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The South Sound Exploration event will take place over the weekend of July 23-24, as scheduled, with some boats coming just for Saturday and others overnighting Saturday evening at Jarrell's Cove Marine State Park, Harstine Island.
Harstine Island is on Case Inlet, north of Olympia, east of Shelton and southwest of Tacoma. Here are some of good launch-ramp possibilities:
* JOEMMA BEACH STATE PARK, on the southwest side of Key Peninsula, which has lots of dock space. (Drive to Gig Harbor, then Purdy, and turn west and head down Key Peninsula.) To get to Jarrell's Cove from Joemma Beach, head north up Case Inlet, and follow the Harstine Island shore, turning west into Pickering Passage. See chart.
* FAIR HARBOR MARINA, near Grapeview (south of Allyn...reached via Gorst in the Bremerton-Port Orchard area). There is a paved county launch ramp alongside the marina, with free trailer parking across the road. No launch-ramp float, but you're launching into calm water in a protected back bay, so no worries about wave action or dramatic currents as you clamber aboard your boat from the shore.) Fair Harbor Marina is inside Reach Island, in Case Inlet north of Harstine; to get to Jarrell's Cove just head south in Case Inlet, turning west into Pickering Passage. See chart.
* OLYMPIA's SWANTOWN MARINA is a good option for members coming from the south (Portland, etc). Nice big paved ramp, lots of parking. To get to Jarrell's Cove, you'll run north through Budd Inlet to reach the south tip of Harstine Island, then head north around either side of Harstine. When leaving downtown Olympia, pay attention to the low speed limit until you're completely clear of town--the local harbor police always seem to be on guard, strictly enforcing the rules. If you have a typical planing hull, the run time from downtown Olympia to Jarrell's Cove will be approximately one to 1-1/2 hours. See chart.
* NARROWS MARINA, Day Island, just south of the Narrows Bridge in Tacoma. The marina has a paved ramp, fuel dock, store...and from there you'll have a beautiful, longer cruise to Jarrell's Cove. See chart for the many route options, but the most basic plan would involve running south past the east end of Fox Island, then in-between McNeil Island and Anderson Island (past scenic Eagle Island), then through Drayton Passage and north up Case Inlet to the tip of Harstine Island...and around the point, down Pickering Passage to Jarrell's Cove. Figure maybe 2-3 hours for a leisurely run from Narrows Marina, depending on hull speed, side trips, etc.
* POINT DEFIANCE LAUNCH RAMP, next to the Rushton-Vashon ferry landing, is east of Point Defiance proper. This great seven-lane facility is operated by the Tacoma Parks Department; very well organized, with long-term trailer parking available up the hill. You can launch/retrieve at the lowest tides here, but the only possible downside for those going to South Sound is that you have to run through the Tacoma Narrows right after leaving the ramp, and waters there can occasionally be rough due to currents meeting wind-wave action. Plan, very approximately, on a 3-hour run to Jarrell's Cove from Point Defiance, depending on speed and side trips, following the course suggested above for those departing from nearby Day Island. See chart.
Other potential launch-ramp locations include Boston Harbor, Allyn, and a small ramp next to the west end of the Harstine Island Bridge, in Pickering Passage.
For those arriving at Jarrell's Cove by noon on Saturday, the general suggestion is to participate in an afternoon-long run from Jarrell's Cove south through Pickering Passage, west to Shelton through scenic Hammersly Inlet (and back to Pickering Passage), then south past Hope Island Marine State Park in Squaxin Passage, northeast through Dana Passage past the southern tip of Harstine Island, the north through Case Inlet with a possible stop at McMicken Island Marina State Park (midway up the Harstine Island shore)...and back to Jarrell's Cove via the northern section of Pickering Passage. This will give members a good look at the varied features of South Sound, including scenic islands, narrow back-bay channels, several Marine State Parks, etc.
Others who arrive later in the day at Jarrell's Cove (perhaps because they launched in Tacoma and enjoyed a leisurely exploration on their way to Harstine Island), might want to simply relax in the Jarrell's Cove area Saturday afternoon. There are two mooring floats at Jarrell's Cove Marine State Park, along with mooring buoys just offshore. The park offers restrooms with showers, onshore tent-and-RV campsites, trails through the woods, back bays to explore as the tide comes in, and a store and commercial marina on the opposite shore, including a fuel dock and guest moorage.
Personally, we will not be able to join in the 'round-Harstine run during the day on Saturday, since we'll be cruising at 8 knots in our 1959 Luhrs 27-footer, towing a heavy 14-foot skiff...and other members will need to run at 15-20 knots to make the all-afternoon run from Jarrell's Cove south, around the end of the island and back. (We're actually leaving for South Sound this coming Monday morning, July 18, so we'll be out of touch from then on...leisurely cruising southbound and planning to reach Jarrell's Cove by 4 p.m. on Saturday the 23rd. We'll probably overnight Friday evening near a friend's place north of Reach Island, checking out a Saturday noon-to-3 p.m. rendezvous of the Traditional Small Craft Association that's taking place in a small cove opposite the north end of Reach Island, organized by friends Tom and Suzanne Regan of Grapeview Point Boat Works. If any other NWCBC members wish to cross-pollinate with owners of classic rowing and sailing craft--and maybe a few small outboard boats--feel free to join in the fun early Saturday afternoon. Reach Island is north of Jarrell's Cove in Case Inlet, and the TSCA rendezvous takes place just north of the Fair Harbor Marina launch ramp, described above.) We'll hang out from about noon to 3 p.m. there, then head south to join members of NWCBC at Jarrell's Cove.
Saturday evening we expect most members will gather together at Jarrell's Cove Marine State Park--either in the shore-side tent-camping area next to the northernmost park mooring float, or perhaps on the larger mooring float at the south end of the park--to share in an informal, bring-whatever-you-want-to-eat dinner. (Last year when we did South Sound, Lauryn and Chris went crabbing during the day, and shared delicious Dungeness crab Saturday evening, but most of us were "on our own" in terms of menu planning. In other words, if a potluck spontaneously springs to life, that's great, but we don't need to plan anything special.)
If you're eager (or able) to sleep aboard your boat, and you can stay over until Sunday, that's great. For ultimate quiet, the best bet is the offshore mooring buoys, since overnighting at the state-park floats can sometimes involve neighbors staying up late just down the dock, or getting up in the pre-dawn darkness to walk their dogs, etc. But, generally speaking, the park is dead-quiet all night no matter where you sleep. If you don't want to camp overnight aboard your boat, there always seem to be available tent campsites ashore. (Or, finally, if you want to join in the fun but your boat isn't ready for the trip, you can drive onto Harstine Island by bridge and overnight in the upland campground in your RV, or in a tent.)
Please be aware of the new Washington State Park fee structure, which went into effect July 1. If you pay for overnight moorage or an on-land campsite you're fine, by my understanding, but if you enter any State Park without a campsite reservation you have to either pay a $10 day-use fee or have one of the annual Discover Passes. (See the Washington State Parks website for the fine print on fees.)
So, most members will probably want to launch Saturday between 8:30-10:30 a.m., depending on launch-ramp location, if they hope to get to Jarrell's Cove by noon for the 'round-island Saturday cruise. Options for Saturday include joining other members in the all-afternoon cruise described above; joining us for the rendezvous with members of the Traditional Small Craft Association between noon and 3 p.m. near the north end of Reach Island...or just hanging out in Jarrell's Cove Saturday afternoon. (If you'd like to see the TSCA boats and meet some of their owners--a nice, laid-back group--just look for our lapstrake 27-foot Luhrs hardtop anchored at the entrance to a small cove just west of Reach Island's northern end).
I'll post a final note before we shove off Monday morning, but, again, we'll be completely out of touch--(ON VACATION--what a concept!)--from this Monday until the weekend of the 23rd-24th, when we see the rest of you Saturday around 4 p.m. at Jarrell's Cove. Following the Jarrell's Cove weekend, we'll head back home, arriving in Mystery Bay by Tuesday evening, the 26th.
Finally, for those who overnight Saturday the 23rd at Jarrell's Cove, we can share in a leisurely exploration of other sights in South Sound during much of the day on Sunday...perhaps visiting McMicken Island Marine State Park, Eagle Island Marine State Park, Penrose Point Marine State Park (all great destinations), or other spots in South Sound.
Below are some shots from last summer's South Sound gathering at Jarrell's Cove. The last photo shows our '59 Luhrs sea skiff...so you know what to look for if you're trying to find us Saturday noon-to-3 p.m. in small cove near the north end of Reach Island.
We'll hope to see many of you over the weekend of the 23rd-24th...
- Marty and Mo
Harstine Island is on Case Inlet, north of Olympia, east of Shelton and southwest of Tacoma. Here are some of good launch-ramp possibilities:
* JOEMMA BEACH STATE PARK, on the southwest side of Key Peninsula, which has lots of dock space. (Drive to Gig Harbor, then Purdy, and turn west and head down Key Peninsula.) To get to Jarrell's Cove from Joemma Beach, head north up Case Inlet, and follow the Harstine Island shore, turning west into Pickering Passage. See chart.
* FAIR HARBOR MARINA, near Grapeview (south of Allyn...reached via Gorst in the Bremerton-Port Orchard area). There is a paved county launch ramp alongside the marina, with free trailer parking across the road. No launch-ramp float, but you're launching into calm water in a protected back bay, so no worries about wave action or dramatic currents as you clamber aboard your boat from the shore.) Fair Harbor Marina is inside Reach Island, in Case Inlet north of Harstine; to get to Jarrell's Cove just head south in Case Inlet, turning west into Pickering Passage. See chart.
* OLYMPIA's SWANTOWN MARINA is a good option for members coming from the south (Portland, etc). Nice big paved ramp, lots of parking. To get to Jarrell's Cove, you'll run north through Budd Inlet to reach the south tip of Harstine Island, then head north around either side of Harstine. When leaving downtown Olympia, pay attention to the low speed limit until you're completely clear of town--the local harbor police always seem to be on guard, strictly enforcing the rules. If you have a typical planing hull, the run time from downtown Olympia to Jarrell's Cove will be approximately one to 1-1/2 hours. See chart.
* NARROWS MARINA, Day Island, just south of the Narrows Bridge in Tacoma. The marina has a paved ramp, fuel dock, store...and from there you'll have a beautiful, longer cruise to Jarrell's Cove. See chart for the many route options, but the most basic plan would involve running south past the east end of Fox Island, then in-between McNeil Island and Anderson Island (past scenic Eagle Island), then through Drayton Passage and north up Case Inlet to the tip of Harstine Island...and around the point, down Pickering Passage to Jarrell's Cove. Figure maybe 2-3 hours for a leisurely run from Narrows Marina, depending on hull speed, side trips, etc.
* POINT DEFIANCE LAUNCH RAMP, next to the Rushton-Vashon ferry landing, is east of Point Defiance proper. This great seven-lane facility is operated by the Tacoma Parks Department; very well organized, with long-term trailer parking available up the hill. You can launch/retrieve at the lowest tides here, but the only possible downside for those going to South Sound is that you have to run through the Tacoma Narrows right after leaving the ramp, and waters there can occasionally be rough due to currents meeting wind-wave action. Plan, very approximately, on a 3-hour run to Jarrell's Cove from Point Defiance, depending on speed and side trips, following the course suggested above for those departing from nearby Day Island. See chart.
Other potential launch-ramp locations include Boston Harbor, Allyn, and a small ramp next to the west end of the Harstine Island Bridge, in Pickering Passage.
For those arriving at Jarrell's Cove by noon on Saturday, the general suggestion is to participate in an afternoon-long run from Jarrell's Cove south through Pickering Passage, west to Shelton through scenic Hammersly Inlet (and back to Pickering Passage), then south past Hope Island Marine State Park in Squaxin Passage, northeast through Dana Passage past the southern tip of Harstine Island, the north through Case Inlet with a possible stop at McMicken Island Marina State Park (midway up the Harstine Island shore)...and back to Jarrell's Cove via the northern section of Pickering Passage. This will give members a good look at the varied features of South Sound, including scenic islands, narrow back-bay channels, several Marine State Parks, etc.
Others who arrive later in the day at Jarrell's Cove (perhaps because they launched in Tacoma and enjoyed a leisurely exploration on their way to Harstine Island), might want to simply relax in the Jarrell's Cove area Saturday afternoon. There are two mooring floats at Jarrell's Cove Marine State Park, along with mooring buoys just offshore. The park offers restrooms with showers, onshore tent-and-RV campsites, trails through the woods, back bays to explore as the tide comes in, and a store and commercial marina on the opposite shore, including a fuel dock and guest moorage.
Personally, we will not be able to join in the 'round-Harstine run during the day on Saturday, since we'll be cruising at 8 knots in our 1959 Luhrs 27-footer, towing a heavy 14-foot skiff...and other members will need to run at 15-20 knots to make the all-afternoon run from Jarrell's Cove south, around the end of the island and back. (We're actually leaving for South Sound this coming Monday morning, July 18, so we'll be out of touch from then on...leisurely cruising southbound and planning to reach Jarrell's Cove by 4 p.m. on Saturday the 23rd. We'll probably overnight Friday evening near a friend's place north of Reach Island, checking out a Saturday noon-to-3 p.m. rendezvous of the Traditional Small Craft Association that's taking place in a small cove opposite the north end of Reach Island, organized by friends Tom and Suzanne Regan of Grapeview Point Boat Works. If any other NWCBC members wish to cross-pollinate with owners of classic rowing and sailing craft--and maybe a few small outboard boats--feel free to join in the fun early Saturday afternoon. Reach Island is north of Jarrell's Cove in Case Inlet, and the TSCA rendezvous takes place just north of the Fair Harbor Marina launch ramp, described above.) We'll hang out from about noon to 3 p.m. there, then head south to join members of NWCBC at Jarrell's Cove.
Saturday evening we expect most members will gather together at Jarrell's Cove Marine State Park--either in the shore-side tent-camping area next to the northernmost park mooring float, or perhaps on the larger mooring float at the south end of the park--to share in an informal, bring-whatever-you-want-to-eat dinner. (Last year when we did South Sound, Lauryn and Chris went crabbing during the day, and shared delicious Dungeness crab Saturday evening, but most of us were "on our own" in terms of menu planning. In other words, if a potluck spontaneously springs to life, that's great, but we don't need to plan anything special.)
If you're eager (or able) to sleep aboard your boat, and you can stay over until Sunday, that's great. For ultimate quiet, the best bet is the offshore mooring buoys, since overnighting at the state-park floats can sometimes involve neighbors staying up late just down the dock, or getting up in the pre-dawn darkness to walk their dogs, etc. But, generally speaking, the park is dead-quiet all night no matter where you sleep. If you don't want to camp overnight aboard your boat, there always seem to be available tent campsites ashore. (Or, finally, if you want to join in the fun but your boat isn't ready for the trip, you can drive onto Harstine Island by bridge and overnight in the upland campground in your RV, or in a tent.)
Please be aware of the new Washington State Park fee structure, which went into effect July 1. If you pay for overnight moorage or an on-land campsite you're fine, by my understanding, but if you enter any State Park without a campsite reservation you have to either pay a $10 day-use fee or have one of the annual Discover Passes. (See the Washington State Parks website for the fine print on fees.)
So, most members will probably want to launch Saturday between 8:30-10:30 a.m., depending on launch-ramp location, if they hope to get to Jarrell's Cove by noon for the 'round-island Saturday cruise. Options for Saturday include joining other members in the all-afternoon cruise described above; joining us for the rendezvous with members of the Traditional Small Craft Association between noon and 3 p.m. near the north end of Reach Island...or just hanging out in Jarrell's Cove Saturday afternoon. (If you'd like to see the TSCA boats and meet some of their owners--a nice, laid-back group--just look for our lapstrake 27-foot Luhrs hardtop anchored at the entrance to a small cove just west of Reach Island's northern end).
I'll post a final note before we shove off Monday morning, but, again, we'll be completely out of touch--(ON VACATION--what a concept!)--from this Monday until the weekend of the 23rd-24th, when we see the rest of you Saturday around 4 p.m. at Jarrell's Cove. Following the Jarrell's Cove weekend, we'll head back home, arriving in Mystery Bay by Tuesday evening, the 26th.
Finally, for those who overnight Saturday the 23rd at Jarrell's Cove, we can share in a leisurely exploration of other sights in South Sound during much of the day on Sunday...perhaps visiting McMicken Island Marine State Park, Eagle Island Marine State Park, Penrose Point Marine State Park (all great destinations), or other spots in South Sound.
Below are some shots from last summer's South Sound gathering at Jarrell's Cove. The last photo shows our '59 Luhrs sea skiff...so you know what to look for if you're trying to find us Saturday noon-to-3 p.m. in small cove near the north end of Reach Island.
We'll hope to see many of you over the weekend of the 23rd-24th...
- Marty and Mo
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