San Juan Islands Adventure

July 21-26, 2019

When: July 21-26, 2019

What: 5 nights/6 days sailing adventure through the San Juan Islands

Where: Start and End in Friday Harbor, SAn Juan Island, Washington

Who: Wordly party of 6

 

For Details about getting to and from Friday Harbor please visit our Friday Harbor Page, and make travel arrangements accordingly.

 

"Slow Travel" 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!  

 

THOUGHTS ON WHALES

The question we get the most is: "Will we see whales?" The answer is: "We can guarantee a possibility of seeing whales."

The whales of the Salish Sea (particularly  the Orca members of the J,K, and L pod) are in a very difficult situation right now. There are a number of factors that are contributing to their current situation, and we want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Our trips are not focused on seeing these whales, but when the opportunity presents itself, we certainly try to see them. Viewing whales in the wild is one of the most spectacular experiences you can have, and we love to share this with our guests in hopes that our passion and concern can spread further through their network of friends, and maybe this can lead to understanding and action on a larger scale. 

One factor that is certainly not helping the situation for orcas is noise. You can read all about how noise pollution affects, communication, hunting, and travel for Killer Whales.  We have a simple philosophy when we encounter whales, and it's just one small thing we can do to try and help: 

"SEE WHALES, RAISE SAILS"

(*and turn off the engine)

Our Schedule

Please note: When you arrive in Friday Harbor the Hopscotch Crew will be busy provisioning/cleaning/and prepping the boat for your adventure on board. You'll likely see Hopscotch at the Marina in front of town.  It's quite possible that you'll see Brendan or Bri running around town too gathering supplies! Feel free to come say "Hi"!... but unfortunately we won't be able to stow any of your luggage or have you on board yet, as we will be in the middle of many projects preparing for your adventure!

 

 

  • Day 2:  Monday (Board Hopscotch shortly after 1 pm)

    • 1:00 PM: Meet at Popeye the Seal! 204 Front St, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 in Friday Harbor, 200 Yards Northwest of the Washington State Ferry Terminal. Please plan on having lunch in Friday Harbor
    • 1:30 PM: After a getting settled and going over a few details we will depart Friday Harbor and set sail for Stuart Island.
    • Afternoon: We arrive Stuart Island and have time to explore, paddle, hike, or just relax and take in the views before dinner.

 

  • Day 3: Tuesday

    • We depart Stuart and head towards Sucia Island. We keep a lookout for Orcas and Humpbacks. We'll hopefully see one of the three (J, K, and L) Pods, or perhaps some Transient Killer Whales, or even Humpbacks! We don't always see whales on this day, but we usually see them at some point in our journey! As I like to tell guests: "We can guarantee a possibility of seeing some great whales!"
    • We make our way North to the beautiful and quaint, Sucia Island,

  • Day 4: Wednesday

    • Today we leave Sucia Island in the morning and head for Rosario Resort on Orcas Island. Tonight we will spend the evening at the dock.
    • Rosario has a wonderful spa/pool/hot tub! Please pack your bathing suit! There are also great hiking trails in adjacent Moran State Park if you need to stretch your legs!
    • Arriving in the Early Afternoon, Rosario Resort has something for everyone. Today you are on your own" for Dinner (so that we can re-provision/clean/and give Chef Bri a break from the galley!). There are two great restaurants at Rosario Resort to choose from! If you'd rather explore more culinary options, the town of Eastsound is just a cab ride away! 

 

  • Day 5: Thursday

      • After Breakfast we depart Rosario and head "Through the Islands" towards our eventual stop at Jones Island State Park.
      • We arrive at Jones island in time for hiking/paddling/relaxing, and a fantastic final sunset, and a great last dinner on board Hopscotch! 

  • Day 6: Friday

    • After a breakfast and final stroll on the island we say goodbye to Jones Island and sail back over to Friday Harbor.
    • We arrive back in Friday Harbor by Noon on Friday.

Logistics

  • What to Bring: 
    • In the Summer 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 Your meals while in Friday Harbor, and one meal "out on the town" in Roche Harbor), beverages, gear, and supplies. You will need to make travel arrangements to and from Friday Harbor, Washington. Prices do not include any of the following (if you choose to): hard alcohol, anything you wish to purchase on land, 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.

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!

VERY IMPORTANT: Please forward this link to everyone in your Party. Please have each person in your party fill out a Guest Preference Form. Thanks!

Total Due: $11,220 (50% now, 50% 90 days prior to your adventure with us).

Please be sure to read our cancellation policy thoroughly (bottom of the page). We also always recommend that guests look into Trip Insurance in case they have something come up last minute.