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Doug Wood
Deckhand

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12 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/05/2002 : 00:24:59

The first mate and I are going to trailer High Priority to Puget Sound over the Labor Day Holiday and plan to launch her in Olympia on Sept 3rd. I understand there are 2 marinas in Olympia. Does anyone know if either has a lift that can be used to set the boat in the water. We are also looking for suggestions for interesting places to visit. We don't have any particular agenda but do plan on spending 10 to 12 days on the water and hauling her out at Lake Washington. If there are any members in the Olympia area we would be interested in meeting you. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Doug and Sandy on High Priority

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2002 : 13:20:04

I dont know about lifts in Olympia but would be glad to recomend places to go. Ruth and I have just finished a week in the South Sound. Thhis is what I would recomend. Depending on the time of day you finish rigging and launch. You might spend the first night in Olympia at Percivals landing $15 fee with power less without. Access to good restaurants like Anthony's. Only one place to eat in the mourning THE SPAR CAFE old place with locals and lots of history. One block east to 4th st 4 blocks to the left (small blocks). Depart for McMiken Island and try for a bouy (3) on the west side. If there full anchoring is good. Dont go between the island and shore as there is a shoal at low tide. If you go along the shore west of the island there is good claming. Crabbing is good with chicken backs for bait. Jarrel Cove on Hartstene Island a couple of hours past McMiken is a nice place also. State park with showers on one side 2 docks. One for pump out one for overnighting 10 bouys in a protected inlet dock area is shallow at low tide but I have used the end on either side (Fixed Keel). Other side has a marina with fuel dock, store with ice and some suplies. Nice clean area but no phones. You could also go past Jarrel and into Fair Harbor between Stretch and Reach Islands there is is also a good harbor with a nice marina. Heading back down Case inlet Henderson inlet has a large seal colony on the south side on old Wearhouser docks motor slowly past and stay clear so as not to disturb No place to stop for the night. Further south in Case inlet the Nisqually delta has a few bouys. Lots of birds to see nice sunsets but exposed from the west. Most of our wind is from the south south west. If the weather forcast is good its very beautifull. Filucy bay on the Key peninsula is quiet and has a nice marina but no gas food or ice good place to wait for the tide to turn before attempting Pitt passage between McNiel Island and Key Peninsula. Pitt Passage can be tricky and the charts are wrong. Entering from the Filucy bay side folow the shore of McNiel island watching the depth as you go. Stay between the post and McNiel as there is a reef on the other side of the post. GO SLOW. You may want to opt to go around Anderson Island McNiel Island and then go up Carr inlet to Penrose Point. You might want to try the alternate route between Andersen and McNiel past Eagle Island. Watch the tides here. It can be a sleigh ride at max ebb. Some people like Eagle Island but it can be tricky. There is a reef on the Drayton Passage side and two bouys are behind the reef enter from the McNiel Island side once past the reef. Crabbing is good. The bouy on the other side of the island is often submerged when the tide is running. The Island is scenic but covered with poison oak as are most of the south sound islands. Know what it looks like and stay clear. About Penrose. Its a great place, my pick for the best of the South Sound. Campground has showers, take plenty of quarters, there is a 1/4 mile loop trail for a walk. Nice sandy beach, a spit 1/4 mile long covered with moon snails, oysters and just about everything else that lives in the south sound. Berries should be in season along the bank above the wood butress. There is a rundown marina in Lakebay the small inlet behind sand dunes but the chanel is shalow and tricky. If you have a swing keel, keel up and you will be fine. Watch the bottom the entrance is a dog leg shape. There is a State park dock behind the dunes. 3 bouys along the spit are the best. The closer in the better or anchor off of the wood buttress bank further into the bay. When entering Penrose swing wide to the R/H side well out so as to clear the spit. Its worth the trip to go here. Further up Carr inlet is Kopachuck state park this park is exposed but is a good place to explore shore during the day. Sand Dollar colony on shore makes it almost impossable to not step on the remains of these strange creatues. Clamming is OK. Just further along is Cutts Island. This to is exposed but a wonderful place to explore. Used by the indians as a burial island the Indians placed their deceased in the limbs of the trees and placed copper rings on them. As the shore eroded over the years the remains were spilled onto the rocky shore. Many rings have been found on the shore. Being of clay and sandstone the high bank shore on one side of the island has strange eroded caves. These are my recomendations for anything south of the narrows. I hope this helps and please contact me if you have any questions. You will enjoy your trip.

Doug&Ruth
Wind Lass
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2002 : 15:58:01

In Oly there is Swantown Boatworks and Swantown Marina. The Boatworks has a lift (about $90 one-way and they like you to reserve a time when it's busy), the marina has a nice boat ramp. Our boat's docked at Swantown. The other marina is Westbay. It's a little difficult to get to right now. You have to drive through town, across the narrow temporary bridge and construction zone S-turns; very tight. It has a lift, but I don't know the fee.

As for places to go, first get a chart or two, then a tide book (a lot of places look deep, but aren't). All the ones Doug mentioned are good places to go.

North of the Narrows: Gig Harbor, can get a little crowded, but it has a couple of decent restaurants with their own docks; Quartermaster Harbor at Vashon Island has good anchorages and docks; Blake Island has an indian longhouse that serves up a good indian-style salmon dinner, the island also has numerous bouys around it and some nice hiking trails; stop at Seattle's public pier and you have access to Pioneer Square and the waterfront with it's many shops and restaurants.

Check out this website for good info on Puget Sound destinations.
http://www.nwboating.com/

Here's a site I use for tide predictions.
http://www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/washingtonsites.html

If you need more specific info, don't hesitate to ask.

John Mason - Ali Paroosa
1982 - FK/SR #3290

Edited by - on

Doug
Captain

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USA
457 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2002 : 21:24:40

Westbay has a lift also, but I don't know what they charge. They also have a little pub called Tugboat Annies that serves great burgers and drinks.

the best thing about Oly is spending the night at Percival's Lannding. The Landing is a public dock downtown. Easy walking to food, stores, parks, and on the weekend a great farmer's market.

Doug - #1913 Noeta

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2002 : 01:35:06

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d906b3127cce9f65e7c74f280000001410" border=0><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d906b3127cce9f65f949ce990000001410" border=0><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d906b3127cce9f65e7dcce030000001410" border=0><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d906b3127cce9f65f9384fd80000001410" border=0><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d906b3127cce9f6611b82ff80000001410" border=0><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d906b3127cce9f6611a1aed10000001410" border=0><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d906b3127cce9f661340ae310000001410" border=0>
jarrel Cove 1,2 McMicken, Percivals landing, Dockton, Filucy Bay,
The sails as the wind filled in.

Doug&Ruth
Wind Lass
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

Jeff
1st Mate

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37 Posts

Response Posted - 08/12/2002 : 20:32:28

The cheapest and easiest launch that I've found in the Puget Sound area is at Des Moines, about half way between Tacoma and Seattle. It's a pull through lift and only $35 or so round trip. You have to launch with the rig down and use a guest slip to raise the mast etc.

The marina has all the necessary amenities. Fuel, water, electricity, parking, showers, close grocery stores, ice, etc. But it's not very pretty or remote. More of an urban marina. But a great jump off point.

For places to go there are two books to read. Carl Nyberg's Gunkholing South Puget Sound, and the Puget Sound Cruising Guide. The second book is written by a woman and I can't recall her name. We carry both books aboard and read them constantly as we cruise the Sound.

Another helpful resource is Washington States' Web Site. In it you will find all the launching and marina facilities in the state as well as the Washington Marine State Parks and their facilities. I don't know the address offhand, but you should have no trouble finding it with a google search.

Edited by - on

Doug L
1st Mate

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27 Posts

Response Posted - 08/12/2002 : 21:17:08

I used both the the boatramp and the lift last August at Swantown and was happy with both. The lift at Westbay costs about the same as Swantown, and as stated, is more difficult to get to. The Oyster House is a nice restaurant in Olympia. I would recommend Jarrel Cove marina and state park as a great place to spend a night...have fun!

Doug Lewis

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Doug Wood
Deckhand

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12 Posts

Response Posted - 08/14/2002 : 20:24:10

Many thanks to all of you for the information. We anticipate having a great time. Just over two weeks to go! Thanks again

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