# Astoria to San Juans passage



## Jolly Rogers 15 (Jul 28, 2015)

Hello, 
I am looking to make passage from Astoria to the San Juan Islands in a hunter 340 in favorable conditions. What considerations should I make as far as time estimate and provisioning. I would like to hear from anyone who has made this trip in a similar boat.
Cheers


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## hellsop (Jun 3, 2014)

Jolly Rogers 15 said:


> Hello,
> I am looking to make passage from Astoria to the San Juan Islands in a hunter 340 in favorable conditions. What considerations should I make as far as time estimate and provisioning.


Mostly, you'll get favorable conditions on the way back...  Winds are more or less coming straight down the coast now (from NW-NNW) May want to just beat it straight west for 120-150 NM then head NE to get up to Cape Flattery. A week to 10 days all told, but stuff happens so 2 weeks of provisions and water for 3 wouldn't be a bad idea.

If you can wait until November, the winds should die down some and you'll be able use shore and sea breezes to skip up close to the coast. Might not save a lot of time, but it'll be a lot easier. (Best time to do this is November or April-May. That's the only time the winds are not miserable northbound.)


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## Uricanejack (Nov 17, 2012)

I did this trip not long ago, June, two years, in a C&C 35.
Astoria to Neah Bay Just under 48 hours.
Left Astoria after fueling up when fuel dock opened at 0900. They say its best to cross the Bar with a flood tide. just after low water slack. I was a little late. other boats who didn't need fuel had left earlier. I had arrived late in Astoria the night before after motoring down river from Portland.

Bar was no problem motored out, you can see the seas breaking on the Bar stayed well over to the Starboard side and put my sails up just as i came out the River.
Wind was a nice SE F 3 with Drizzel. lasted an hour. Wind went to NW F 4,5 and stayed there.

Wind bang on the nose, is typical for the trip in summer so I am told. I was determined to sail. Long swell of the Ocean and pretty good wind waves. We beat in and out from the coast every couple of hours. up past Greys harbor, didn't stop would have been in there about midnight.
By noon next day we were only half way up the Washington Coast. Only two crew and really tired. we put motor on and about 14 hours later It was spectacular lonely stretch of coast. Coming Round Cape Flattery at about midnight. Three Cruise Ships were coming out. They look like big towns on the move. For a while I thought the first one was Neah Bay.
We arrived in Neah Bay around 0200. Most Yachts head for the marina in Middle of the Bay. I didn't know this. And I was exhausted. We went in to Machaw Marina. Its mostly commercial.
Just picked a vacant berth and hope no angry fisherman arrived home in the morning.
When we went up to check out the office after we had a sleep they were really friendly. He laughed when we asked about finding breakfast, he was pretty sure we missed that. pointed us to small family restaurant just east of the Marina. it was great.

Fueled up again at fuel dock. 

Left about 1400 well rested and fed.

The NW was favorable now, turns out trying out your spinnaker for the first time. with a 20 knot wind and 2.5 to 3m swell behind you is not a good idea but it was fun.
Put it away and sailed up Juan De Fuca doing about 6 or 7 knots without it. we were about half a mile of Jordan River. Then back over near the Port Angeles Side when we passed Race Rocks round midnight. Quite a few ships going to and from both Pilot stations it was quite busy. I'm sure they were impressed by my presence in the middle of it all. Keep a good lookout and keep clear. 

We headed up Past Victoria, Several ships coming and going from Brotchi ledge Pilot station. Very hard to see against the city lights. Up Through Bayens Channel and across Harrow straight in to Roche Harbor Early in the Morning. 

Next time I'd like to have a third crew member, and an auto pilot, At one point on the way up the Coast I was so tired I was falling asleep at the wheel.
Even though it was summer, the night was cold, I found steaks on the Barbecue worked quite well. sailing to windward of shore, the Brats rolled off. 
Cooking on stove, was to much for my son, not used to the movement, Even going to the can is hard. We had our bunks arranged to wedge ourselves in. Even so getting sleep was hard boat was being tossed so much. I'd make a Pot off coffee when we tacked and heat a can off soup. May stove is on Port side. I tried to cook on starboard tack. Lot of pitching. Once we were a few miles into Jaun De fuca life was much easier. an not nearly as tiring.

There are not many places to stop, Grey's Harbor, I should have planned a stop there, with only two of us. La Push is small and I probably could have stopped but was wary of entrance. The warnings are for SW winds.

After Neah Bay. Port Refrew, Jordan bay, Sook No customs, No stopping and Victoria is a port of entry but Late.
Thought about Stopping in Port Angeles, Port Towsend was going to be just as far as Roche Harbor.

I left Roche for Point Roberts and had a deadline which kept me pushing on. Roche harbour you are in Center of Jan Juans

Despite it being a tough sail. 

We really really enjoyed it. 

Good luck it will be fun. and when you get here its worth it.


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## Galo (Jun 8, 2015)

I will pipe in to add that here in the PNW, the Swellwatch two and three day forecasts for swell and wind are uncannily accurate and can be a quick and easy way to assess sea and wind conditions. 

Also, given the sometimes 8-10 foot tide swings, high slack and even up to a half-hour after high slack will put lots more water under the keel leaving the Columbia than crossing the bar at low slack. Even a short period of time after high slack will be fine as long as incoming swells are <6 feet. Higher than 6 feet and you definitely want to cross the bar dead on high slack or towards the tail end of the incoming...


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