Transiting the Passes to Get You Beyond Desolation Sound

For boaters looking for adventure beyond Desolation Sound, some of the best cruising on the British Columbia coast lies farther north through the passes that lead to Johnstone Strait and to the Broughton Archipelago. There…

Puget Sound Cruising Club Presentation: Behind the ‘NVS Boaters’ App

University of Washington's Rachel Wold will illuminate how the NANOOS Visualization System (NVS) consolidates real time data, and how boaters might leverage the app's functionality at the upcoming Puget Sound Cruising Club…

Close to the Water: Riding the Tide

When I worked in marine science, we’d sometimes talk about plankton and nekton. Most people are familiar with plankton: tiny organisms that drift to and fro in saltwater, pushed by currents and wind. Nekton are larger…

Necessary or Nice: Infinity Water

It had been days since my routine AIS checks turned up a new target on the multifunction display, now caked with minute nodules of salt spray from the rambunctious sail south out of Sea Otter Cove on the northwest tip of…

#TBT: Cruising the North Coast Wilderness

In our latest Throwback Thursday, 48° North contributor Michael Boyd shares some tips for preparing for a voyage up the beautiful and rugged North Coast of British Columbia. The North Coast of British Columbia is the area…

Sampaguita’s Shakedown Around Van Isle

Sampaguita, a 1985 Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20, auspiciously dropped anchor in La Paz, Mexico, on New Year’s Eve of 2023, after leaving Port Townsend, Washington, on August 22. She moved on to the Marquesas in the spring of…

#TBT: Brush Up on Your Anchoring Etiquette

The summer cruising season is here, and in our latest Throwback Thursday we provide some tips and reminders for being a good neighbor when picking that all important spot to drop the hook. Whether it’s the most popular bay…

West Coast of Vancouver Island Cruising Seminar with Salish Sea Pilot Coming June 18

If you're considering a cruise down the West Coast of Vancouver Island, check out this presentation by Salish Sea Pilot's Jim Burgoyne and Lynne Picard on June 18 at Port Sidney Marina from 4-6 p.m. In their talk, Jim and…

Translating PNW Cruising Skills Abroad

Swinging on anchor in a picturesque cove in the eastern Caribbean, my wife Jill and I still love reminiscing about special places in the Pacific Northwest where we’ve had the good fortune to drop our hook. A few nights ago,…

#TBT: Winter Cruising Anyone?

Yes, offseason sailing has its rewards on the Salish Sea Cruising in the offseason isn’t for everyone. But the great thing about the Pacific Northwest is that we can be on the water year-round. Winter adventurers just have…