Adventures of Sailing Vessel Merganser: Summer 2013: Cruise (3b) - To Saddle Bag Island via the Swinomish Channel

Thursday, 22 August 2013
Elger Bay, Camano Island - at anchor

We decided that today would be interesting. We weren't sure if we would come around to the top of Camano Island and anchor off of the State Park there, or we would decide to go for the Swinomish Channel. It would be wind and tide dependent. (Although you have the advantage of seeing the green passage, and reading the title to know where we went.)

L. and J. awoke to a flat calm sea, and a clear day. We put the kettle on for coffee and climbed back into bed. 0600 was a little earlier than we wanted to be up just then.

Nonetheless, we were underway by 0912 with M. at the helm and E. awaking five minute prior to our starting the engine saying, "Coffee ... coffee ... oh, please ..."

0600 Sunrise

To get north, we headed up Saratoga Passage between Whidbey and Camano Islands, and then into Skagit Bay. While Saratoga Passage is deep (66 fathoms tapering off to 22 fathoms), Skagit Bay is primarily shallow mud-flats that just cover at high tide (depths along the passage/channel of 10.5 - 19 fathoms, while 1.75 to .5 lie just off the channel). It would prove a day of watching the day markers and bouys, a day to keep track of where we were and where we were going.

As we motored, then motor-sailed up Saratoga Passage, we ate a breakfast of fresh bread. How we love our oven and bread makers (I. and M.).

Not much occurred during this portion of our day's trip. We continued to motor-sail north, tacking with favorable winds to try to increase our speed. We were passed by larger power craft heading south, and as we came up towards Camano Island, we started to be passed by a few sailboats heading south, too. Most of these were also motor-sailing, a few just powering.

Here's a shot of the north end of Camano Island. You can see how flat the water is, nothing but zephyrs.

By noon J. and L. figured out the tides, once again, to see what made sense. With the flat water we decided to go for it and see if we could get through the Swinomish Channel today. High tide was to be around 1900, so we figured we were good.

from Three Sheets NW

Here's a chart showing the channel up towards the Swinomish Channel. Directly at the top of the chart is a small yellow island (Goat Island). The Swinomish Channel is marked with a red line just above it.

At 1400 we were just coming around the corner, where the two blue lines are (a pipeline area) just above the "ROUTE" box.

We had entered Skagit Bay.

from Three Sheets NW

This chart gives an overview picture of the Swinomish Channel (fairly close to the center) and shows how it winds its way through lots of mud flats and low ground.

Here are a few pictures looking across the mud flats.

As we came up to the to the Channel, we started to see boats exiting. This was a good sign, as it helped us to see exactly where the Channel was.

As we came closer, J. and L. decided it was time to drop the main and stays'l. This way, no matter what the wind did, we would hopefully stay under control. We kept them loosely furled, so that if needed, we could quickly raise them again. But looking at the chart, we didn't think there would be any room to tack once in the Channel.

from Three Sheets NW

Ok, before entering the Channel, we needed to line up the two range markers. You can make out the two range markers on this chart to the left bottom quarter. One is in the blue, one in the green.

By the way, notice the "dog-leg" up near the + and - signs? That will become apparent as the photos show later.

Once these range markers were aligned, we were ready to proceed.

We kept them lined up astern, and in we went.

From here on, we'll let the photos do the talking with only a few comments here and there.

Enjoy the photo essay ...

Looking aft.

There is a marina in there.

First sight of the Rainbow Bridge.

Looking aft.

We ate with Nanna and Poppy here one day. It's for sale now.

Part of the west side is Swinomish Reservation Land.

That's PULL AND BE DAMNED.

I'm just going to go play on my ATARI.

Looking aft.

We're glad the railroad bridge was open.

Looking aft.

from Three Sheets NW

This chart shows how the Swinomish Channel cuts through the tide and mud flats of Padilla Bay. All the green dries out, and lots of the blue is .25 with pockets of 4.5 fathoms at low water. Not a place where you want to get outside the channel with a sailboat's keel. At least we don't.
But then came the long straight slog out to deeper water.

This video was shot with our very dear friend K.F. in mind - and memories of a trip long ago that J. and her husband (G.F.) took from Beverly, MA to Cape Ann.

This is Hat Island, with Saddlebag and little Dot Islands behind.

Looking aft towards the refineries at Anacortes.

Here we see Guemes with little Huckleberry Islands.

Sadddlebag and Dot Islands from the south.

We motored around to the north side of Saddlebag Island and anchored off the little cove.

This is where we anchored off the cove on the north side of Saddlebag Island.

We entered the Swinomish Channel at 1512.
We exited the Swinomish Channel at 1802.
Anchored at 1850.
Ah, the engine was finally off after a day of motoring.

Hey, what do you know, M.? The cat came out.

J. wrote up the log, all the while enjoying the freedom of deeper water!

The sun started to set over Guemes Island. I. shot some neat sunset photos.

We enjoyed watching this yawl raise sails and ghost around Guemes heading back south toward Anacortes.

An achored breeze filled in (this is the breeze you wanted all day, but got calms instead, until you anchored).

J. got the chart-book out to try to figure out what it was he was seeing. Which island is which? It had been awhile since he was last here.

Does Anacortes have a similar night life to Seattle? Look how they were hopping! They danced so much, the wiggled all the lights in town!

The next morning, the parents sent the children ashore to go get some wiggles out. "Go explore!" they said, and sent them off in PIPPI.

The kids went ashore and scrambled around awaiting for their parents.

From their perspective ...

From the parental perspective ...

Once we met up, we decided to explore the island. We ended up walking from "our" cove to the south cove, cutting the island in half. We then walked around the western half of the island.