Fast Friends On A Fast Cruiser

One of the joys of boating is sharing good times on the water with our friends, family, and fellow boaters. Flotillas, common here in the Pacific Northwest, are a fun way for boaters to travel together, gain experience, and see new places. They’re usually arranged through yacht clubs or paid flotilla guides. Then there are popular manufacturer-sponsored trips. Washington-based Fluid Motion, which builds Ranger Tugs, Cutwater, and Solara boats, leads several flotilla rendezvous for their owners.

I used to own a Cutwater, participated in several of these excursions, and found them a great way to meet people with similar interests. My relationship with the folks at Fluid Motion got me access to a new Cutwater C-288 Coupe to attend a flotilla across the Canadian border in British Columbia. My crew was a good friend I’ve known for decades through work. Elio Betty is not only a seasoned sailor from New England, but he’s also publisher of BoatU.S. Magazine. I couldn’t resist an opportunity to show off my local islands to an East Coaster so he could experience what it’s like to cruise on a fast boat in such a gorgeous place. The Cutwater C-288 C (Coupe) is powered by twin Yamaha 250-horsepower outboards that can deliver a top speed near 50 mph. This was going to be a different kind of cruising than Elio is used to on his Sabre 34 sailboat.

We started the trip along with a group of other Cutwaters and Ranger Tugs in Anacortes, Washington, which is called the Gateway to the San Juan Islands. The group headed out “parade-style,” in a line of boats broken into two groups based on speed, as some are inboard diesel-powered and others have single or twin gas outboards. It’s only 9 miles from Cap Sante Marina to the San Juans, so we led the fast group and soon crossed Rosario Strait. Just like that, we were in the islands.

Island Time

Entering this protected archipelago, city life quickly dropped out of mind as we worked our way through forest-covered rocks rising from the deep emerald-green waters. Large snowcapped mountains loomed in the distance like a backdrop painted for our delight.

Over a trillion gallons of water flow each day from the Pacific Ocean through the Strait of Juan De Fuca in and out of the Salish Sea, home to Puget Sound and both the San Juan and Canadian Gulf islands. This tidal pump replenishes the nutrient-rich water, making it attractive to all types of creatures above and below the surface. Here you’ll eye an abundance of bald eagles, tufted puffins, sea otters, seals, and a variety of whales including endangered local pods of orcas. Beneath the surface, massive halibut and ling cod mingle with giant Pacific octopus amongst the craggy rocks, as sockeye, pink, and chinook salmon cruise gracefully by chasing their prey. It’s an amazingly beautiful place and best explored by boat.

The look on Elio’s face said he was sliding into island time. He marveled at the abundance of nature unfolding around us in this western boater’s playground. We worked our way through the San Juan Islands en route to Canada, running around 25 mph. The sun breaking out between puffy clouds gleamed across the water and sparkled in our wakes.

Destination Canada

Our flotilla fleet was headed to one of the two bases in British Columbia for the weekend gathering, one in Sidney, and one in Bedwell Harbour on Pender Island, our destination. Poking out of the San Juan Islands, we approached the Boundary Pass straight and crossed into Canadian waters.

Entering Bedwell Harbour, there’s a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) dock where we tied up and cleared into Canada. There are rules regarding firearms, liquor, marijuana (even though it’s legal in both Washington and British Columbia), and prohibited food items that you must adhere to when entering Canada. (Visit cbsa-asfc.gc.ca for the latest information.)

After we cleared in, we moved to nearby Poets Cove Marina, where the group was congregating. All the Ranger Tugs and Cutwaters were moored up along the docks, and owners were strolling from boat to boat, chatting with one another. Events like this allow owners with the same or similar boats to see how their fellow boaters have set up their vessels and share experiences. That evening everyone got to know each other at a happy hour and barbecue on the dock.

A Reason To Run

It’s been said that boating and golfing don’t mix, but I really wanted to compete in the most unique (and fun) golfing contest I’ve ever seen. A floating green was placed in the water, and participants used irons to chip Wiffle golf balls into the hole, or at least as close as they could get. It’s not easy! Winners received prizes like marine BBQs and electronics. After searching the boat, we discovered that we’d left our golf clubs at the sister rendezvous 10 miles away in Sidney. Not a problem with a fast boat.

Buzzing through the islands, the Cutwater felt stable thanks to the boat’s double stepped hull, auto trim tabs, and 10-foot beam. At 43 mph we were using around 35 gph – about 1.2 mpg. Keeping a careful eye for debris in the water, including logs, and winding through the islands, we had an exhilarating ride and soon arrived.

Say Hello To Sidney

Sidney is a town on Vancouver Island of about 12,000 residents, more than 10 times the permanent population of both Pender islands. After tucking into a slip with the joysticks I was now getting more comfortable with, we wandered the docks talking to the various Ranger Tug owners. Then Elio and I slipped into this quaint little Canadian town with three grocery stores, numerous shops, pubs, hotels, and restaurants and found a spot outside on a patio dining area facing a park along the water where we enjoyed some fresh oysters and other local delicacies. After lunch, we returned to the group in time to watch them start their golf contest, which was hilarious as Wiffle golf balls sailed across the water, some even coming close to their intended target. We left the Sidney group and took two clubs back with us for more crazy golf adventures in sleepy, beautiful Pender Island.

The Convenience Of Speed

The speed of the Cutwater gave us the ability to zip back and forth among the islands. But after the flotilla was over, we learned more about how much ground we could cover. As the boats dispersed after the weekend, we headed back to the United States. It’s more than 30 nautical miles from Pender Island to Anacortes, which we could have made in under an hour. Because Elio had only seen the San Juan Islands on the fly once before, we agreed to extend our Pacific Northwest adventure after dropping off some of the crew.

We stopped at Rosario Resort on Orcas Island. What was a stately private mansion with an Aeolian pipe organ, immense shiplike wooden beams, and fixtures built in 1905 by shipping magnate Robert Moran was recently a vacation resort. The historic mansion has been closed for renovations, but the marina is still open. We enjoyed walking the grounds, which remain beautiful. The pool and a restaurant adjacent to the marina remain open as well.

With our speedy boat, we toured East Sound, then headed for Roche Harbor, the most popular boating spot in the San Juans. This former company town, converted to a resort, hosts multiple rendezvous and special events, several restaurants, and an amazing July Fourth celebration that gets booked up years in advance. We hung out on the docks talking to fellow boaters and took a trek up through the fir forest to the “mausoleum” to reflect upon a different time. Hiking through the woods reveals an iconic pillared memorial to the McMillin family who ran Roche Harbor Lime Company.

Island Hopping

After a night in Roche, we headed to Fisherman’s Bay on Lopez Island. The Lopez Islander Resort has a full-service marina with 64 slips, restaurant, and a heated pool with a hot tub. It’s a fun place to hang out, and on weekends there’s live music in the bar. The bands range from good to not as good, but there’s always excellent people-watching, and usually some interesting dancing.

The main town of Lopez Village is less than a mile’s walk from the marina, or you can rent bicycles, which are popular on the island. The village has numerous shops and restaurants, a taproom, ice cream store, and nice bookstore. On Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. there’s a farmers’ market featuring local produce and arts and crafts. Elio and I discovered the Blue Heron Bistro, a cozy spot known for seafood, steak, and pasta – like Dungeness crab mac and cheese. The owner’s brother makes incredible homemade pies and desserts daily.

Elio had to catch a plane home the next afternoon, so we worked our way out of the narrow outlet of the bay, then whipped across the San Juan Channel 5 miles to Friday Harbor. We hailed the port on the VHF to ask about mooring. They usually put short-termers on the outside wall, but it was quiet that morning, so they just told us to come in and find an open spot. There was an opening between two boats that were only a couple feet longer than the Cutwater. With my newfound respect for the joystick controls, I lined the boat up and slid her sideways perfectly between the boats, and Elio calmly stepped off and tied us up as if we’d done this a thousand times before.

Sharing The Boating Experience

Wandering up the hill into Friday Harbor, the “big city” of the San Juan Islands with around 2,750 residents, Elio and I talked about the trip and how thrilled we were at the amount of ground we were able to comfortably cover in four days.

“You can do a lot more at 45 knots than at 5!” said my sailor friend.

We settled into a booth at Rocky Bay Café, one of my favorite breakfast spots in the islands. Over the years, Elio and I had hung out at boat shows and work events, but it was nice to just go boating together and run into so many fellow boaters on our Canadian cruise. Boating is such a great equalizer and creates connections. By boating together, we really got to know each other so much better. As we talked about everything under the sun – our lives, our work – it all led to talk about other adventures we could do.

We both agreed that it would be fun to go sailing on Long Island Sound – Elio’s home sailing ground – so we decided to try to make it happen next time work brought me east. The beauty of boating is that it brings us closer. Whether American or Canadian, fast or slow, power or sail, we can all benefit from the shared connection of being on the water.