Your guide to
Pacific Coast cruising
Cruising guides, marinas, anchorages, and seamanship for the active maritime Pacific Coast — Washington to Baja.
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- Marinas listed
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- Anchorages
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- Cruising guides
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- Articles
Your path from curious to captain
No experience needed. Start with free guides, try the water with a professional skipper, then find a boat you can call your own.
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- Reading charts & navigation
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Pick a destination
- Detailed cruising guides
- Anchorages with depth, holding, shelter
- Puget Sound, BC, California, Baja
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Plan your trip
- Live tides & marine weather
- Anchor scope & fuel calculators
- Trip reports from real cruises
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Where Will You Sail?
Featured Cruising Destinations
From the sheltered waters of Puget Sound and the Gulf Islands to the Oregon coast, California, and the Sea of Cortez — explore the Pacific Coast's best cruising grounds.
Astoria / Columbia River
Columbia River Bar — the most-photographed bar crossing on the Pacific Coast
The first or last harbour on a Pacific Coast passage and the pivot point of every Oregon coast cruise. Astoria sits eight nautical miles …
Desolation Sound, BC
Canada's largest marine park (84 km² of water)
Canada's largest marine park, 84 km² of fjord and island at the northern end of the Strait of Georgia. Twenty-five named anchorages, surf…
La Paz, Baja California Sur
Ensenada de La Paz — protected anchorage holding 100+ winter cruisers
A city of 300,000 on the eastern shore of Baja California Sur, with three full-service marinas, a five-kilometre malecón, and immediate a…
Los Cabos, Baja California Sur
El Arco — granite arch at Land's End, visible from 20 nm at sea
The southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. For southbound Pacific Coast cruisers, the finish line…
Oregon Coast
Yaquina Bay bar — the most reliable entry on the Oregon coast
The mid-Oregon-coast harbour with the most reliable bar entrance south of the Columbia and the most complete cruising services between Sa…
Northern Baja California
80 nm from San Diego — the classic first international stop on the Pacific Coast
Eighty nautical miles south of San Diego, Ensenada is the standard entry port to Mexican waters for Pacific Coast cruisers — full marina …
Marina Directory
Marina Directory
From Puget Sound to Baja California — detailed marina guides with transient moorage, amenities, fuel, and contact info.
Port of Astoria West Basin Marina
Astoria, OR
The main transient marina in Astoria, located on the downtown waterfront adjacent to the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Full-service facility with fuel, pump-out, and walking-distance access to the historic district, restaurants, and provisioning. The starting or ending point for most Columbia River bar crossings.
Cap Sante Boat Haven
Anacortes, WA
Cap Sante Boat Haven is the launch pad for the San Juan Islands. Operated by the Port of Anacortes, it sits on the east side of Fidalgo Island overlooking the Guemes Channel — a 20-nautical-mile run from Friday Harbor and a day's sail from nearly every island in the archipelago. The commercial fishing fleet shares the docks with cruising boats, giving Cap Sante a genuine working waterfront feel that the resort marinas in the islands can't match. The provisioning situation in Anacortes is excellent: West Marine, multiple grocery stores, hardware, and marine service yards are all within walking distance or a short ride. Anacortes itself is a real town with good restaurants and a thriving arts community. Come in from a long passage, provision up, and head back out.
Charleston Marina
Charleston, OR
The cruising hub of southern Oregon — a full-service marina in the fishing village of Charleston, on the south side of Coos Bay. The largest harbor on the Oregon coast, Charleston Marina offers excellent protection, a boatyard with travel lift, chandlery, and close access to Cape Arago State Park and some of the Oregon coast's best anchorages. A mandatory stop for southbound passage-makers.
On the Water
Upcoming Events
Races, rendezvous, boat shows, and sailing courses across the Pacific Coast.
Marine VHF Radio Operator Certification — Spring 2026
Seattle, WA
One-day FCC-approved Marine Radio Operator Permit (MROP) course covering distress calling procedures, DSC operation, VHF channel assignments, and proper radio etiquette. The MROP is required to operate a VHF radio in international waters and strongly recommended for all offshore passages. Course fee includes exam. Results submitted to FCC same day.
Anacortes Waterfront Festival 2026
Anacortes, WA
Annual waterfront celebration at Cap Sante Boat Haven with live music, local seafood, boat demos, and maritime arts. Gateway to San Juan Island cruising season — many boaters time their northbound departure with the festival weekend.
Swiftsure International Yacht Race
Victoria, BC / Strait of Juan de Fuca
An annual offshore sailing race from Victoria, BC across the Strait of Juan de Fuca and back. One of North America's premier ocean racing events, drawing competitive sailing teams from throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. A challenging 24-hour+ race featuring strong winds and currents.
Learn to Boat
From first timer to seasoned sailor
Clear, practical guides written for real conditions on the Pacific Coast — not generic sailing advice.
Beginner's Guide to Sailing
Everything you need to know before your first sail: terminology, boat parts, basic maneuvers, safety equipment, and what to expect on a charter.
Powerboat 101
Start your powerboating journey here — engine basics, docking techniques, rules of the road, and how to handle a motorboat in coastal conditions.
Navigation Basics
Charts, GPS, compass, buoys, and right-of-way rules. How to plan a route, read a nautical chart, and navigate safely in Pacific Coast waters.
Understanding Tides & Currents
The Pacific Coast has some of the most complex tidal patterns in North America. Learn to read tide tables, predict currents, and plan your passages safely.
Free Navigation Tools
Plan your voyage
Real-time tides, marine weather, and useful calculators — all free, no login required.
Tide Tables
NOAA-powered tide predictions for 50+ Pacific Coast stations. See today's highs and lows at a glance.
Marine Weather
Wind speed, direction, wave height, and visibility — formatted for sailors, not landlubbers.
Anchor Calculator
Calculate the correct scope and chain length for any depth and boat size.
Fuel Calculator
Estimate fuel consumption and cost for any trip based on distance and engine specs.
From the Blog
Latest News & Stories
Cruising dispatches, gear reviews, and seasonal guides from the Pacific Coast boating community.
Do I Need ASA Certification to Charter a Sailboat?
The short answer: it depends on whether you're bareboat chartering or hiring a captain. Here's exactly what certification charter companies require — and what alternatives they accept.
By Igor Klimenkoff
Bareboat vs. Skippered vs. Crewed Charter: Which Is Right for You?
The single biggest decision in planning a sailing charter is the type of charter — bareboat, skippered, or fully crewed. The honest working version of the differences, the costs, and the math that decides which one fits.
By Igor Klimenkoff
Sailboat Charter Seattle: The Complete Planning Guide
Shilshole Bay Marina is the largest marina in Washington State at 1,400 slips, and the working ocean access for one of the more extraordinary sailing grounds in North America. The complete working guide to chartering a sailboat in Seattle and on Puget Sound — types, costs, the operators, certification, and where to go.
By Igor Klimenkoff
Passage Accounts
Trip Reports
Real-world passage notes from Pacific Coast sailors — offshore runs, bar crossings, and cruising routes from Puget Sound to Baja.
The BC Gulf Islands Loop: A Week in Canada's Sailing Paradise
7 days · Hunter 38
Baja Ha-Ha to La Paz: Sailing the Length of the Baja Peninsula
18 days · Beneteau 45
Columbia Bar to Coos Bay: Hop-Scotching the Oregon Coast
5 days · Valiant 40
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The Pacific Coast Dispatch
Weekly: cruising conditions, new guides, tide anomalies, and curated news from the Pacific Coast boating world — Puget Sound to Baja. Always free.
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