Sailing from Bellingham: The Northern Gateway to the San Juans

Bellingham doesn’t always appear on the short list of Pacific Northwest sailing homeports — Seattle, Anacortes, and Everett tend to get the attention. But for sailors planning time in the northern San Juans or the Canadian Gulf Islands, Bellingham’s position makes a compelling case. It’s the northernmost major port in Washington, less than 20 nautical miles from the Canadian border, and closer to the top of Orcas Island than Anacortes is to the bottom of it.

The city of 90,000 has two working marinas, a established sailing community, a boatyard, and a waterfront that’s been slowly, steadily improving for two decades. If you’re heading north, it’s worth knowing.

Bellingham’s Two Marinas

Squalicum Harbor is the main event — the largest marina in Whatcom County, with roughly 1,900 slips spread across the commercial and recreational basins. The guest dock is in the recreational basin; call the harbormaster on VHF 16 for transient availability. Fuel (gas and diesel), pumpout, showers, laundry, and a chandlery are all on-site. The marina is run by the Port of Bellingham; the staff are organized and responsive.

The commercial basin adjacent to the guest dock works the real Bellingham waterfront — a mix of commercial fishing vessels, live-aboards, and charter boats. It has the functional, working-harbor character that a lot of recreational marinas have lost. The Bellingham Yacht Club is headquartered at Squalicum; visitor reciprocal privileges are available.

Blaine Harbor, 14 nm north of Bellingham near the Canadian border, is a smaller alternative — useful primarily as a staging point for the border crossing or as a fuel stop. It has transient moorage, fuel, and basic services but lacks the full service of Squalicum.

Bellingham Cruise Terminal is not a marina but is worth noting: the Alaska Ferry (AMHS) and the Victoria Express seasonal passenger service both operate from here. If you’re planning a combination sail/ferry trip to Alaska or BC, this is the connection point.

Chuckanut Bay: The Local Gem

Chuckanut Bay is the anchorage immediately south of Bellingham — a shallow, sheltered cove formed between the Chuckanut Mountains and a string of small islands. It’s the go-to local sailing destination, the place Bellingham sailors head on a free afternoon or for an overnight before a longer trip.

The bay faces west toward Samish Bay and the Olympic Mountains beyond Puget Sound. Sunsets here are reliably spectacular — the low angle of the sun across the water, the silhouette of the islands, the occasional bald eagle in the snags above the beach.

Anchorage: The preferred anchorage is in the northern part of the bay in 10–20 feet over mud — good holding. The bay is open to the south and southwest; swell from those directions can make the anchorage rolly in unsettled conditions. For a settled summer evening, it’s one of the finer anchorages within an hour of the marina.

Chuckanut Drive: The road along the Chuckanut bluffs above the bay is one of the most scenic drives in Washington — a narrow, winding road carved into the cliff face above the water. By dinghy, the bluffs and wooded shores are accessible at the DNR beach at the south end of the bay. The hike from the beach up into the Chuckanut Mountains passes through second-growth fir and cedar forest, with views back across the water.

Oysters: Chuckanut Bay is a working oyster-growing area — the Chuckanut oyster is a recognized Washington product. The tidal flats expose at low tide; stay clear of the marked growing areas but appreciate the context: the water is clean, the tidal action is strong, and the seafood is excellent. Several Bellingham restaurants feature Chuckanut oysters; Taylor Shellfish Farms has a market near the waterfront.

Day Sailing from Bellingham

Bellingham Bay itself is a reasonable sailing ground for afternoons — the thermal winds that build from the northwest in summer (typical 10–18 knots by midday) give good conditions for a beam reach across the bay. The bay is 8 miles wide and free of significant hazards; it’s where Bellingham’s sailing school (Northwest Sailing School, based at Squalicum) does its initial training.

Lummi Island: 8 nm from Squalicum, directly across Bellingham Bay. A quiet island with one store, a small fishing community, and a DNR anchorage in Legoe Bay on the west side. The island is unusual in the San Juans for having no state park presence and almost no tourist infrastructure — locals and kayakers dominate. The anchorage in Legoe Bay is open to the west but pleasant in calm conditions.

Portage Island and Clark Island: Just east of Lummi Island. Clark Island State Park has mooring buoys and a small camping area on the north end — a quieter alternative to the main San Juan anchorages on a summer weekend.

Heading North: The Canadian Gulf Islands

One of Bellingham’s strongest suits is proximity to Canada. The Canadian Gulf Islands — Saturna, Pender, Mayne, Galiano, and the larger Salt Spring — are among the finest cruising grounds in the Pacific Northwest. From Bellingham:

Saturna Island: 22 nm from Squalicum, direct shot north through the boundary waters. Saturna is the least-touristed of the main Gulf Islands — quieter than Pender or Salt Spring, with a winery (Saturna Island Family Estate), a pub at Lyall Harbour, and anchorage at Winter Cove marine park. A favorite first night for Bellingham-based boats heading north.

Sidney, BC: 35 nm from Bellingham — a practical Canadian customs stop with a full-service marina (Port Sidney Marina) and the ferry connection to Victoria. Canadian customs clearance is required for all US vessels entering Canadian waters; CBSA NEXUS or BoatUSA/CAN+ handle pre-clearance, or call into customs on arrival.

Border crossing logistics: US vessels crossing into Canadian waters must display a valid cruising permit (available online from CBSA), report to customs upon first arrival in Canada, and comply with Transport Canada regulations. Carry your NEXUS card if you have one. The crossing itself — through Boundary Pass or Haro Strait — is straightforward; watch for current through Boundary Pass (2–3 knots) and commercial vessel traffic on the shipping lanes.

Heading South: San Juan Islands

Bellingham to the northern San Juans is genuinely close:

• Orcas Island (Deer Harbor): 22 nm — a comfortable day sail in most conditions
• Orcas Island (East Sound): 26 nm via Rosario Strait and Obstruction Pass
• Lopez Island (Fisherman Bay): 20 nm south via Rosario Strait
• Friday Harbor (San Juan Island): 30 nm

The route south typically goes along Lummi Island, past the Eliza Island light, then down Rosario Strait (watch for shipping traffic — this is a commercial vessel route) and into whichever pass leads to your destination.

Rosario Strait: The main channel south from Bellingham carries commercial shipping to and from the refineries at Anacortes and Ferndale. Stay to the edges of the traffic separation scheme; VHF traffic on 16 can alert you to large vessel movements. Current in the Strait runs 1–2 knots; the Orcas Island passes branching off to the west (Obstruction, Peavine, Thatcher) have stronger current and should be timed.

Provisioning and Services at Squalicum

Bellingham is a real city, which means provisioning is genuinely easy — a distinct advantage over smaller island stops.

Groceries: Fred Meyer on the waterfront is a 10-minute walk from the guest dock and stocks everything a cruising boat needs, including a wine section that beats anything you’ll find in the islands. Trader Joe’s and Costco are both within a short drive (Uber easily available).

Chandlery: Squalicum Harbor has a marine store on-site. Hamilton Marine (Anacortes, 25 nm south) has a broader selection if you need specialty gear.

Fuel: At the marina. Gas, diesel, and pump-out.

Repairs: Bellingham Marine Industries maintains boats at Squalicum. For haul-out and serious work, Marine Services at Squalicum or the Anacortes yard (25 nm south) are the nearest options.

Propane: Available in Bellingham. Fill tanks before heading into the islands where propane is harder to find.

Best Times to Cruise from Bellingham

June–August: The peak of the summer NW thermal winds. Reliable 10–18 knot afternoon sailing across Bellingham Bay and into the islands. Evenings are long; sunset comes after 9 p.m. in midsummer. The Gulf Islands and northern San Juans are at their best.

May: Slightly unsettled but often spectacular — fewer boats, dramatic cloud formations over the Cascades, and the certainty that you’ll have more anchorages to yourself.

September: Consistently the finest cruising month in the PNW. The summer crowds have gone, the weather often settles into long periods of high pressure, and the northern islands get the best of the season’s warmth with none of the heat. The Canada stops are especially pleasant after the summer rush.

Off-season: Bellingham’s active live-aboard community and commercial fishing base keep the marinas functional year-round. Winter cruising to the Canadian Gulf Islands is genuinely done by a small community of experienced sailors — excellent eagle and seal watching, pristine anchorages, and very occasional fellow cruisers.

For the northern San Juan Islands, see the Orcas Island guide and Lopez Island guide. For crossing to Canada, see the Canadian Gulf Islands guide.