Video: Heading to Alaska? Baranof Island’s Warm Springs Bay Can’t Be Missed

Southeast Alaska is home to innumerable cruising destinations that beckon to be explored — Warm Springs Bay is near the very top of the list. Over the past couple weeks I've been hearing chatter from Washington- and…

Standing Firm

The natural ambiance of Hope Island provides a mariner’s sanctuary From the January 2021 issue of 48° North. Standing with my little rowboat on the mainland shore, I stare out across the still black water toward Hope…

Exploring Local: Kilisut Harbor

Making the most of a pandemic holiday, I did what sailors do — I sailed. I left Boat Haven late Friday morning bound for Scow Bay, at the southern end of Kilisut Harbor. A Gale Warning had been declared for the evening, with…

Destination: Home

I felt the ship dock with a gentle bump, then the engine shut down. A moment later, shouts reverberated through the metal hull, “Home! We’re at Home!” I lay in my bunk in the dark, puzzled. Home — for both me and the ship —…

Sailing Lake Chelan

Beautiful Scenery, Diverse Conditions, and Sailor Camaraderie Make for a Memorable Group Cruise From the December, 2020 issue of 48° North “Tell me in all your travels have you ever found any place better than Lake Chelan?”…

Take it Slow Around Vancouver Island

If you have never cruised outside of the Salish Sea’s fairly protected waters, a certain amount of anxiety about sailing the west coast of Vancouver Island is natural. The waters on the Inside Passage are not without their…

Walsh Cove, a BC Marine Park Jewel

For mariners heading north each year, Walsh Cove is a favorite destination. This year, with the border closed, British Columbia boaters have had this pristine cove nestled in the middle of Desolation Sound all to themselves.…

The Smaller the Marina, the Bigger the Personality: Lund Harbour

Lund Harbour is a must-stop destination on the way to Desolation Sound Editor's Note: Before we begin, we continue to hear some reports of American cruisers illegally crossing the closed border between the U.S. and Canada to…

Island Life 2020

A Potpourri Of Perspectives about Cruising in the San Juan Islands From the August, 2020 issue of 48° North. For many boaters around the Pacific Northwest, the San Juan Islands are the quintessential destination for summer…

Small Marina, Big Personality: Texada Boat Club

Canadian cruiser, Ruth Brown, shares stories of her visits to the small, charming marina communities of British Columbia. It may be bittersweet reading for American cruisers—we'll just have to live vicariously until the…