San Juan Islands Adventure
Frankland ANNIVERSARY
When: August 9-11
What: 2 nights/ 3 days sailing adventure through the San Juan Islands
Where: Start in Bellingham, Washington
End in Bellingham Washington
Who: The Franklands
TRAVEL
OUR TRIP BEGINS AT 12 PM ON Thursday (Aug 9th) AFTERNOON.
WE MEET IN THE LOBBY OF THE HOTEL BELLWETHER.
LOCATED AT: 1 BELLWETHER WAY BELLINGHAM, WA 98225
THERE IS FREE UNDERGROUND PARKING AT THE MARINA (UNDER THE HOTEL BELLWETHER)
GETTING TO AND FROM BELLINGHAM
- Bellingham, Washington is about 80 miles North of Seattle. There are several ways to get to Bellingham:
- Fly Directly to Bellingham International Airport. This is certainly the easiest option and logistically simplest. Flying in and out of Bellingham can add extra cost though. Alaska Airlines has regular flights, as do smaller regional airlines.
- Fly to SeaTac (located 20 minutes south of downtown Seattle). SeaTac is the largest airport with the most options for getting to the Seattle Area. From SeaTac you have several options for getting to Bellingham
- Rent a car at Seatac and drive to Bellingham. The drive from Seatac to Bellingham can be as short as 2 hours, and as long as 5 (depending on traffic). Once in Bellingham, you can return the rental car at the Bellingham Airport, or park it for free at the Marina where we depart.
- Take the Bellair Airporter Shuttle Bus from Seatac to Bellingham. About $40.00 dollars each way. This option is easy, but you need to make sure your flights line up with the Shuttle.
- Take the Bolt Bus from Downtown Seattle. This is a good and relatively cheap option. The tricky part is that the Bolt Bus leaves from Downtown Seattle instead of Seatac Airport. If you plan on spending a day or two in Seattle (which if time allows is a wonderful idea!) than this is a good option. To get to downtown Seattle from the airport there is a Light Rail train that runs regularly. Fares are between $10- $30
- Take the Amtrak from Downtown Seattle to Fairhaven (the "old town" of Bellingham).This is my favorite option by far! The train ride from Seattle to Bellingham is relaxing and beautiful. The train leaves from downtown Seattle (King Street Station). Fares range $20-$40.
- Bellingham has easy options for getting around town. If you are staying in downtown Bellingham, walking/renting a bike is very convenient and easy. Uber, Lyft, and Taxis are also available.
Schedule and the Three "w"s
We want you to remember your time in the San Juans as one of the most wonderful and relaxing adventures of your life. We have a schedule that we "try" to stick to, but we almost never do entirely! The main reason we don't is because of the three W's...Wind, Weather, and Whales! This usually means that we are having too much fun sailing, watching whales, or enjoying a lazy day on the beach to hurry off to our next stop, so we are flexible and always try to make the best of any situation that comes our way!
Please Plan on arriving in Bellingham (or Seattle) one day prior to the BEGINNING of your Charter Date (Sunday at 2:00 pm). We recommend this so that flight and other travel delays do not cause us to start your trip late.
Day 1: Thursday
- 12 PM: Meet at the lobby of the Bellwether Hotel in Bellingham
- 12:30 PM: After a getting settled and going over a few details we will depart and head for Sucia Island State Park!
- Late Afternoon: We arrive at Sucia Island and have time to explore, paddle, hike, or just relax and take in the views before dinner.
Day 2: Friday
- We Depart Sucia around and head South towards Cypress Island. Along the way we will sail as much as possible, and go past Clark Island where we may stop for a quick hike and lunch!
- In the early afternoon we'll arrive at Cyrpress island. Cypress has miles of amazing walking/hiking trails, and great paddling. Also, amazing beaches to just take it all in at!
Day 3: saturday
- After a great last breakfast, and perhaps a morning stroll, we'll depart around 10 am and head back to Bellingham, arriving at the Marina around noon.
Logistics
- What to Bring:
- We recommend packing like you are going to San Francisco in the Summer Time! Most of the time shorts and a t-shirt or sweatshirt will be perfect. Evenings you may want pants or sweats. We value comfort over style on Hopscotch, and nobody is going to judge you for wearing the same thing twice (or all week!).
- Shoes, or barefoot is fine on board. On land, tennis shoes, are usually great. Hiking boots are not really necessary in the San Juans. Flip flops are great for the Islands, but we don't recommend wearing them on board (too many things to get caught on).
- We have plenty of sunscreen, and extra toiletries on board, but please feel free to bring your own as well!
- Unfortunately Hair Dryers and Electric (plug in) Razors tend to use a lot of electricity so we try to minimize use of those...but every other day we are at a Marina with shower facilities.
- Please bring any Hard Alcohol you wish to consume. We've got you covered on Beer and Wine. But if you have particular Wine/Beer that you would like to bring, please feel free.
- Other Expenses: Prices include all food (you are responsible for one meal "out on the town" in Friday Harbor), beverages, gear, and supplies. You will need to make travel arrangements to and from Bellingham, Washington (or give us a call and we'll help you out!). Prices do not include any of the following (if you choose to): alcohol, fishing licenses, or crew gratuities.
- Gratuity: In the Charter industry, if service was excellent, it is customary to leave a %15-20 Gratuity on the total cost of the Charter. If service was less than excellent, we ask that you speak with us about it.
Payment
$2500
BOOKING AND CANCELLATION POLICY
- To secure and confirm your Charter, we require that you make a 50% deposit (of the price of your Charter) upon Booking.
- Your remaining balance (50%) is due 90 days prior to your Charter start date. Up until 90 days you may cancel your Charter for a full refund.
- Between 90 and 60 days (prior to your charter start date) you can cancel your trip and receive a 50% refund. If we are able to "Fill your charter" with another party, we will refund your entire amount.
- Between 60-30 days you can cancel your trip and we will refund 50% of your charter fee.
- If you cancel a charter is within 30 days of the start of your charter we will not be able to refund any amount. However we will work with you to re-book your trip for a later date/season.
IT IS OUR GOAL AND EXPECTATION TO GIVE YOU A TRIP OF A LIFETIME. EMERGENCIES HAPPEN, AND SCHEDULES CHANGE. WE WILL WORK WITH YOU TO COME UP WITH THE BEST OUTCOME POSSIBLE.
Notes
Here you'll find any special notes about your adventure
Preferences
We want to plan the perfect trip for you, and you can help! Please take a few moments to tell us more about you, and what you enjoy, and maybe what you don't too! Unfortunately, space on Hopscotch is not infinite, and we are limited in both storage and freezer ability. However, we will do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions and preferences on food.
The San Juans offer "something for everyone". Many of our anchorage spots have a number of activities to keep everyone busy. We also have some flexibility in where we choose to go, and what we want to do. So the more we know about you, the more we can plan the perfect adventure! Thanks!