Common Sense Cruising by Jo Bailey and Carl Nyberg The basic tools in cruising the San Juans are up-to-date charts, reliable depth sounder, Tide Tables, Tidal Current Tables, the Canadian Current Atlas, Juan de Fuca Strait to Strait of Georgia, and Washburne’s Tables, an annual publication. Radar and GPS are useful. Pre-cruise study of the Current Atlas and Washburne’s Tables is essential to all marinersin planning crossings to the islands and cruising the channels in and around them. Current Atlas charts are computer generated graphic representations of current velocities and directions based on daily and hourly predictions. Combined with Washburne’s Tables, anyone can find the charted currents for any hour of any day of the year. This allows mariners to go with the flow, find areas with lesser adverse currents, use favorable backeddies or stay put. Currents in various channels in the San Juans often run faster or slower than predicted.Winds off the Strait can whip up to 30 to 50 knots in a short time. If the wind is blowing opposite the current, seas may build up in a short, very steep chopin some channels. If wind and current are in the same direction the waves will be farther apart and less steep. Approaching the islands via Deception Pass, extreme currents may reach nine knots, otherwise currents in the pass up to eight knots are not uncommon. Expect tide rips off the east end of Spieden, near Reid Rock in San Juan Channel, Limestone Point on San Juan or Turn Point off Stuart. Currents in Mosquito Pass, Obstruction Pass and Wasp Passage can be daunting at times. There are also places to not anchor during extreme tides or wind, such as the west bight on James Island (we’ve dragged there) and Turn Island Marine Park during large tidal runs, just for starters. We advise mariners to study the Current Atlas charts and related books, plan ahead and be prepared. Many have sailed through these areas for years without major problems, thanks to precaution, planning, and sometimes dumb luck. Marine Parks Washington State Parks maintains 13 wonderful marine state parks in the San Juan Islands plus various other unimproved state property and islands. Moorage fees in marine parks are 50 cents per foot, minimum $10. Moorage buoys are $10 per night. Annual permits are available and may save money if you moor in fee areas multiple nights a year. For more information on state parks go to www.parks.wa.gov/moorage State Department of Resources (DNR) has three marine parks in the islands, no buoy fees. San Juan County also has three marine parks, buoy fees $8 per night. The county park on Shaw has no buoys. You are responsible for your garbage as all parks are “Pack it in, pack it out.” Ferries Be aware of ferry traffic through the main island channels as the ferries travel from Anacortes to Lopez, Orcas, Shaw and Friday Harbor and to Sidney, B.C. Charts & Publications Useful in this Area Chart 18421, Strait of Juan de Fuca to Strait of Georgia, 1:80,000 Chart 18423, Bellingham to Everett, including San Juan Islands, pages C & D, scale 1:80,000; page C, inset 6, scale 1:40,000 Chart 18429, Rosario Strait, Southern Part, 1:25,000 Chart 18430, Rosario Strait, Northern Part, 1:25,000 Chart 18431, Rosario Strait to Cherry Point, Patos, Sucia, Matia, 1:25,000 Chart 18433, Haro Strait—Mid-Bank to Stuart Island, 1:25,000 * Chart 18434, San Juan Channel,scale 1:25,000 (preferred) Canadian Current Atlas, Juan de Fuca Strait to Strait of Georgia Washburne’s Tables (current year) Tidal Current Tables (current year) Tide Tables (current year) For more information about cruising in the San Juan Islands we invite you to read Jo and Carl’s Gunkholing in the San Juan Islands, a Comprehensive Cruising Guide Encompassing Deception Pass to the Canadian Boundary. They also authored Gunkholing in South Puget Sound, from Kingston-Edmonds South to Olympia.Jo and Carl can be reached at (206) 323-1315, or at gunkholing@earthlink.net,. PAGE ONE :: MAIN ARTICLE ...back to 48° North title page.