"Sucia Island Escape"

Bellingham Bay to Sucia Island, August 18-20

Summary...

Those who launch on Friday before lunch will make Sucia Island by Friday evening, paving the way for those who launch on Saturday morning.  The group will return to Bellingham Bay on Sunday.

  • Friday, August 18: Launch from Bellingham, sail to Fossil Bay at Sucia Island, moor at the state park dock or on buoys.
  • Saturday, August 19: Friday sailors will have the day to explore the island or daysail to Matia Island.  Saturday sailors will enjoy the afternoon and evening with the group.  Folks who arrive late Friday can moor at Squalicum Harbor Marina for $12.
  • Sunday, August 20: Sail back to Bellingham, fulfilled from a great Sucia Island escape! 

Special note for those who want to go to Sucia Island but can't make this August trip: consider joining a group of spirited home builders who are making a July 7-10 trip to Sucia.  Details here.  You can keep track of their plans on the Yahoo Sucia group forum. 

Hosts...

Your Sucia Island Escape is being "tri-hosted" by Tim Pattison (Jeebie Gee), Frank Coletta (Harry P) and Tom Salzer  (Whisper).  Send Tom a note if you are interested in attending.  

Route...

We'll launch before noon from the Squalicum Harbor ramp in Bellingham Bay and sail north up Hale Passage, turn due west, and pass Matia Island as we approach Sucia Island.  See the proposed route here. 

Flood tides flow northwest through Hale Passage, so boats launching on Friday and Saturday will enjoy a current-assisted ride through the passage.

Our preferred destination on Sucia is Fossil Bay if there is dock space.  If there is no available dock space, we will look for buoys and raft up as Potters arrive.   

The return trip will be the reverse of our outbound route.  Tidal current in Hale Passage increases slightly by Sunday, with a max flood current of 1.75 knots at 2:30 pm.  A morning departure from Sucia Island will allow us to transit Hale Passage with less than a knot of adverse current.

Tides...

Currents...

Moorage and Anchorages...

Launch Ramps...

  • Squalicum Harbor and Fairhaven launches.  Information here.  Google Maps gives these directions from I-5 northbound to the Squalicum Harbor launch:
    Take exit 253 to Lakeway Dr. - go 0.2 mi
    Turn right at Lincoln St - go 0.1 mi
    Turn right at Lakeway Dr - go 0.4 mi
    Bear right at E Holly St - go 0.5 mi
    Continue on W Holly St - go 0.5 mi
    Turn left at F St - go 0.1 mi
    Turn right at Roeder Ave - go 0.3 mi

Costs...

The launch fee at Squalicum Harbor is $5.  Parking for your tow vehicle and trailer is free.  Overnight moorage on Friday night at Squalicum Harbor is $12.  

Moorage at the Fossil Bay dock or buoy is $10 a night.  Anchoring is free, so if docks and buoys are full, prepare to raft up and anchor out!

What Others Have to Say...

  • Bellingham Yacht Club destinations page by Joe Coons says this about Sucia Island: "The most popular destination in the San Juans, north of mid-Orcas Island. There are a lot of buoys and a dock maintained by the State. Good anchoring. Sucia Islands are a marine park donated by the Yacht Clubs of Puget Sound. Fire rings, grills, tent sites, some water, pit toilets, etc. Check charts carefully for obstructions, although bays are pretty clear."
  • 48 Degrees North article, May 2003 by Jo Bailey and Carl Nyberg, who say: "There's something very special about this island with its many bays, coves, beaches, forest trails and incredible beauty that inspires first time visitors to be unabashedly enthusiastic and keeps us returning. Whenever we return to Sucia we feel like we've come home, it's that kind of place. It is THE most popular of all the San Juan Islands, the cruising destination for over 100,000 boaters each year. But it doesn't matter how many people are here, we find our favorite spots away from the crowds, and how lovely it is."
  • 48 Degrees North article, August 2005 by Jo Bailey and Carl Nyberg include Sucia Island in a five-day cruise plan for the San Juans: "...Like hundreds of thousands of other boaters, we love Sucia Island and find something new about it each time we return, it’s like going home. Sucia is beautiful with its nearly 15 miles of beaches, more than 10 miles of trails, sculptured sandstone bluffs, fascinating history, many bays and family fun. There’s plenty to do, camp, swim, fish, dig clams, scuba dive, beachcomb, birdwatch, gunkhole about in the dinghy, just relax and enjoy." 
  • Cruising destinations, by Fine Edge Publishing includes this teaser about Sucia Island: "Continuing west [from Matia Island], only 1.5 miles, is Sucia actually consisting of 10 islands many displaying the weather carved sandstone that has become the visual icon of this special place. Sucia is one of the most popular destinations for Northwest boaters with an estimated 100,000 visitors every year. During the best summer weekends one may find it hard to be alone in one of the six primary anchorage areas, and may elect to visit one of the other coves and island anchorages in the Northern Boundary Islands, but Sucia should not be missed."

  • US Sailing course website with photos talks about the entrance to Fossil Bay: "There are several harbors to moor your boat.  The most popular are Fossil Bay and Echo Bay.  Fossil Bay is the most developed and has docks, water and latrines. However there is a shoal on the southwest part of the entrance with only 3 feet mean LLW (Lower Low Water)...It extends about a third of the way into the channel." 

Documents...

A Few Photos...

Fossil Bay.  Photo by John Kohnen.

 

Orcas Island from Fox Cove.  Photo by John Kohnen.

 

Approaching Sucia Island from the southeast. Photo by Greg Stoll.

 

...Tom Salzer, June 3, 2006