Sunday, August 24, 2008
Sailing the San Juans with Don and Donna
August 24, 2008
After months of planning and preparation, Donna and I are nearly ready to tow our Hunter 26 water-ballasted sailboat Anodyne from Redding, California to Anacortes, Washington to begin a full month on the water in the San Juan and Gulf Islands of Washington and British Columbia.. As you can see, our boat is a bit "compact", but it is comfortable. Hopefully, we have patched all of the cabin leaks! The trailer and boat weigh 4,500 lbs., and will be pulled by our Toyota Tundra truck which has a 5.7 liter V-8.
This will be more like glorified camping than luxury cruising - no hot water except what we can heat in our tea kettle, a head with a porta-potty, a sun shower on the deck, and an ice box. We will tow an inflatable dinghy that has a 2 hp. outboard, so we will be able to anchor out and get to shore. We hope we won't have to use the dinghy as a lifeboat!
We have a Garmin GPS chartplotter and paper charts for navigation, and a VHF radio. Hopefully, our batteries will stay charged using a combination of shore power, a solar panel, and current from the sailboat's outboard engine. All interior lights, and anchor lights have been replaced with low-drain LEDs.
Here is our itinerary:
KOA campground Albany/Corvallis, Oregon
Cap Sante Boat Haven, Anacortes, Washington
Thatcher Bay, Blakely Island, San Juan Islands, anchor out
Rosario Marina, Orcas Island, San Juan Islands
Fishing/Ship Bay, Orcas Island, San Juan Islands anchor out
Blind Bay, Shaw Island, San Juan Islands anchor out
Deer Harbor Marina, Orcas Island, San Juan Islands
Reid Harbor, Stuart Island, San Juan Islands anchor out
Poets Cove Marina, Bedwell Harbor, Pender Island, Gulf Islands, Canada customs clearance
Otter Bay, North Pender Island, Gulf Islands anchor out
Ganges Marina, Salt Spring Island, Gulf Islands
Princess Bay, Wallace Island, Gulf Islands anchor out
North Cove, Thetis Island, Gulf Islands anchor out
Page’s Resort & Marina, Gabriola Island, Gulf Islands
Maple Bay Marina, Vancouver Island
Mill Bay, Vancouver Island anchor out
Tod Inlet, Vancouver Island, Butchart Gardens, anchor out
Brentwood Bay Lodge Marina, Vancouver Island, Butchart Gardens
Port Sidney Marina, Vancouver Island
Roche Harbor Marina, San Juan Island, San Juan Islands, clear US Customs
Garrison Bay, San Juan Island, San Juan Islands, anchor out
Port of Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, San Juan Islands
Fisherman Bay, Lopez Island, San Juan Islands, anchor out
Thatcher Bay, Blakely Island, San Juan Islands, anchor out
Cap Sante Boat Haven, Anacortes, Washington
KOA campground Albany/Corvallis, Oregon
Return home
We will try to keep up with this blog every day, and will publish updates and pictures when we are docked at marinas that have Internet access.
Let the adventure begin!!
Don and Donna
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4 comments:
You are going to have a wonderful time! I'm looking forward to following your adventures through your blog entries. Watch out for whales!
Thanks, Dick. I hope you are having a smooth start to the school year.
The boat is entirely loaded and ready to go Wednesday morning. It is going to be a long drive at 55 mph.
Don
On your way at last- leaving the smoke and flames. Have a great trip and thanks for putting up the blog so we can share in your adventure vicariously. I especially look forward to the episodes entitled "Rabid Grizzly Charging From the Shallows" and "Revenge of the Nootka Warparty" keep your powder dry!
Awesome trip you guys! Keep me posted on how you do. My friend Jessica's,( the RN), husband, the GYN, Jim Loeb, lives in Oak Harbor, not far away, on his temp assignment. Jessica's been to Anacortes and loves the area. She is very jealous! Have a great, safe trip. love, ;o) Bridget
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