San Juan Islands, been there?

[Mr.Stuart]

I have a few questions about the San Juan?s.

Has anyone here been there with their own boat, if so, how big of a boat did you take? I have an 18 foot Starcraft, and was told that it's been there once with the previous owner, I had thought it might be fun to take a few days off work and go camping/exploring up there, but I've never done it before and don't have a whole lot of boating experience, so I'm seeking opinions about where to go, how big of a boat to take, ect ect. I also had the idea of maybe towing my little 12 foot aluminum boat across the water, it is cheaper to operate once I get there, but never having towed a boat across the water before, maybe I'm asking for trouble? I've read where people have gone over in small canoes and such, what about doing the trip in a high sided 12 foot boat?

I'm not going to go out and do anything dangerous or something that can cost me my boat or worse, and I don't know the waters up there at all, so tell me about it, fill me in, give me ideas, the do's and don'ts


thanks, Stuart

 

[onenomad]

Re: San Juan Islands, been there?

Hi Stuart,
My wife and I have cruised the San Juans, Gulf Islands and north to the tip of V.I. and down the outside in a larger (36') boat. Unless you take the ferry across, you will have some open water to cross, maybe 10 to 12+ miles. Easy shot in good weather, and that is the key. Canadian Coast Guard weather info is much better, at least in my estimation. Any of the straits up there can get pretty nasty. I would leave the 12 footer at home. Plan it carefully and it is cruising at its best. PM me if you want more specific.
Good luck,
Gerry
Newport, OR

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: San Juan Islands, been there?

I agree with Onenomad about leaving the 12footer at home. Your other boat would get you around reasonably well in the summer season up here. If you don't want to do the larger crossing in your boat I believe you can take a ferry from Anacortes (WA.) over to San Juan island and then launch from there. The trip across to the Canadian side I believe is pretty easy and quick and you would be in fairly sheltered waters. Lots to explore and not too remote in the southern areas of the San Juan (U.S)/Gulf Islands (Canadian) so if you get into trouble or run out of fuel, etc...help is usually close by.
Its well worth the trip and effort I think.
Good luck & Keep us posted on your intentions.
BP

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: San Juan Islands, been there?

I picked up a book the other day on the San Juan's that shows main land docks and ramps and it looks like the closest one is something like 6 miles across, I want to cross from the Washington side as it wouldn’t be to far from home (I live in Portland) the boats kind of a gas guzzler with that 115 horse Evinrude, but it does run strong and is healthy, the fuel tank on the boat holds 18 gallons, and I had thought of maybe bringing some extra fuel just in case, I have a couple of 6 gallon plastic fuel containers and I always carry one on board as a reserve "just in case" when I'm out on the river, as I've run out of fuel before, and I've also got a couple of those metal 6 gallon cruse-a-day Evinrude fuel cans for the little outboard on the little boat, I could bring those as well, if the boat holds 18 gallons, it would be nice to have an extra 18 gallons "just in case"

I have no idea how far I could get with the boat, my thought was to get close to the islands and circle them as I go from one to another, but with the fuel prices the way they are, I might be lucky if I can cut across the bay and go visit the closest island or something, I understand you can rent bicycles on the islands, that would be a pretty good way to get around, I do have a full top for the boat so my thought was to camp in the boat, I have plenty of vacation, so maybe make a week long trip if I can afford to do it.

My mr concern is, I'm still pretty new to all this boating stuff, I've only had the boat for a year, and before that about the closest thing I ever had to a boat was an old Wal-Mart raft with an electric outboard. And I can't hardly call that anything other then a tub toy, so my boating experence is pretty limited, and while the San Juan’s sound exciting, I don't want to get myself out in no mans land and get myself in a mess, so here I am, drilling for ideas


Stuart