Lopez Island is the southernmost of the four ferry-served San Juan Islands and the most relaxed, least-visited, and most underrated of the group. Where San Juan Island brings tourist density and Orcas brings dramatic scenery, Lopez offers a quieter cruise: rolling farmland instead of forested cliffs, gentle shoreline instead of sandstone formations, and the working Lopez Wave — the local custom of waving at every passing visitor that has been documented in regional press and remains, on the water, surprisingly accurate.
For a beginner crew, Lopez is the working introduction to the San Juans. The currents reaching the island are real (Rosario Strait runs 3–4 knots) but the working harbours are forgiving: spacious, flat-water, with mud holding that takes anchor on the first set. Fisherman Bay in particular is among the more confidence-building anchorages on the US Pacific Coast for a sailor still learning to anchor.
Getting there
From Anacortes (30 nm). The standard departure. Head east-southeast through Rosario Strait toward Lopez. The transit is straightforward but Rosario Strait runs 3–4 knots at peak — plan to avoid strong-current-against-strong-wind situations. Approach Lopez from the north, entering Fisherman Bay from the east.
From Seattle (55 nm). Through Puget Sound northward. Most crews stage at Anacortes overnight before crossing into the islands.
From San Juan Island (8 nm south). Via San Juan Channel (3–4 knots — time the transit for slack or favourable current).
From Orcas Island (12 nm southwest). Negotiates Shaw Island and Blakely Island approaches; chart carefully.
Fisherman Bay
Fisherman Bay is Lopez’s primary cruising destination and one of the more forgiving anchorages in the Pacific Northwest. A large, well-protected bay opening to the northeast, with excellent mud holding, easy entry, and room for 50+ boats comfortably.
Geography. About 2 miles deep and 1.5 miles wide, with low, forested shoreline and minimal development. The village of Lopez sits at the head; the small marina and community dock are there.
Approach. From the northeast, follow the well-marked channel into the bay. Depths 40–60 ft in the approach, shallower (25–45 ft) in the main basin. No hazards if following the chart. The entry is straightforward — the working anchorage for a crew’s first San Juans set.
Holding. Excellent mud throughout. Anchors set on the first try.
Currents. Minimal within the bay (0.5–1 knot at most).
Conditions. Summer afternoons see 12–15 knot NW winds, which the bay shelters. Fetch is limited; waves are small. Comfortable in unsettled weather.
Position: 48°34’N, 122°59’W. Chart NOAA 18430.
Spencer Spit State Park
On the southeastern shore of Lopez, Spencer Spit is a narrow sand spit extending into Cascadia Strait — a natural breakwater creating a scenic, working state-park anchorage. Mooring buoys available (reserve ahead at recreation.gov), excellent anchorage on both sides of the spit. Pristine sand beach accessible by dinghy. Hiking trails circle the spit.
Access from Fisherman Bay. About 6 nm south.
Cautions. The spit has shallow water on both sides (5–10 ft in places). Deep-draft boats should be cautious. Strong wind can create confused seas around the spit.
Position: 48°30’N, 122°58’W.
Other Lopez anchorages. Barlow Bay on the south shore (less attractive, sometimes used as Spencer Spit overflow), Otis Perkins Bay on the north shore (small, less explored), and the western and southern open-water anchorages (more exposed, less attractive).
James Island Marine Park
About 4 nm south of Lopez, James Island is a remote, beautiful state park with a few mooring buoys and limited perimeter anchorage. Heavily forested, with historic structures and excellent wildlife.
Access. Requires careful chart-reading due to rocks and reefs. Approach from the north or east. Shallow water in places.
Anchorages. Limited mooring buoys (about 6–8) on a first-come basis. Anchorage in deeper water around the perimeter, but approach cautiously.
The trade. James Island is more remote and less visited than Spencer Spit or Sucia. For solitude, it is the working choice. For services or other cruisers, not the right destination.
Stay limit. Buoys and perimeter anchorage only. No development ashore beyond trails and historic structures.
Position: 48°28’N, 122°59’W.
Tides and currents
Fisherman Bay. Minimal internal current. The protected configuration shields the bay from significant tidal flow. Slack-water timing is not critical for anchoring inside.
Rosario Strait approach. 3–4 knots at peak. The major current consideration for reaching Lopez from the north. Plan transits for slack water or favourable current, particularly in strong wind. Wind-against-tide produces uncomfortable chop.
San Juan Channel (west of Lopez). 3–4 knots, variable direction depending on overall Salish Sea phase.
Spencer Spit area. Currents swirl around the spit depending on phase. Not severe but notable.
Tide range. 10–12 ft. Reference station: Friday Harbor, with corrections for local Lopez locations.
See Tides & Currents for the working framework.
Marina services
Lopez Island Marina (Fisherman Bay village). About 15–20 guest slips (book ahead in summer), fuel dock, water, pump-out, laundry. Well-run and friendly. VHF 16. Restaurants and the Lopez Island Store grocery within walking distance.
Fisherman Bay Public Dock. Limited guest moorage (2–3 spots). Convenient if available.
Spencer Spit State Park. No marina facilities. Buoys only.
Provisioning. Lopez Island Village has a small but adequate grocery (Lopez Island Store), hardware store, post office, and a few restaurants. Limited selection but friendly service. The Saturday farmers market in summer is among the better in the San Juans. For more complete provisioning, Anacortes is 30 nm south.
Bicycles. The island’s flatness makes it the working bicycling island in the San Juans. Rentals available at the marina. Cycling Lopez’s quiet country roads is the standard shore activity.
Fuel. At Lopez Island Marina.
Weather and wind
Summer. Classic Salish Sea pattern: light morning winds, building to 12–18 knots NW by afternoon. Fisherman Bay shelters from most afternoon wind. Evenings calm. Fog common early-morning June–July, usually burning off by mid-morning. The working low-risk season.
Spring and fall. Variable. SE systems can develop with strong wind and rain.
Thermal effects. Lopez’s low terrain produces fewer localised wind effects than the mountainous islands (Orcas, San Juan). Generally more predictable conditions.
Working cautions
Rosario Strait currents. The major reach-Lopez challenge. 3–4 knots at peak, wind-against-tide producing uncomfortable chop. Plan transits carefully.
Limited services away from Fisherman Bay. Spencer Spit and James Island have no marina facilities. Plan fuel, water, and provisioning around Fisherman Bay.
Spencer Spit shallow approach. 5–10 ft in places. Deep-draft vessels exercise caution. Enter at higher tide if possible.
James Island remoteness. Beautiful but committed. Buoys are limited; reserve ahead. Approach cautiously due to rocks and reefs.
Ferry traffic from Anacortes. The Anacortes-to-Lopez ferry transits the approaches to Fisherman Bay. Monitor VHF 16. Ferries are fast and have limited manoeuvrability.
What’s ashore
Lopez Island Village. Small, friendly, walkable. The Saturday farmers market, local coffee, galleries, and the working Lopez Wave culture in evidence on the streets and the docks.
Cycling. The flat island roads are working bicycle territory. A 30-mile loop covers most of the island in a leisurely day.
Spencer Spit hiking. The loop trail is short and scenic. Tide-pool exploration on the rocky shore.
Shark Reef Sanctuary. Off the southwest shore — a shallow reef area with excellent wildlife viewing (seals, sea lions, eagles). Not a mooring destination but worth motoring past for observation.
Working cruises
3-day Lopez basics:
- Day 1: Anacortes → Fisherman Bay
- Day 2: Fisherman Bay → Spencer Spit State Park
- Day 3: Spencer Spit → Fisherman Bay or return to Anacortes
About 30 nm total. The working San Juans introduction.
5-day Lopez + James:
- Day 1: Anacortes → Fisherman Bay
- Day 2: Fisherman Bay layover (cycling, market, exploration)
- Day 3: Fisherman Bay → Spencer Spit
- Day 4: Spencer Spit → James Island (if buoys available and weather settled)
- Day 5: James → Fisherman Bay or return to Anacortes
Charts and references
- NOAA Chart 18430 — San Juan Islands. Essential.
- NOAA Chart 18427 — Rosario Strait approaches.
VHF
- Channel 16 — hailing and distress
- Channel 9 — Lopez Island Marina operations
- Channel 13 — ferry terminal operations
- WX1–WX3 — NOAA Weather Radio
Closing notes
Lopez Island is the welcoming corner of the San Juans. Fisherman Bay is the working confidence-building anchorage for a crew’s first San Juans set; the holding is so good that the boat will set on the first throw and stay set through anything the bay can throw at it. Spencer Spit is the natural day-two destination — the spit walk, the tide-pool exploration, the photograph the trip is remembered by. The southern San Juans (Lopez and James) are the most underrated corner of the archipelago, often overlooked by crews focused on the bigger islands. Their loss is the working gain for the boats that go.
Related: San Juan Islands Cruising Guide · Orcas Island Cruising Guide · Anacortes & Fidalgo Island · Tides & Currents