PLEASE READ 2019 Rendez-Vous Date and Location Details - Anacortes July 12-14

[wurzner]

After various emails with some of the PNW group and based on the poll information, I ended up booking July 12-14th at Cap Santa. It was tied with Port Townsend for the primary choice, but offered better logistics for our event. At this point, I reserved room for 20 boats (6 under 30 feet/ 14 for 30 ft or greater). I also reserved the large floating dock that accommodates up to 40 people. Please note that if you are interested, you will need to COMMIT to ensure you get a spot as early as possible. They will be reasonable with us, but the floating dock has a $125 charge that I will spring for up front. I looked into the tides for the Snohomish channel and they look for event. Specifically, tides flow south ~+/- 2 hours from low tide and flow north +/- 2 hours from high tide. I will be coming up Friday and leaving Sunday back to Everett and this supports making it through with a minimum tide of 2.5 feet Sunday around 11AM.

These are general guidelines that are subject to your own plotting, but that is my plan and I draw 6’ 6”.

Options were quickly filling up and given the result of the poll, I elected to drop the hammer while we still had options. At this point, I would appreciate anyone who is interested in participating to email me and post their intentions on the poll “2019 PNW Anacortes – Participant Sign Up” The sooner I receive this; the better chance of us all being side by side. We may elect to get the larger slips and put two boats per slip. Knowing who is planning on showing up will help this immensely.

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[Loren Beach]

Adding some details

Here is a link.
https://www.portofanacortes.com/marina/2015-05-15-04-55-26/rendezvous

Notice: there Will be door prizes.......

 

[Geoff W.]

I've not sailed north of Everett yet and could use some pointers on plotting the trip, or the direction of a good guidebook on the area. Any suggestions?

 

[bgary]

I've not sailed north of Everett yet and could use some pointers on plotting the trip, or the direction of a good guidebook on the area. Any suggestions?

I recommend
-- the Waggoner guide for info about the marinas
-- "ports and passes" for info about tides and currents

Beyond that, it's a question of routing and timing. At a high level, you figure out where you're going to go, you look at the tides/currents along the way, and then you plan the timing to take best advantage of the currents.

For example, if I were going from Everett to Port Townsend, I'd look at the tides for that day and do some "backwards planning":
-- in order to not spend a lot of time fighting currents, I'd want to be in Port Townsend no later than the end of the ebb
-- that means using the ebb to go up the sound
-- that means being at the bottom of Possession Point no more than two hours after the beginning of the ebb
-- that means leaving Everett at ____

For a trip to Anacortes, the choice to make is whether to go up the outside of Whidbey Island, or up the inside
-- Outside is more distance, and likely more wind, but wide-open water
-- Inside (by way of the Swinomish Slough and LaConner) is a little shorter, a little more sheltered, but as Shaun notes above current and depth in the Slough have to be planned for.

From Seattle, either path will end up being ~70 nautical miles, which is a loooong day at 6 knots, even with favorable currents, so it would probably make sense to break it up if you have the time... "inside" might be Seattle to Everett (~30nm), and then Everett to Anacortes (~40nm) the next day; "outside" might be Seattle to Port Ludlow (~32nm), then Ludlow to Anacortes (~43nm). Or something.

Next time you're up in Everett, let me know, would be happy to help you work through planning the trip...

Bruce

 

[Frank Langer]

Hi Bruce,

Could you provide the same service and advice sailing south from Nanaimo, BC to Anacortes? We have sailed the coast for the past 12 years and to the San Juan Islands a few times, including a sail to Anacortes in 34 knots wind that my wife still reminds me about with a frown, so I'm sure we can find our way. But you seem to be so good at providing guidance and I always appreciate any help I can get!

Frank

 

[bgary]

....you seem to be so good at providing guidance...

You're supposed to use the special "sarcasm font" when you post things like that \

(but, yes. whenever you're next in Everett I'll share everything I know. It shouldn't take long...)

Bruce

 

[Frank Langer]

No, No! I was not being sarcastic at all! I really meant it, that your reply was so detailed and "right on", and I've been puzzling a bit whether to come south to Anacortes from Nanaimo via Bedwell/Poets Cove and then south, or to Sidney and then southeast thru the San Juan's to Anacortes. So I was curious as to what directions you might provide.
I do enjoy your posts on this site, find them helpful. I'd be happy to buy you a beer if our paths cross in Anacortes or elsewhere.
Frank

 

[bgary]

Oh, my... sorry to misinterpret! I took that as good-natured ribbing, I forgot you guys have that "polite" thing north of the border.

And, no, I don't know anything and I can generally prove it in fairly short order. I'd be glad to look at the resources I have and make some observations, but it'd be "book learning", not actual experience. I've never been to Nanaimo, in fact the only sailing experience (other than the 2018 Rendezvous trip) I have in Canadian waters has been on Swiftsure races. I know at least a dozen different places to become becalmed around Race Rocks on the way to the finish...

I'm hoping to expand my experience in Canadian waters a little this year. My early thinking is that summer cruise will begin the last week of June, head up through the San Juans, and then to .... somewhere north, where I can relax and listen to the sounds of nothing for a while, then come back by way of Blaine and Bellingham en route to the Rendezvous in Anacortes on the 12th.

My definition of "somewhere north" is not yet firm. One thought is to meander up the Gulf Islands to Nanaimo; another thought is to meander up the other side and explore a bit of the Sunshine coast. Don't know yet. First thing I've got to decide is whether I want this to be an "explore" trip (see lots of places), or a "relax" trip (find a quiet spot to drop the hook and escape the world for a while with a good book and a glass of scotch).

I hope to cross paths with you this year! Whether in Nanaimo, or Anacortes, or ...wherever.

In the meantime, my goal is to give back to this forum as much as I've gotten from it. I am a LONG way from that.

Bruce