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| How to Get to the San Juan Islands Without Crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca
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January 24, 2003
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Larry Anderson's letter, below, outlines a common concern of boaters new to the Northwest. With his cautious approach he has an excellent chance of having a safe, enjoyable trip.
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I just purchased a 25-foot sport cruiser at this year's boat show as well as a copy of your guide. I have been boating for many, many years but always in fresh water lakes and in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast. My boating experience has not had to deal with tide-rips or strong currents or the combination thereof. One of the primary reasons I purchased this boat was to take nice, easy trips up to the San Juan Islands. After reading some of the articles in your book it appears that it may be a little more difficult than I anticipated. Is there a course to get to the San Juans from Seattle that does not require crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca? I do plan on taking an advanced navigation course at the Coast Guard facility and your book has really helped in what I will outfit the boat with as far as equipment etc. I love the book and I am enjoying your web site. Thank you for all the helpful information.
Larry Anderson
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Response
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You say the waters in the Northwest are more difficult than you're accustomed to, but I would say they are complex, rather than difficult. It's the complexities that must be dealt with, to avoid difficult situations. A close distinction, I agree. But an important distinction.
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is eminently crossable; thousands of boats do it every year. But it is a big body of water and you may want to get a little experience before taking it on.
From Puget Sound, you can avoid the Strait of Juan de Fuca by going through Possession Sound and Saratoga Passage on the east side of Whidbey Island. Near the top of Whidbey Island you will decide either to continue north, through Deception Pass, or turn east and run through Swinomish Channel, past the town of LaConner and along the east side of Anacortes.
At that point you can turn west through Guemes Channel, cross Rosario Strait, and enter the San Juan Islands through Thatcher Pass. If conditions are bad in Rosario Strait you could turn north through Bellingham Channel and round the north tip of Cypress Island, where you would then cross Rosario Strait. You would enter the San Juan Islands through either Peavine Pass or Obstruction Pass.
Or, instead of going west through Guemes Channel, you could go up the east side of Guemes Island and turn west across the tip of Cypress Island.
I realize I've thrown many place names at you, and if you aren't familiar with the geography they can be intimidating. If you find them and plot them on small-scale charts 18441 and 18421, though, they'll make more sense to you.
Tide-rips can be insignificant or dangerous, depending the rip in question and the strength of the current. If you go to the Interviews and Articles page on our web site www.waggonerguide.com and scroll down to the article titled "Dangerous Tide-Rips in Rosario Strait," you get an idea of what a bad tide-rip can be like. I find the article quite instructive.
Regards,
Bob Hale
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