Puget sound anchorages

[CharlieO.]

Are there long term anchorage areas/problems where people moor their semi decrepit liveaboard boats similar to the problems I regularly read about in Florida? Just curious.

 

[bkcorwin]

Doesn't seem like as big a problem in the sound. If you go up into BC gulf islands there seems to be a lot more of this issue.

 

[Bmarler]

there's a few here and there. i have a couple out front of my marina now. there's a few out at the end of the inlet too. i bet i could point a few out at most towns in puget sound. i don't have a clue how many there are in florida so i guess i can't make a direct comparison, but they do exist here.

 

[tiltrider1]

We only have a few anchorages that are safe for winter. Of those one has been turned into a floating marina. This makes it to expensive to hang for more than 72 hours. The other issue is access to water. Don’t get me wrong there are some derelict boats anchored in every winter protected cove but nothing like what we see in BC Canada.

 

[Max Simmons]

Are there still live-aboards in Eagle Harbor?

 

[CharlieO.]

I brought up the question because I came across a YouTube video(s) complaining about nefarious activities somewhere nearby in reference to Deception pass area.
I only have a vague reference to the whole PNW area so apologize if don't use the proper area names.
Our goals still include relocating to the area so just trying to get a lay of the land so to speak. We have only visited Gig harbor, Oak Harbor, Anacortes, Port Townsend and Friday Harbor areas via ferry and automobile.

 

[tiltrider1]

Are there still live-aboards in Eagle Harbor?

Yes and no. There are liveaboards who pay rent to live on a mooring. There are no anchored permanent liveaboards any more.

 

[tiltrider1]

I brought up the question because I came across a YouTube video(s) complaining about nefarious activities somewhere nearby in reference to Deception pass area.
I only have a vague reference to the whole PNW area so apologize if don't use the proper area names.
Our goals still include relocating to the area so just trying to get a lay of the land so to speak. We have only visited Gig harbor, Oak Harbor, Anacortes, Port Townsend and Friday Harbor areas via ferry and automobile.

Interesting, there are some large mud flats close by and a lot of reservation land. I do not see much in the way of derelict or anchored liveaboard activity in the area. That said it only takes one to be a problem to some one.

 

[SteveK]

We only have a few anchorages that are safe for winter. Of those one has been turned into a floating marina. This makes it to expensive to hang for more than 72 hours. The other issue is access to water. Don’t get me wrong there are some derelict boats anchored in every winter protected cove but nothing like what we see in BC Canada.

well we did accept all your draft dodgers

 

[sjisailor]

As mentioned there seem to be a few in most cities in Puget Sound / San Juans but not a big problem in any of my experience. Away from towns, which means most places recreational boaters want to anchor, there are very few. Some of the best anchorages are also in parks where there are enforced limits and regular patrols (e.g. various San Juan Islands).

 

[tiltrider1]

well we did accept all your draft dodgers

Yes, but why do you let them clog up your best anchorages with derelict boats. LOL.

 

[Portage_Bay]

An Eagle Harbor story from long ago.

In the mid to late 70s I was trying to restore a 1926 woodie on a shoe string. I was on the list for the marina at Eagle Harbor. In the meantime I thought keeping her at anchor was a way ro save a buck. I'd take the ferry over from Seattle on my days off and get some work done. Until one day I rowed out to my boat to find someone living abroad. Needless to say he was evicted unceremoniously. There were a lot of characters in Eagle Harbor in those days.

Are there still live-aboards in Eagle Harbor?

 

[Moonfish]

We interviewed Bob Wise, the President of the Recreational Boating Association of Washington (RBAW), for our new podcast The Boat Geeks. In the show we talked about the Derelict Vessel Removal Program and he said there are close to 300 boats on the list throughout the state!

 

[J.T kearney]

Hi All
Eagle harbor was a super fund cleanup site a while back ,instead of trying to remove the contaminant (creosote for telephone poles and pilings) they decided to cap it with some Mistry ooze and anchorage is limited pretty much to mooring balls. They don't want anchoring in the haz Site fearing the breakage of the seal. There was a big stink about some liveaboards because they weren't pumping out so the local Barney Fife (marine unit) enforcement squad monitor it pretty closely. There were a few derelict boats but now gone.
Cheers
J.T.

 

[luna]

Insofar as up here in Beautiful British Columbia is concerned, some of our problem areas include but are not limited to:

-False Creek, right in downtown Vancouver remains a mess.
-Brentwood Bay on Van. Isld, where the local government encourages anchored, blue tarped liveaboards.
-Ladysmith, where the local first nation just expropriated without payment, the not for profit marina.
-Ganges on Saltspring Isld, where the locals are too stoned to know or care.
-Porpoise Bay, on the backside of Sechelt where its tough to get to by boat.

Other than that generally, I think we're good.

 

[SteveK]

Insofar as up here in Beautiful British Columbia is concerned, some of our problem areas include but are not limited to:

-False Creek, right in downtown Vancouver remains a mess.
-Brentwood Bay on Van. Isld, where the local government encourages anchored, blue tarped liveaboards.
-Ladysmith, where the local first nation just expropriated without payment, the not for profit marina.
-Ganges on Saltspring Isld, where the locals are too stoned to know or care.
-Porpoise Bay, on the backside of Sechelt where its tough to get to by boat.

Other than that generally, I think we're good.

That is a list I know.
Now I would like to know where the best anchorages with these derelicts are.

 

[Bmarler]

We interviewed Bob Wise, the President of the Recreational Boating Association of Washington (RBAW), for our new podcast The Boat Geeks. In the show we talked about the Derelict Vessel Removal Program and he said there are close to 300 boats on the list throughout the state!

This isn’t surprising to me at all. I’ve seen at least 50 boats disposed of right here by my home slip. Crunch them up and put them in a dumpster. There’s 4 or 5 in the queue right now.

 

[CharlieO.]

We interviewed Bob Wise, the President of the Recreational Boating Association of Washington (RBAW), for our new podcast The Boat Geeks. In the show we talked about the Derelict Vessel Removal Program and he said there are close to 300 boats on the list throughout the state!

I entered your podcast onto my spotify list, just one published show so far?

 

[luna]

That is a list I know.
Now I would like to know where the best anchorages with these derelicts are.

I'm not quite sure what your request actually is, "best anchorages with these derelicts"?

I guess that would depend on your definition of best anchorages, which likely differs from mine.

It appears the derelict boat community has already determined what their idea of best anchorages is, as they seem to congregate around locations that have easy access to reasonably good land based services.

My experience is that you don't generally find derelicts at places like Jedediah or Harmony Islands as although they are wonderful, remote anchorages that are relatively close to town, there are no services there.

 

[SteveK]

Luna, a prior post referred to the best anchorages are being ruined by derelict boats. The ones we are aware of do not in my opinion sound like the best anchorages being referred to, thus I asked for spcific anchorages that are named best anchorages.

 

[luna]

Ok, got it. Good luck in getting a meaningful response, as it is entirely subjective.

Who says that the "best anchorages" aren't the ones that I have already listed as being clogged with less than gleaming and spit polished yachts? Just you?

 

[tozz]

We interviewed Bob Wise, the President of the Recreational Boating Association of Washington (RBAW), for our new podcast The Boat Geeks. In the show we talked about the Derelict Vessel Removal Program and he said there are close to 300 boats on the list throughout the state!

Here is the current list:

https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/aqr_dv_vessels_of_concern_20231103.pdf

and the current funding level and how to report a vessel of concern:

https://www.dnr.wa.gov/programs-and...vessels/derelict-vessel-inventory-and-funding

-tozz

 

[JackConnick]

Quartermaster Harbor has a bunch of derelicts scattered all over.

 

[slowgoesit]

Quartermaster Harbor, as stated
Pouslbo
Port Orchard (Sinclair Inlet) where we had our boat has a regular "Hobo Anchorage" where boats go to be lived on and die. Our marina was right next to the boat ramp, and the state regularly hauled boats up the crunched and hauled away in dumpster, probably 2 - 3 every few months.

Biggest issue in WA state is that the state collects a derelict vessel fee annualy from every boat registration, but the same department who administers the derelict vessel removal program also does firefighting wildfires, so they continually spend the $$ collected for derelict vessel removal on fighting fires in state lands.

Then they lobby for higher derelict vessel fees because they are constantly out of $$ . . . to remove derelict vessels.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

I'm also moored in Port Orchard. I heard that a recent statute (I believe State, but might be Kitsap County), put a limit on days at anchor and a new regulation that a boater can be required to move the vessel a certain distance under its own power. We had several that arrived as a group and rafted because only one of them had an operating engine. I don't know how the regulation was enforced, but there are now just a couple of boats moored out when there used to be a dozen.

 

[Sababa]

Gorge Harbor in BC is an otherwise great anchorage that is choked with rotting hulks.

 

[Moonfish]

I entered your podcast onto my spotify list, just one published show so far?

Hi Charlie - Thanks for checking it out! Yes, we have released just the premiere episode but will be publishing our second show this Thursday (the one with Bob Wise, Pres of RBAW). We plan on releasing a new show on the 1st and 15th of every month. Plus any special segments we decide to do.

 

[DC36Monk]

Gorge Harbor in BC is an otherwise great anchorage that is choked with rotting hulks.

Prior to COVID Gorge had a few, but since COVID it’s a mess. Between derelicts and mussel farms it’s a mess. Same thing with Ganges.

We had one abandoned in front of our house near Gig Harbor but bugged the state until they made it go away. Tried to get my neighbor to tow it out to Tacoma Narrows on an outgoing tide, volunteering to be the one to cut the hose to the cockpit drains. Before driving away. He said no, like in “no sense of adventure.”