack Tyler]

My wife and I recently completed a 2+ year cruise, most of which was in the E, Central and W Caribbean. We're looking for other cruising adventures and one option we're considering is a cruise down the Pacfic Coast as far as the Canal, but with an initial extended period of cruising in the Pacific NW (Puget Sound to Desolation Sound area).

What we initially need is not so much to read cruising guides that talk about each harbor, anchorage, marina, park, etc. but rather general overview info on things like the weather and seasonal patterns, tides & currents, incidence of fog, general availability of protected anchorages among the islands, how often park/mooring fees are assessed (is it the norm or unusual), holding tank requirements (and if they routinely exist, are their adequate pump-out facilities), and - in general - how you'd describe the area from a cruising perspective.

And it surely wouldn't hurt if you could offer some personal comment about you keep the interior of your boat dry and warm; it looks like this might be one of the most critical issues to enjoying the cruising in this area!

Many thanks for whatever comment, recommended URLs or published references you'd care to suggest.

Jack
Currently aboard WHOOSH, lying St. Pete, FL

[Chuck Gould]

I'd suggest you order a copy of Waggoner's from Weatherly Press in Bellevue, WA. Directory assistance will have their number. $15 or there abouts.

While it is a "cruising guide", it is also jammed with useful navigation and logisitics items and answers to many of the questions you pose in your post.

[Chuck Gould]

Oh, and PS about the interior of the boat:

Unless you are headed this way in mid July through the end of August, install a diesel heater. You can have heat without running a genset, and you don't have to forage for fuel or lug presto logs like when using a free standing fireplace.

I just put some material called Hyper Vent under the bunks. It's like a carpet of high test, monofilament fish line looped under a binding surface.

Placed under a mattress, the loops allow air to circulate and this will prevent dampness from accumulating in the bedding. The material is only a few dollars a foot, and the results are well worth the investment.

[Annie in WA]

For Puget Sound: On tides and currents: We're diurnal with tidal ranges that can be up to 10 feet. This means you have to carry a tide book and estimate the tidal range whenever you anchor. During the big tides, we have currents in common boating areas up to 5 knots, so a sailboater or trawler owner is wise to pick up a copy of Washburn's Tables to plan their route. On weather: We have a Pacific High in the summer that limits rainfall after July 4th. Although people complain about no wind in summer, the past two years we have had good wind. September is often a great boating month here, but there can be foggy mornings as the month progresses. I would suggest buying the newest edition of "Gunkholing in the San Juan's". It also is a cruising guide, but it addresses many of the questions you have and is interesting reading, besides. We literally put it in our guest's hands when we take them cruising in the San Juans. Chuck's story about the Matia hermit is probably in there, and many others. Annie

[Steve P]

I really enjoy Puget Sound in the winter.

I have a Dickenson diesel heater that is crucial to the enjoyment factor and really keeps the boat dry and dries out wet gear quickly.

In the sound the wind always follows the long axis of the water body your in, so it's always upwind downwind to go any distance. In the seattle area they are southerlies or northerlies. The southerlies bring rain and can be strong in winter. The northerlies bring clear skies, but can be cold in the winter.

There is a lot of shipping trafic and many of the shorlines are steep and deep so anchoring in the main part of the sound can be tricky and uncomfortable. It's best to get into sheltered bays like Port Ludlow and Port Madison. Even though this is inland water with the long sections it can get fairly rough in spots so anchor judiciously based upon the winds expected. You can find good shelter from the south wind at Kingston, but a northerly will sneak some waves in there and rock you. Winslow has good all round shelter. Blake Island will always have a sheltered side, but the boat traffic may rock you harder than the wind.

There's a bunch more to it, but basically it's pretty easy for people with your skills.

In the sound proper some places I like to go are:

Port Townsend: cool and a lot of wood boats to check out, but the wind howls all night in the summer and can be bothersome.

Port Ludlow: just plain cool, great view of the Olympic Mountains, quiet and safe, don't motor over the reef on the way in.

[Jack Tyler]

To Steve, Annie & Chuck, many thanks! Such prompt, thorough comments contradict the complaint I saw when first coming here that there isn't much traffic on the Forums (Fora?) - great answers in less than 24 hours!

To anyone else reading this thread, please feel free to add your own thoughts. I'm sure there's much more surface to scratch!

Jack

[jcbhi]

We are nubies this year to Puget Sound boating and wanted to comment on pumpouts....although we have not been cruising past North Puget...we have covered most of the public marinas Central and South and the presence quality and inexpense of pumpouts is great. Most pumpouts are free...some use quarters...but they nearly all work it seems and the crews are friendly about it. We use a dehumidifier in cabin for dampness and small electric space heater in port....inverter. Seems ample....engine ducted heat sufficient underway....our neighbors love wabasto diesel heaters sail and power. Come on up........

[DennisC]

HI Folks,

Here are a few recommendations for information about cruising in the PNW, Desolation Sound area, mainly from a Canadian perspective. I have already sent privately a list of web sites for various cities and towns in the area. A previous suggestion of the "Waggoneer" is a good one, although it gets into a lot of detail.

Overview of all matters marine as well as details of every concievable nature about navigable waters, ports etc. It;s the mariners 'bible'
BC Small Craft Guide ( latest edition)
Canadian Hydrographic Service
ISBN 0-660-11407-0

Wind and wave information in the area ( known as the "Georgia Basin")
The Wind Came All Ways
Envirionment Canada
1998
ISBN 0-660-17517-7

Personal account of travels in the area, historical overview, general information, includes Desolation Sound
Seven Knot Summers
Beth Hill
Horsdal & Schubart Victoria
1994
ISBN 0-920663-27-3

General guide to the Gulf Islands
The Gulf Islands Explorer
Bruce Obee
1994
ISBN 088826089X

From an American perspective:

General guide for the San Juan Islands
San Juan Islands, Afoot and Afloat
Marge Mueller
The Mountaineers, Seattle wash
ISBN0-916890-63-5

General and quircky guide to the San Juan Islands
Gunkholing in the San Juans
Al Cumings & Jo Bailey-Cummings
Nor'westing Inc.
Edmonds Wash
ISBN 0-931923-00-? ( sorry , big oops, I can't read my own writing, missed the last number)

Hav'nt read it but they typically are good books,
Gunkholing in Desolation Sound
Al Cumings & Jo Bailey-Cummings
Nor'westing Inc.
Edmonds Wash
sorry no mumber


All these books are available locally. I noticed a google search finds all but the Gov't pub BC small craft guide.


Enjoy,
Dennis C
..._/)*...

[strongsail]

I read jcbhi's post about pumpouts and went looking on the web for a map of pumpout sites in Puget Sound and couldn't find one. I think 48North publishes one once a year, but I couldn't find it on their website.

Anybody know where we can find a pumpout map?

[Jack Tyler]

Dennis and the group:

I'm a big Latitude 38 fan, even tho' I live in Florida and have been sailing in the Caribbean. So I'm curious...is 48North held in high regard as a good sailing/cruising info source on the Pac NW? I'd certainly put L38 in that category re: the Bay Area and in fact the SoCal coast plus the Mexican cruising grounds. Or is 48North considered to be limited in scope, like perhaps the SpinSheet on the Chesapeake or Southwinds in the SE U.S. - OK as freebee's go but not especially comprehensive and without a lot of editorial content or reader input.

Gee, I realize I'm assuming 48North is another Freebee...is it?

Jack

[strongsail]

yeah, 48N is a freebie and as good or better editorially than L38, imo.

Regional in scope, which is appropriate (like this site) with gobs of broker ads that keep it free, pretty good classifieds...

When they started it, they called it Latitude 48, and they promptly got sued by L38 and changed their name.

Northwest Yachting is a large-format slick-covered regional freebie as well, more powerboat oriented and also a pretty good product.

www.48north.com

www.nwyachting.com

[Ian]

Hi we have on board all of Don Douglass's books Fine Edge printing they are the books Don and his wife have cruised the west coast and documented it in person, if you only buy one Cruising the inside passage to Alaska gives most all the answers to your questions and even after visiting the places mentioned we keep going back and reading again cheers Ian North of Cape Caution.