Blake Island--June 11 (!)

Eric,

This is my first time staying at Blake, so others may have more info for you, but I can tell you that you can get a slip for $10.00 a night instead of tying up to a buoy. That's what I'll be doing.

Others can offer their opinions on beaching overnight, I'd rather not be stuck waiting for the tide.

Tim

from what i recall the marina slips were about 1 mile walk on a dirt road from the really nice boat in campgrounds where the buoys are. The beach by the marina from what i recall looked super rocky - not like the picture in the photo of the four boats.

here are some photos from about a month ago:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1079998...eat=directlink

[Ingvar]

blake Island

Hello All

Gail & I are planning on this event as well at Capt. Richard Amberson,
Thompson-Lap Strake
We are planing on Launching in Port Orchard. Its the closet launch. We will dip the props at 10am and have a fun cruise checking out all the ships in the Bremerton Ship Yard, . We plan on hooking a line on the ferry to cut down on the fuel bills, and C U all at the sandy beach for Hot Dogs & Beer.

Ingvar Carlson

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Clothesline Method of Anchoring

Eric -

The clothesline method of anchoring when you're beach camping requires a fairly light anchor that you can drag across the bottom during retrieval, about 40-50 feet of anchor line, and a retrieval line that's maybe 100 feet in length.

The idea is to position the anchor near the bow of your boat, in a position where it'll easily fall off into the water, with 40-50 feet of anchor line neatly coiled and securely tied at the far end to your bow cleat. You also tie the light 100-foot line to the anchor--ideally to the far end if it's the Danforth style, so that when you pull on the line you can successfully drag the anchor across the bottom and toward shore without it digging in.

So, if you don't have another boater who volunteers to tow your boat into deeper water to drop the anchor, you merely wade into the shallows and give your boat a mighty push toward deeper water...letting the 100-foot line feed out with the boat. When the boat gets as far out as it's likely to drift, you tug the 100-foot trip line and--sploosh--the anchor and shorter line drop to the bottom, securing your boat in deeper water for the night. In the morning, or whenever you want your boat, you untie the 100-foot line from the drift log or overhanging shoreline tree you've tied it to, and drag the boat and anchor back to the beach.

The assumption here is that you're employing the clothesline technique on a fairly shallow beach, like the one near the Northwest corner of Blake Island, where it'll only be in maybe 15 feet of water when you trip the anchor....so that 40-50 feet of anchor line is enough in terms of anchor-line scope. (Rule of thumb typically is that you want a 5:1 ratio between the length of your anchor line and depth of the water at high tide. With a little runabout and decent weather you can fudge the ratio, using less line than 5:1 suggests.)

There are two variations on the usual shove-it-out method: 1) You get a friend to tow your boat into deeper water and set the anchor for you, as you feed out the 100-foot retrieval line, avoiding the shove-and-hope-for-the-best routine, or 2) When you get to Blake Island, build a simple raft by lashing a few drift logs together, then set your own anchor wherever you wish and paddle back to shore with your instant dinghy-raft, dragging your 100-foot retrieval line. This involves getting wet, of course, so you'll want to bring along shorts or swim trunks...or a spare pair of jeans. (I've used the second technique when the wind direction was wrong, preventing us from shoving the boat far enough away from shore.)

If you use the clothesline method at Blake Island, you may still wake up in the morning to find your boat high-and-dry on the sandy beach...but at least it'll refloat much sooner than if you'd dragged it up to the high-tide line the previous evening.

Don't worry about damaging your bottom; the beach is pretty soft near the Northwest corner of Blake Island, where we'll be gathered.

Finally, don't anchor your boat off of the actual Northwest point of Blake Island, but rather around on the western side, maybe the equivalent of a city block from the point. (Tidal currents can run hard at the point itself, but you won't find as much turbulence a short distance south of the point, on the west side.)

Hope this makes sense, and helps and bit,

- Marty

Thanks for the detail in your reply. I am seeing what you are saying but it will all make more sense when I see it for the first time. I have always wondered what kind of anchor to buy. Right now I am just using a half cinder block because I don't really anchor much and it meets my needs.

I am wondering if anyone else plans on launching in west Seattle.. it would be cool to motor over with someone.

[Skagitguy]

Marty, Sounds like a "Buddy Anchor" should work as well. I have use that system before along with my 510 feet of retrieval line coming out from below the bow deck. Best,Chuck

Our boat needs a bit more work to be adequately equipped, but looking to have it ready. With luck, my kid and I will launch Friday afternoon and camp.

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Buddy Anchor

Chuck -

Are you talking about the elastic lines that stretch out when you want to drag your boat to shore with a retrieval line...?

Funny, I've got one of those and have never used it...so I'll take it along to Blake Island and give it a whirl.

(I remember the last time we were at Blake Island I set an anchor with retrieval line ashore, but the anchor set so deep that I couldn't drag it toward shore when the time came. Ended up wading pretty deep to get the boat!)

Thanks for the reminder...assuming that's what you're referring to.

- Marty

[Skagitguy]

Marty, That's it ! I have hooked it on the stern cleat a few times and drove it towards shore with about 100 feet or more of line coming out of the deck of the bow and then clip it onto the bow eye as i'am standing in the water. As long as the water conditions are not bad.That's the easy way as trying to hook it on the bow eye is kind of hard ( while hanging over the bow ) and then backing it towards shore. Don't like the prop getting to close to the shoreline and don't want to scratch the bottom....heaven for bid ! Best,Chuck

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Blake Island Update...

It looks like we're going to have a nice turnout for the Blake Island Picnic Cruise, with several members planning to camp overnight, in addition to joining with the larger group arriving on Saturday, June 11.

So far, the following members are planning to attend:

Chuck Carey and son Dan

Tim Jones

Marty & Mo

Tim Mattson

Eric Pokorny (The Wiz)

Mike Wood (Sportster)

Tim McCrain with son Brendan

Greg Lamb

Ken Cooke

Ingvar Carlson with Gail

Allan and Sue Martin (tentative)

We'll post additional details closer to the event, but as mentioned in earlier posts, our main gathering point will be near the northwest tip of Blake Island, where there's a nice, sandy beach and adjoining tent-camping spaces. The plan will be for day-trippers to reach Blake Island by noon, launching at a variety of ramps/marinas including Winslow on Bainbridge Island, Seattle, Edmonds, Port Orchard, Kingston, Manchester and elsewhere. (That's the nice thing about Blake--it's so central that you can launch most anywhere in the
greater Seattle-Tacoma-Everett area.) The tide will be low when you launch in the morning, but it'll be coming in most of the day, so it'll be nice and high when you get back to your launch ramp.)

So...who else might want to join us at Blake Island Marine State Park on
the 11th, or over the entire weekend?

- Marty

[Tim McCrain]

Another FYI ...

According to the park's web site, the west side of the island has no water due to a broken water main, so anyone camping on that side will have to bring their own water in.

Originally I wanted to camp on the west side but don't want to hassle with carting water or the logistics of beaching the boat overnight (yeah, I know I'm getting lazy as I age ... ) so we're staying on the "tourist" side of the island where they have running water and showers. We'll run around the island and meet the rest of you on Saturday.

Tim

Tim, are you thinking about getting a marina spot and camping in the campground just behind it?

[Tim McCrain]

Tim, are you thinking about getting a marina spot and camping in the campground just behind it?

Yep, that's the plan.

I've never left my car/trailer overnight at a ramp lot. Any advice on suitable places for this in Seattle?

[ChuckB]

Mike:
Shilshoal is regularly patrolled by the SPD. If that 's a consolation.
ChuckB

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Seattle launch ramp parking

It's been ages since I've launched at Shilshole, but I seem to recall that
you can park your rig on the street (as opposed to in the launch-ramp parking
lot)...and maybe get away with overnight parking...(?) Just don't remember for sure, but maybe somebody else knows, or can check out the street-parking
situation at Shilshole and West Seattle.

- Marty