Swinomish Channel

[JoMeKe]

We moved our boat from Anacortes to Vashon Island for our new moorage. Saves us 2 hours of car time but sacrifices the quick access to the islands.

Yes, but now you can go down every day to tinker.

[Marin Faure]

We moved our boat from Anacortes to Vashon Island for our new moorage. Saves us 2 hours of car time but sacrifices the quick access to the islands.

When we bought our boat in 1998 we decided to moor it in Bellingham even though as a Boeing employee we live east of Seattle. We can drive to Bellingham in two hours or less, and even with just an 8-knot boat this means we can get out into the islands even if all we have is a two-day weekend.

We use the boat year-round as a getaway cabin. So we'll often drive up just to stay on the boat for a weekend. Our slip is in the outer part of the marina basin, so with a view of the bay and the islands, even if we don't go anywhere we feel like we've gone somewhere.

The downside is that between work, the weather, and the drive, it can be difficult to get jobs on the boat done properly, particularly external painting and brightwork and deck projects. The challenge has become not so much doing a great job on external cosmetic projects, but not letting the external cosmetics get any worse than they are.

In a few years when I retire, then we can go up to the boat and stay on it for weeks at a time when the weather is good and finally get the brightwork and painting done properly.

In the meantime we are at least able to get out into the islands on a fairly frequent basis, even if it is just for a couple of days at a time. Everywhere we like to go in the San Juans is a three hour or less cruise away from our slip. If we kept the boat farther south, say Everett or Edmonds or the Seattle area, we'd be like everyone else who keeps their boat down there (and works full time) and get up north just once or twice a year on vacations. We'd rather drive the 90 miles at 70mph and burn a few gallons of gas than get within sight of the islands at 8 knots just to have to turn around and go back.

And the view from the slip sure beats the view from our house.....

[kolive]

I completely understand the close to the Islands idea. Our needs were based upon 2 new granddaughters, one in Ellensburg and one in Sammamish and we live in Yakima. So having the boat closer to us and family is our drive at this point in time. Visiting more often, like right now is our payoff. Getting more projects done is another, I am almost done with the enlarging the aft cabin berth. Today installed a new deck cover for the tiller, a weather system and some minor electrical stuff. My wife is still teaching for a couple of more years but I am retired. I get the project time aboard. Our summers are our Alec time now, but that will change. We have been doing more spring and fall trips.

There is always a trade off.....

[Don Prior]

The clam shell dredge is working west of Goat Island again in the Swinomish channel. It has been working for about a week now.

I will let everyone know when it leaves.

Fair winds.

Don
Brassbounder
GB 42-139
Anacortes, Wa.

[JoMeKe]

And I see the notice about the submerged tree at the south entrance to the Swinomish Channel was dropped from the Local Notice to Mariners a few weeks ago, so I presume it has been removed. Progress—slow but sure.

[Don Prior]

The clam shell dredge has departed the south end of the Swinomish Channel. I believe it left on Monday or Tuesday as it is not there today.

It worked the area from Goat Island west into Skagit Bay. It was there for about a month.

I suggest the channel is now a consistent depth that should allow passage of a Grand Banks at almost any tide. I will comment on the depth the next time I pass through. If anyone is in the area and will be transiting the channel please let us know the average depth at the south end. It was not passable at less than a zero tide before the dredging started last month.

Fair winds.

Don
Brassbounder
GB 42-139
Anacortes, Wa.