Seattle to Ucluelet Voyage Info

[fishchaser]

Has anyone made the Seattle to Ucluelet, British Columbia voyage? If so which route did you take? Was it cruising the U.S. Shoreline to Neah Bay and then cross the Straight? Or did you go via the san Juan Islands and hug the Canadian coast line? We are taking our Bayliner 340 over for the month of July and are looking for advice from anyone that might have made this voyage.

For the past 15 years we trailered our boat to Ukee however this year we bought a new boat is too large to trailer so we will be cruising her over. We generally fish out on the banks (Big Bank / Swiftsure / Shipwreck / South Bank) and are very familiar with the areas. We will be taking her over June 26th baring adverse weather conditions as the tides are very minor. We will be staying at Island West Resort, Slip main Float 1, stop by if you are in the area.

 

[haggardscove]

For what it is worth. The best route would seem to be checking customs and spending the night in Victoria then running up the island coast line. If you are planning on taking several days to get to Ucluelet then the US side and city marina's might be better. We travel from Neah Bay to Ucluelet several times a year and the island side of the straights seems a little more wind sheltered from the usual NW winds near the mouth of the straits. We will also be at Island West starting 7/4.

 

[Tsquared]

For what it is worth. The best route would seem to be checking customs and spending the night in Victoria then running up the island coast line. If you are planning on taking several days to get to Ucluelet then the US side and city marina's might be better. We travel from Neah Bay to Ucluelet several times a year and the island side of the straights seems a little more wind sheltered from the usual NW winds near the mouth of the straits. We will also be at Island West starting 7/4.

This is good advice. I would add that checking the weather for possible westerlies inJDF before leaving Victoria is a must. Leaving Victoria very early in the day to transit the strait before the westerly starts to build would be wise.
T2

 

[Charlie]

I have been doing that from Tacoma for YEARS!

When I started, I actually did cross over at Neah Bay; however, the last time I tried that Canada had just changed their rules making it mandatory clear customs at a Port of Entry and made me go all the way back to Victoria. Needless to say - I was a tad bit upset!

Going up you have two choices to clear customs - Victoria or Oak Bay. Oak Bay is faster; however, if you have never been to Victoria it is worth stopping and should do it at least one time. Stay at the Causeway right in front of the Empress Hotel.

I refuel prior to crossing and usually run through Port Townsend Canal, refueling at Port Townsend then straight to Victoria or Oak Bay to clear customs. From there run the Canadian side the rest of the way. During the summer, there has only been once over all the years I couldn't make that due to weather and just stayed the night on the US side. There is no need to run through the San Juan's and is quite a bit out of the way.

FYI... and you are a US citizen, Canada doesn't care if everyone on board has a NEXUS or a Canadian Border Boat Landing Permit (I-68) or not - You are required to enter at a Port of Entry. Coming back if everyone on board has a NEXUS or I-68, you can clear US Customs very easily by calling them mid Strait on your cell phone. If everyone onboard doesn't have the NEXUS or I-68 they will try to have you report to Port Angeles. There are a few way you can get around that but probably not worth your time or money. So, I usually load everyone up prior to departing and anyone that doesn't have NEXUS I take them to the customs office and get their I-68, which is actually very easy provided they have a clean federal record!

 

[Sentinel]

All good advice! In the summer weather pattern in the Straights of Juan De Fuca you can rely on it to blow W or NW 20knts or so almost every afternoon. Therefore traveling early is the best option. What is the cruise speed, fuel burn, and fuel capacity of your vessel Fishchaser? That may be the determining factor for the best route.

 

[Charlie]

I will also second, plan your departure to spend the night at either Victoria or Oak Bay! When departing Victoria or Oak Harbor 9 times out of 10 you WILL have small craft warning. If you leave either "VERY" early as in the dark, you will be out of JDF prior to the westerlies picking up. You will may get caught at Cape Beal? Be prepared for that!!! If so, cut inside at your first chance anywhere at or past Cape Beal (which can get interesting) and go the rest of the way through the islands. The inside is very protected and you only have one open channel to cross. I have done that many times and you can thank me for that advise later!

 

[seadna]

Yes - it used to be that you could clear Canadian customs in Uclulet, but I think that port of entry is closed. This web site lists current port's of entry and the closest is in Victoria - http://www.nwboatinfo.com/customs.html#anchor_78 . My experience with Canadian customs is that if everyone has a Nexus card, they will (as stated above) still require you to hit a port of entry. However, with the Nexus card, sometimes they will be satisfied with a discussion on the phone with you when you hit the customs dock and sometimes they will still come down for the full inspection. My experience is that the full inspection is a 50/50 event. As others have said, leave EARLY in the AM to avoid the winds that usually build starting sometime mid-day. June 26 will have relatively small currents in the strait for most of the day so you shouldn't much in the way of the stacked up waves that can be at the end of the strait on a good outgoing tide. June is also generally not too bad as far as fog goes but be safe and use your radar if you have it. Of course since you have fished Swiftsure many times before, you're already familiar with the amount of shipping and fishing traffic in the area.

 

[barrie]

Don't ignore Bamfield, less fancy than Ukie but more protected and easier to fish if it blows.

 

[Charlie]

Yes - it used to be that you could clear Canadian customs in Uclulet, but I think that port of entry is closed. This web site lists current port's of entry and the closest is in Victoria - http://www.nwboatinfo.com/customs.html#anchor_78 . My experience with Canadian customs is that if everyone has a Nexus card, they will (as stated above) still require you to hit a port of entry.

Yep!

However, with the Nexus card, sometimes they will be satisfied with a discussion on the phone with you when you hit the customs dock and sometimes they will still come down for the full inspection. My experience is that the full inspection is a 50/50 event. Yep, again! Actually, if you clear in Victoria chances are they won't bother, UNLESS you have alcohol, tobacco, or apples onboard then it becomes about a 50/50!

Oak Bay usually will send someone to say hi, even at night. During the day it usually doesn't take that long. At night I believe they may have a night shift and usually takes longer.

As others have said, leave EARLY in the AM to avoid the winds that usually build starting sometime mid-day. June 26 will have relatively small currents in the strait for most of the day so you shouldn't much in the way of the stacked up waves that can be at the end of the strait on a good outgoing tide. June is also generally not too bad as far as fog goes but be safe and use your radar if you have it.

You will start picking up rollers west of Sooke. During that period, currents won't be the issue, it will be the wind waves building on top of those rollers and that usually doesn't start until well after 11:00a.

If the chop does get bad around Sooke don't move closer to shore as that is shallower - move to the deeper water farther offshore. If you have to mover farther off, stay out there until you get to or past Cape Beal. It really is recommended trying to get past Cape Beal prior to those wind waves turning into white caps on top of those rollers - slow'er down. If you do get caught and are tired of getting beat-up find the closest and best open spot to cross into the Broken Group once at or past Beal!

 

[Sir Reel]

You could clear customs in Victoria and then overnight in Sooke. Might save you an hour the next morning. Can stay at Sooke Harbour Marina.
Victoria Inner harbour is beautiful and lots to do but moorage is pricey now.

 

[TanTastic84]

Wow! Just realized that distance on a map! How long does it take you to get to Ucluelet from Victoria!?!

 

[barrie]

It's 100 miles from Victoria harbour to Bamfield. Takes me 5 hours dock to dock and my Fuel burn is 50 galllons . I think you will have another 12-15 miles after Beale. But I'm not riding in the "lap of luxury" like you!

 

[Slabby20]

I ran from Everett to Bamfield, Ukee or Tofino for quite a few years. Early on, I used to pick up a couple guys at Neah Bay before crossing over. Going up the US side was a pain and longer for sure. Then I got smart and ran to straight over to Victoria, cleared customs, had a nice dinner and some pops and left Victoria at O dark thirty the next morning. Most of the time we had pretty smooth water until we got to the Pachina or Beale Lighthouse. Be prepared for fog, and sometimes lots of it. I really enjoyed and miss those days running up by boat. I have a smaller boat now and boating up is out of the question.

 

[Fish Camp]

Theres a good trail system on VI to assist boaters if needed.Too big of waters for my hearts dezires.

 

[TanTastic84]

Wow. 100 miles of open ocean in my little 15 foot Arima. I'm sure I can pull it off. Nooooo problem!

 

[barrie]

It's an Arima, they were built for the adventure. Oh it's not 100 miles of open ocean. You got Victoria to sooke, Sooke to port renfrew and then Port Renfrew to Cape Beal. All legs are about 30+\- miles. You would be amazed at the boats running around out there, seen aluminum car toppers out 24 miles on the WCVI. I run up because it's faster than driving from Victoria then dealing with the Alberni launch and parking. Overall it's about $75 each way in extra cost plus I don't have to go get trailer, haul boat and then relaunch. Real truth is I suck at backing up the trailer!

 

[TanTastic84]

Haha. I hear you. I feel like Austin Powers sometimes as well. I can see the point in traveling by sea. Besides, you can stop and troll some lines along the way. It sounds like an awesome trip I'd like to take one of these days.

But I am always baffled when I hear some of the risks people take on the water.