For first-timers to the Friday Harbor Marina, it is really handy to know where your assigned slip is in a maze of fairways and other boaters.
Even regular visitors can forget where G-dock is or which side are the odd-numbered slips!
Does anyone see the dinghy dock? (It's at the end of A-dock)
Tip #1 Ask for a slip close to land, that quarter-mile walk gets old real fast!
Tip #2 If your visit includes loading and unloading passengers and gear, save yourself a long walk and use the loading dock below the marina office. (just motor past the fuel pier) The side-facing land is for public use. The other side is for VIP's
Picking the best of anything is asking for an argument but I thought folks planning a visit would benefit from the discussion.
Let's start by listing my choices in order of best first, first because they have overnight docks, followed by some pros and cons and a few real world comments. (hopefully I haven't omitted your favorite) Keep in mind, we go to all the parks and don't dislike any but there is no doubt some parks are five star and some are not depending on what we are doing or the weather during that particular cruise.
For a more detailed review of the San Juan area marine parks including maps try this post. marine parks
parks with docks
Jones Island
Matia
Sucia - Fossil Bay
James Island
Stuart Island (Prevost & Reid Harbor)
Sharpe Cove and Cornet Bay at Deception Pass
parks without docks
Saddlebag Island
Pelican Beach
Turn Island
Eagle Harbor
Cypress Head
Patos
Sucia (Echo and Shallow bays)
Spencer Spit
Odlin County Park (has 2 hr dock)
Clark Island
Doe Island
Obstruction Pass
Sidney Spit Marine Park (Canada) (has overnight dock)
Washington Park (launching ramp only dock)
San Juan County Park
Shaw Island Park
1 - Jones Island is my number one choice and here's why
Pros:
bigger but not biggest dock
protected bay
great dinghy beach with a couple tidepools
anchor buoys and lots of room to anchor
running water and four nice nearby composters
hiking the many loop trails at Jones never gets boring
tiny deer, many tame, are unique to Jones
dock is very close to camp sites for evening fires
For most people, bicycling the San Juan's means arriving with your bike and gear in a car on a Ferry.
But it doesn't have to be this way. Savvy cyclists leave their cars in Anacortes and ride the ferry to the San Juan Islands. Once in the islands bicycle travel is the way to go.
First let's explore a likely scenario for those without a boat, bear with me, this will get a little wordy:
You drive to Anacortes and find a place to park for free for a week, maybe more. Or park at the ferry terminal long term parking lot for about $40 per week. Next, jump on the ferry paying a small nominal fee for one passenger and bicycle for a lift to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, or Orcas, or Lopez, or Shaw. FYI: foot passengers and bicyclists never need reservations or need to wait in line like car travelers.
So far so good!
The day is still early, start touring (ride your bike). At the end of the day you will end up in a motel, B&B, campground, or any number of resorts. You probably will be well advised to have some reservations lined up in advance. Oh, and bring a pocket full of cash because restaurants and beds aren't free. The next day tour around some more then jump on the free for foot passengers Ferry to other Islands and repeat. Eventually you will end up back in Anacortes where your car is waiting for the drive home.
This is a great plan if you are into minimalist and don't have a boat, but there are a few weaknesses; number one, where is all my extra gear that I take when I travel, oh yeah its back in the car parked in Anacortes while I'm gallivanting around on an island with nothing but my pocket full of cash and what fits in my bike bags. (not good for some of us) Excellent plan if your a hard core bicyclist. Number two doesn't matter, I'm still back on number one.
