My journey from Ensenada to Vancouver BC begins!

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SeaMaster101

SeaMaster101

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2015
Messages
102
Location
Canada
Vessel Name
SeaWitch
Vessel Make
47' Cheoy Lee SeaMaster
Hi all,
I'm bringing my boat back to her home port in North Vancouver after cruising almost 10 years, crossing the to the South Pacific and reaching all the way to New Zealand.
The last part of my trio will be up the West Coast of NA. I have done this route 3 or 4 times, but always down and never up the coast. At this point in may life, I would like to do it on 60-80miles day trips and wait for weather. I would love to get some local knowledge from the users of this forum.
I'm departing tomorrow morning and the first leg will be from Ensenada to San Diego where I would like to clear US customs.
For everyone interested in my voyage north, MV SeaWitch can be tracked here:
https://boat-pulse.com/display.html?link=500-115-5c2dd0ffb3-C-dd_MMM_HH.mm-GPS40
Scroll down a bit to see my current position on the chart.
 
SeaMaster101 said:
Hi all,
I'm bringing my boat back to her home port in North Vancouver after cruising almost 10 years, crossing the to the South Pacific and reaching all the way to New Zealand.
The last part of my trio will be up the West Coast of NA. I have done this route 3 or 4 times, but always down and never up the coast. At this point in may life, I would like to do it on 60-80miles day trips and wait for weather. I would love to get some local knowledge from the users of this forum.
I'm departing tomorrow morning and the first leg will be from Ensenada to San Diego where I would like to clear US customs.
For everyone interested in my voyage north, MV SeaWitch can be tracked here:
https://boat-pulse.com/display.html?link=500-115-5c2dd0ffb3-C-dd_MMM_HH.mm-GPS40
Scroll down a bit to see my current position on the chart.
Click to expand...

i believe we met a couple months ago while I was strolling the docks at Cruiseport. You were on your back deck reading. I admire your boat, and deeply respect the miles you've trekked. Impressive!!!

Your departure is too close for a book arrival, but if you had more time, I'd recommend Don/Reanne Douglass's Exploring the Pacific Coast. It's 20+ years old but they are very thorough cruisers.

https://www.waggonerguidebooks.com/store/p85/exppaccoast.html

Isthmus at Catalina is halfway between San Diego and Santa Rosa/Santa Cruz Islands (150nms from SD) so splits your day into 75-nms each. I normally tried to round Conception/Arguello at around midnight which is around 6-hours from anchorages at SC/SR islands. I've stayed at Cojo anchorage just beneath Conception a couple times. It's a surprisingly good anchorage, but you have to plot your route out through the kelp which is heavy.

Morro Bay is popular but I usually stopped at San Luis Obispo and anchored because it was much easier to depart. Morro Bay has challenges for current so departure windows are more limited.

I've never stopped at San Simeon but know people who have. Nice but rolly. I believe you have paravanes so shouldn't be an issue.

From San Simeon, it's 10-11 hours to Stillwater Cove off the Pebble Beach Golf Course. Fair weather anchorage. Do not enter in fog. Very scenic. If I remember, across the bay is "Whalers Cove" which is listed as an anchorage but protected from rare southerly conditions. I could not get an anchor to set here under any circumstances so cannot recommend this at all.

Best bet would be Monterey even though it's a decent distance in/out. Good place to recharge for a couple days. The old Italian fishermen still plan bocce ball at the nearby courts. Marina is manned 24/7. Very helpful.

From Monterey, Santa Cruise is 4-hours but not sure it's a great stop Slips can be hard to come by and there is no anchoring. Cool place though.

Pillar Point (Half Moon Bay) is 30nms south of the Golden Gate and, like Monterey, is a commercial marina with 24/7 open. Near all-weather

From there, you have to decide if you want to stop in San Francisco. If you do, suggest Sausalito but not sure where to find a slip. Pier 40 in San Francisco next to Ball Field is very convenient if you want to see the city. Best anchorage in SF is Treasure Island's Clipper Cove between Yerba Buena and Treasure Island. Back in the 1950s, Pan Am's "Clipper Ships" used to land there on their return from Asia routes. There used to be bus service into SF.

Let me know if this is useful- I used to deliver up/down this coast so know it pretty well.

Peter
 
There is a reason it is referred to as uphill…
 
I just did Astoria to Port Angeles which was pretty uneventful. Westport to Neah Bay is the longest stretch with no stops other than La Push which I wouldn't recommend going into. Can be tricky and not much space.
 
West coast cruising - north & south coastal route

I have done the trip both directions several times over last 30 years in several different boats. Gong south is a lot easier than going north. Weather window & time of year is very important. Timing is very important.


Lets look at the trip in two sections . - First the one from San Francisco to Seattle.


second the trip from San Francisco to Southern California.

IMHO...the boat better be well founded & set up properly. This is a lea shore the whole way north & no place for some weekend bay boat. You better be able to change fuel filters with out turning the engine off. Boat & engine & trans, shaft & prop better be in top condition.
That said here we go.

I have experienced flat sea's & perfect weather, I have been hunkered down in a harbor enroute for two weeks straight waiting for weather window & at Point Mendocino & I have seen huge seas, and everything in between. So prep for everything.

I can not stress enough at the wrong time of year or if the weather turns on you what an arduous trip it can sometimes turn out to be, particularly when your going north bound from SF Bay to Straits of Juan de Fuca . Once your turn north out of San Francisco Bay & head out past Drakes Bay, going around Pt Reyes into the full force of the north Pacific Ocean seas. I have been there & done this myself & have gotten hammered pretty good a time or two when enroute & hit un-forecast weather. Pick your weather window right & it can be a beautiful & fun trip if you don't have a schedule your trying to stick to.

Here is the approximate mileage break down for reference.

SF bay entrance to Pt Reyes -- 28 miles

Pt Reyes to Bodega Bay entrance -- 23 miles

Bodega Bay entrance to Shelter Cove -- 117 miles

Shelter Cove to entrance to Eureka entrance -- 54 miles

Eureka entrance to Crescent City entrance -- 60 miles

Crescent City entrance to Port Orford entrance-- 65 miles

Port Orford entrance to Coos Bay entrance -- 51 miles

Coos Bay entrance to Newport entrance -- 77 miles

Newport entrance to Tillamook entrance - 55 miles

Tillamook entrance to Columbia River light ship @ outer entrance - 40 miles

Columbia River light ship at outer entrance to Grays harbor entrance -- 44 miles

Grays Harbor entrance to Cape Flattery entrance -- 96 miles

Cape Flattery to Port Townsend entrance -- 86 miles

Port Townsend entrance to Seattle entrance -- 40 miles

There also is "La Push" which I wouldn't recommend going into. Can be tricky and not much space.

so there is your trip to Seattle in a nut shell. -- or Approximately 836 miles

Going north - That will take you about 140 hours of running at 6 knots.

Coming south it takes about 120 hours & your can go about 7 knots.

Going north I would figure 3 to 4 gal hour hour to be safe. -- 480 gal plus 10% reserve. So estimate from there for fuel costs & fuel stops.

VERY important - Pick your weather window. Time your bar crossings.

Often you need to stop in a harbor & lay over - some times for a day or a couple days, some times a week, maybe even more, so don't have a schedule.

Can be a pretty & fun trip if you don't have a schedule.

I was going north one trip past Mendocino & we had "get there itas" - so we got the snot knocked out of us up there. So be careful as it was not very comfortable.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Second :


TRIP: San Francisco Bay CA to Channel Islands Harbor near Oxnard, CA.

I have done that trip both ways many times.

Recent Last trip took me 2 days, 2 hours, 22 minutes - and we went straight through with no stops.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Channel Islands Hbr to Santa Barbara - 27
Santa Barbara to Cojo Anchorage - 35
Cojo Anchorage. to Port San Luis - 51
Port San Luis to Morro Bay - 21
Morro Bay to Monterey - 102
Monterey to Half Moon Bay - 62
Half Moon Bay to San Francisco Bay - 24


total - harbor entrance sea buoy to sea buoy - 322
*In harbor mileage extra
All distances in Nautical Miles
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Going north is a much rougher trip. Lots more miles & lots of harbors with a Bar that can not be entered if weather is bad. I will discuss that trip north another day.

So to go south from San Francisco, Plan for 4 to 5 days food, water & fuel to do this passage since your stopping each night.- may not need it - but better to have extra than not enough.

If you go straight through running 24 hours a day non-stop, figure about 2 day & 3 hours or about 51 hours will do it fine.

3 - danger areas - :

1. - Departing SF Bay & adjacent shipping lanes
2. - lea short of section from Monterey to San Simeon or Morro Bay, &
3. - going south of Port San Luis when headed in to area off Point Arguello & around Point Conception.

1. - You will not be able to go as fast as you think you will. You are not on flat water of SF Bay or the protected waters of the Santa Barbara Channel. Your in the real Pacific Ocean, so hope for the best but plan for the worst. We all want to go 8 knots - but the seas usually don't allow that. You need comfort for the long trip & you will have different shifts of people at the helm. Most of the time your running on Auto Pilot. So try to run at 7.0 to 7.5 knots & go from there. Usual average is 6.5 knots - of course weather dependent.

2. - Don't arrive at a strange port after sundown ! -- Always plan ahead with a buffer. So Look at the number of day light hours available to plan your departure time - this time of year maybe 15 hours of reliable daylight - so I looked up the sun tables for you - this coming weekend dawn is at 4:39 am & sun rise is at 5:43 am. Sunset is 8:00 pm & full dark is at 9:00pm.

So leave early at first dawn light & try hard to arrive before sunset. This is a safety thing.

Longest run is the Approximately 110 miles from Monterey to San Simeon Bay. That is a lea shore with NO WHERE to hide - so always confirm the weather before departure & monitor it enroute. Do not make the mistake of you running to close to the shore, Because if you clog a filter or such you need time & the farther your off shore the more time you have. I run 5 miles off minimum.

Figure average speed of 6.5 knots. Estimate Fuel burn of 2 to 3 an hour for small engine up to 4 to 5 gal per hour per engine - all speed dependent. Depends on how you run your engine, gearing, prop, engine size, How many engines, etc. You will be safe with those numbers. Every wave is a mountain you have to climb, so figure accordingly. They can be pretty big in this area.

Depends where your departing from inside San Francisco can make a big difference in 1st days progress as well as the tidal flow in the bay can effect your speed over the bottom a lot, -- as it can be a good part of the whole 1st day just getting to the Golden Gate depending where your departing from, timing, tides, weather, etc....

Next consideration is that some times weather & swells mean you can't take the south channel after mile rock & that means it would then require you to go all the way out to the sea buoy before you can turn south. Always, Stay in the channels as lots of sneaker waves in this area.

Also when you are in the process of leaving the SF Bay the tide timing is crucial as currents can be coming in as strong as 6 knots if the tide is against you & that can make for very slow going.

Also wind & currents that are adverse can make square waves that can beat you up till you get to deep water if the wind is strong & the tide is going out, so plan well for that. I prefer just before slack time by about 1 hour for under the GG When headed west. I prefer to go out to at least 5 miles off coast unless very, very calm & then you can maybe take south channel.

If there is any question - DO NOT TAKE SOUTH CHANNEL unless in very calm conditions - they get sneaker waves there that can roll your boat if taken on the beam.

If time & tides are not in your favor, to give your crew a rest make first day an easy one & head for Pillar Point Harbor at Half Moon Bay as back up to first stopping point for a comfortable over night sleep & rest for all. There are good restaurants there. My favorite is the "Ketch Joanne" . However, as you approach, Don't hug the coast as that is where "Mavericks'" is located with the world famous 30 foot swells.

SF to Half Moon Bay - as 1st possibility of first day progress - or if tides, wind, weather & sea condition allow then head for Monterey or Moss landing - 1st day. Skip Santa Cruz if you can as it is often shoaled in at entrance & can be tricky.

Second day is the jump from Monterey to San Simeon Bay or Morro Bay. or Port San Luis as back up to the back up.
I prefer San Simeon Bay as a planning point when winds are north west as some time they close the entrance to Morro Bay as there is a dangerous bar there & it can be impossible to get in. They are close to each other so if weather & seas allow you can do either one., but you have San Simeon in your hip pocket just in case - unless there is a south wind & swell - in which case stay away.

Third Day is San Simeon Bay or Morro Bay or Port San Luis headed out & then south -- around past Point Arguello & Point Conception -- which is the cape horn of the central California coast -- & then on down & into the Santa Barbara Channel. Stay well off shore in this Point Arguello & Conception area, -- do not hug the coast. Cape effect winds & seas in this area. There are several off shore oil rig's in the area, so use your radar.

After you round the cape & it's 2 points & get into the channel you can go into near by Cojo Anchorage or even go to Santa Barbara harbor - 35 miles. Great food in Santa Barbara. No facilities of any kind at Cojo, but good anchorage.

However, by then you may be smelling the barn & may want to head straight for Channel Islands Harbor. it is about 64 miles or so which at 8 knots is 8 hours. So You can now travel at 8 knots in the Santa Barbara Channel & make better time.

From there it is a easy run to Channel Islands Harbor at 64 miles.

best case 3 days with 2 over nights.

Average case 4 day with 3 over nights.

Worst case 5 days with 4 over nights

Approximately 325 Nautical Miles plus miles for going out & back to your off shore cruising route which adds about 10 additional miles a day.

Of course possible additional days lay over here or there if weather changes on you enroute.

NOTE: When you enter Channel Islands use the south of the break water entrance as the north end shoals in quickly after dredging.

Good luck & smooth seas.


Channel islands south to San Diego is in a very protected area that is south of Point Conception and is a piece of cake compared to up north.

Good luck.

Keep it safe.

Alfa Mike
 
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I made the trip southbound last year.

My stops were

Greys harbor
Astoria
geribaldi (tillimook bay)
newport
bandon
crescent city
eureka
Ft Brag
bodega bay
monterey
morro bay
santa barbara
la
san diego
ensenada

I liked most of the ports for different reasons, and stayed several days in many of them. The ones I was not fond of were geribaldi because it, is not set up for larger boats. I also did not like Bodega Bay because the harbor staff frankly could care less about transient boats, and was not truthful about the avaibility of berthing.

The rest were fantastic with of course little challenges at each one.
 
ksanders said:
I made the trip southbound last year.

My stops were

Greys harbor
Astoria
geribaldi (tillimook bay)
newport
bandon
crescent city
eureka
Ft Brag
bodega bay
monterey
morro bay
santa barbara
la
san diego
ensenada

I liked most of the ports for different reasons, and stayed several days in many of them. The ones I was not fond of were geribaldi because it, is not set up for larger boats. I also did not like Bodega Bay because the harbor staff frankly could care less about transient boats, and was not truthful about the avaibility of berthing.

The rest were fantastic with of course little challenges at each one.
Click to expand...

Agree completely with ksanders, although I have only made half the trip so far. Stopped in SF Bay for a short stay while doing upgrades while finally have boat close to home. Hope to continue early next year.

Garabaldi is also a long haul back in from the bar, which can also be problematic. Also found Bodega Bay like ksanders. Actually spent the night at the fuel dock and took off in the am before they arrived for lack of space elsewhere.
 
Years ago I did the trip nearly-non stop. Seattle past Cape Flattery 34nm out, turned left and followed the coast never less than 25nm out. Like was said above, that is open Pacific Ocean and was nasty for me. Turned into Bodega Bay which I did not like because the fishermen creeped me out. A couple days to recover, then nonstop to Newport Harbor which was cakewalk. It was early May if I recall, and too early in retrospect.

BTW, it was interesting to be that far out and still have big sea lions following us, looking for fish scraps.
 
My experience with Bodega Bay was much better than others. However, my experience is now 7 years old so maybe things have changed. Possible they were nice to me because I bought a lot of fuel.

Garibaldi has very limited space for boats over 40’. It is also very easy to run from Newport to Astoria making Garibaldi unnecessary. There is a bay you can anchor in but it’s probably intimidating to people not familiar with the area.
 
Commercial fisherman who make the trip to and from Alaska back to SF have told me to not travel too far from shore. Typically within five miles from the beach. In the summer there is often gale force winds when 50 miles off shore of Oregon and Washington but only 15knots near shore. I guess if commercial crab season is on you will need to keep a shop lookout for crab floats.

There are free mooring buoys in Sausalito in front of the Sausalito yacht club, just past the ferry dock.
 
rpackard said:
Commercial fisherman who make the trip to and from Alaska back to SF have told me to not travel too far from shore. Typically within five miles from the beach. In the summer there is often gale force winds when 50 miles off shore of Oregon and Washington but only 15knots near shore. I guess if commercial crab season is on you will need to keep a shop lookout for crab floats.

There are free mooring buoys in Sausalito in front of the Sausalito yacht club, just past the ferry dock.
Click to expand...

Not when you cross the Columbia. We did it going south about 8NM offshore and had the snot kicked out of us. We stopped at Tillamook. Went into the CG station and in conversation with them was told they never cross the mouth of the Columbia closer in than 15 NM unless they have to. The outflow causes the waves to stand up and break. Local knowledge…
 
Ensenada to Vancouver, BC - uphill trip

OK - checking in with you your trip north.

Looks like your in San Francisco bay.

So tell us all about your trip from San Diego to there so far.

When do you make the next jump.

Like some specs -- average speed, fastest speed, fuel usage for each, etc.
 
trip progress up west coast

I see your in Clipper Cove in S.F. Bay.

Checking in to see how it is all going out there ?
 
The ideal of 60-80 miles per day isn't realistic, the ports are spaced all wrong for that agenda. Additionally the bar crossings complicate entering and leaving ports, and weather as well as tides control access over the bars. I just did that run this summer, and opted to stay offshore and run as far and as long as the weather let me travel, avoiding the bar crossings.

Two of my runs were 480 miles, and the only bar I crossed was Eureka. When I thought it was time to depart the bar, swells were throwing spray above the breakwater, so I spent one night anchored in front of the CG station inside while the swells laid down.

Kevin is twin Cummins turbo diesels and can up his cruising speed to make the window fit the distance, my Willard can't do that. Totally agree LaPush is a horrible port in terrible condition, I actually anchored in the channel outside the marina for the night heading South because of that.

Most of the ports are great once you're inside and in moderate weather easy to get in and out of, I ran in spring weather and conditions were unstable and the calm periods were brief.
 
trip progress

I see your in the Oakland Estuary anchorage & marina areas.

Is everything OK ?

What is your plan for staying in S.F. Bay area ?
 
Trip to BC

I see you made it to Vancouver, BC.

Hope you will share the rest of the trip from S.F. Bay north to BC.

Inquiring minds want to know.

Thankds,

Mike
 
alfamike said:
I see you made it to Vancouver, BC.

Hope you will share the rest of the trip from S.F. Bay north to BC.

Inquiring minds want to know.

Thankds,

Mike
Click to expand...

I arrived in SF on July 2nd. The existing weather window would have allowed me to pass cape Mendocino, but it would’ve have to be done on the morning of the 5th of July. I did consider continuing, but I was singlehanding the boat and it would have required more than 24hr passage. It was irresponsible to do that as I was already too tired. I decided that I would wait for the next weather window. Unfortunately there was no good time in the following weeks. 25-30 knts from the north and no opening… looking ahead two weeks (whatever the 2 weeks forecast is worth) still of the very same.
Friend of mine come to join me in SF with the hope we could sneak up north, but looking at the forecast we decided to go to plan B and cruise SF bay and the delta for week. After that when we looked at the forecast, we left the boat in a marina in Alameda and flew back to Vancouver.

I did fly from Vancouver to Oakland on 7th of August as finally the weather was looking promising. I met my new crew member that night. He was a guy that came to join me recruited from the Nordhavn forum. He jus ordered a new boat and he had no experience and wanted to learn. We left the early the next morning - August 8th. After the initial laundry machine just west from the Golden gate the seas become more predictable, but definitely not calm. That continue for the entire morning and then it become little more comfortable. We continued the passage for the next 4 days and 20 hrs and arrived in Vancouver at 2:30AM on Sunday August 13th to Vancouver. The new crew member and I worked great together and did flexible shifts. All the trip except the first half of the first day and one more night when we had to slow down to 5 knts due to uncomfortable steep head seas, was exceptionally calm with the winds averaging 5-10 knts. The boat and the crew performed flawlessly. It was much more delightful trip that I expected due to that incredible weather window that opened for 5 days after 5 weeks of continues northern blow. I decided to push through and use the opening in non stop trip also considering the fact that I don’t have much experience passing bars which is the case with almost any harbor entry in Oregon.
The boat has returned to Vancouver after being away for 9 years 11 months and 2 weeks.
Looking forward for towing her some TLC and getting her read for Alaska trip next year!
Cheers to all!
Here are some videos from the trip. Please subscribe as there are more videos to come:
https://youtube.com/@SeaMaster101?si=oy7JrRdHfbBveqTN
 
Last edited:
alfamike said:
OK - checking in with you your trip north.

Looks like your in San Francisco bay.

So tell us all about your trip from San Diego to there so far.

When do you make the next jump.

Like some specs -- average speed, fastest speed, fuel usage for each, etc.
Click to expand...

I did post some videos of the trip to San Francisco. They could be seen here:
https://youtube.com/@SeaMaster101?si=6nSMwWws3VIxpfNj
There is more videos to come so you may consider subscribing if interested in my trip.
Cheers!
 
alfamike said:
I see your in the Oakland Estuary anchorage & marina areas.

Is everything OK ?

What is your plan for staying in S.F. Bay area ?
Click to expand...

All was fine. I was stuck in SF waiting for a wether window and decide to cruise the SF bay and the delta. Unfortunately my expectations were probably too high. I was disappointed. SF bay is great for sailing, but for power cruising and anchoring - not so much. Anyhow- all good experience! Almost made it to Napa, but gave up few miles before as it was going to get dark.
 
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