A couple of questions about taking the Washington State ferry from Anacortes, Wa. to Shaw Island in the American San Juans: Can reservations be made? Is it better to buy a ticket online, in advance, or just show up at the toll booth at the ferry terminal? Is there any point in bringing a passport, if we're not leaving the US? We'll be going in September. Any information is welcome. Brad Crain *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 9:43 PM, Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu> wrote: > A couple of questions about taking the Washington State ferry from > Anacortes, Wa. to Shaw Island in the American San Juans: > > Can reservations be made? > Currently reservations are taken only for two routes: One is the International route between Anacortes and Sydney, BC which, coincidentally, also calls at other islands in the US San Juan chain. Reservations for those islands are not being taken unless the passengers are headed to BC. The only other ferry with a reservation system is between Coupeville, WA (on Whidbey Island) and Port Townsend, WA. This is reservations ONLY so you must have a reservation in order to have any hope of traveling on this route. Last I heard most of them are taken. There are land routes to Port Townsend as well as other ferries (Edmonds is one) that you can take without a reservation which will get you relatively close to Port Townsend. So.... no... you cannot make reservations between Anacortes and any of the San Juan Island terminals. Here is a link to the reservations information: https://business.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/reservations/ > > Is it better to buy a ticket online, in advance, or just show up at > the toll booth at the ferry terminal? > You are going to have to wait in line to get onto a ferry no matter what so you might as well just buy your ticket at the kiosk when entering the terminal at Anacortes. > Is there any point in bringing a passport, if we're not leaving the US? > Nope. > > We'll be going in September. Any information is welcome. > Not all ferries stop at all islands and Shaw Island is one of the most likely terminals to be skipped by any given departure from Anacortes so be sure you know that the ferry you are in line for is going to Shaw and not, for instance, directly to Friday Harbor. Here is a link to the summer schedule: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedule/ScheduleDetailByRoute.aspx?route=ana-sj (I do not know when the Fall schedule takes effect... snoop around their website). Although traffic to (and from) the San Juan Islands slows considerably after Labor Day, you are still very likely to have to watch at least one ferry to your destination leave you still sitting in your car at the Anacortes terminal. Bring a book. Maximum traffic is on Friday afternoon outbound and on Sunday afternoon inbound. If you travel on any weekday other than Friday you are less likely to have to miss a ferry. I have actually arrived at the terminal, bought a ticket, and driven straight onto the ferry; but it's unusual. There is a phone number you can contact when you are enroute to Anacortes to check on ferry waiting times: 1-888-808-7977 (inside Washington state only). You can check waiting times using the Internet (or your smart phone/PDA) at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/commuter_updates/index.cfm?fuseaction=wait_times It doesn't take long to get from Anacortes to Shaw Island so be prepared to get back down to your car from the passenger areas. For the rest of the Paddlewisers: These ferry trips take passengers through one of the most beautiful areas in the USA and if you are visiting the Seattle area I encourage you to take a day and make the trip to Friday Harbor just for the experience. You can also rent kayaks in Friday Harbor or even book a guided tour of the area by kayak. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA www.nwkayaking.net *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Thanks, Craig. This is exactly what I needed to know. We're hopeful the rains will not come in September, but of course rain gear will be brought along. -- Bradford R. Crain Quoting Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>: > On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 9:43 PM, Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu> wrote: > >> A couple of questions about taking the Washington State ferry from >> Anacortes, Wa. to Shaw Island in the American San Juans: >> >> Can reservations be made? >> > > Currently reservations are taken only for two routes: One is the > International route between Anacortes and Sydney, BC which, coincidentally, > also calls at other islands in the US San Juan chain. Reservations for those > islands are not being taken unless the passengers are headed to BC. > > The only other ferry with a reservation system is between Coupeville, WA (on > Whidbey Island) and Port Townsend, WA. This is reservations ONLY so you must > have a reservation in order to have any hope of traveling on this route. > Last I heard most of them are taken. There are land routes to Port Townsend > as well as other ferries (Edmonds is one) that you can take without a > reservation which will get you relatively close to Port Townsend. > > So.... no... you cannot make reservations between Anacortes and any of the > San Juan Island terminals. > > Here is a link to the reservations information: > https://business.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/reservations/ > > >> >> Is it better to buy a ticket online, in advance, or just show up at >> the toll booth at the ferry terminal? >> > > You are going to have to wait in line to get onto a ferry no matter what so > you might as well just buy your ticket at the kiosk when entering the > terminal at Anacortes. > > >> Is there any point in bringing a passport, if we're not leaving the US? >> > > Nope. > >> >> We'll be going in September. Any information is welcome. >> > > Not all ferries stop at all islands and Shaw Island is one of the most > likely terminals to be skipped by any given departure from Anacortes so be > sure you know that the ferry you are in line for is going to Shaw and not, > for instance, directly to Friday Harbor. > > Here is a link to the summer schedule: > > http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedule/ScheduleDetailByRoute.aspx?route=ana-sj > (I do not know when the Fall schedule takes effect... snoop around their > website). > > Although traffic to (and from) the San Juan Islands slows considerably after > Labor Day, you are still very likely to have to watch at least one ferry to > your destination leave you still sitting in your car at the Anacortes > terminal. Bring a book. Maximum traffic is on Friday afternoon outbound and > on Sunday afternoon inbound. If you travel on any weekday other than Friday > you are less likely to have to miss a ferry. I have actually arrived at the > terminal, bought a ticket, and driven straight onto the ferry; but it's > unusual. > > There is a phone number you can contact when you are enroute to Anacortes to > check on ferry waiting times: 1-888-808-7977 (inside Washington state only). > > You can check waiting times using the Internet (or your smart phone/PDA) at: > > > http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/commuter_updates/index.cfm?fuseaction=wait_times > > It doesn't take long to get from Anacortes to Shaw Island so be prepared to > get back down to your car from the passenger areas. > > For the rest of the Paddlewisers: These ferry trips take passengers through > one of the most beautiful areas in the USA and if you are visiting the > Seattle area I encourage you to take a day and make the trip to Friday > Harbor just for the experience. You can also rent kayaks in Friday Harbor or > even book a guided tour of the area by kayak. > > > Craig Jungers > Moses Lake, WA > www.nwkayaking.net *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Brad... in the old days (before we had kids who had to go to school... about 30 years ago) we would always schedule our a couple of weeks of cruising in the San Juans because the weather was generally good. Last year, in August, it was actually uncomfortably HOT on our boat anchored at Orcas. We had never been uncomfortably hot in the Islands before. But at least it wasn't raining (except for the odd thunderstorm at night). So I suspect you'll have good weather and fewer tourists. But taking rain gear is always a good idea whenever you're west of the Cascade Mountains. Hope you have fun! Craig On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 9:04 AM, Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu> wrote: > Thanks, Craig. This is exactly what I needed to know. We're hopeful > the rains will not come in September, but of course rain gear will > be brought along. > > -- > Bradford R. Crain *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Brad, Where are you planning to launch? My vague memory of the options there is they are meager and vanishing. Something about the residents not wanting granola-rabble about. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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