Boating with the Orcas

Photos taken by Alex, while out in the San Juan Islands last month. A highlight for many of our guests!

Gulf Intracoastal Waterway

Roger & Marlene Van Dyken, the owners of San Juan Sailing, are currently in the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. We have a new boat joining us in the fleet, and they are delivering it from Virginia to Florida (where it is getting shipped over to us on the west coast). As I was doing some research on the waterway, I came across the following video. It is an 80' boat going under a 65' bridge...I hold my breath every time I watch it!

Spring Charter

Our Spring went by so quickly! But, that didn't stop our lovely guests from taking advantage of the wonder that the San Juan Islands provided.  Roger & Diane shared a little bit of their experience with us: 

"We had a great time, thank you for the tremendous service you provide. The pre-sail checkout, daily check off list, contact numbers, marina information...The boat was well equipped, and in good shape..."

Thank you Roger & Diane for being our guests and for sharing your pictures with us!

Women's Weekend

Our Annual Women's Weekend to Friday Harbor was May 14-15 this year (with another option June 4-5!). The ladies had a wonderful time, thanks to food provided by Coho Restaurant and the Doctor's Office! Two full days of sailing, and an evening of full bellies! Thank you for a wonderful weekend, full of wind, laughter, and joy!

In Sailor Terms...

 New terms for old sailing terms. We enjoyed a good laugh, hope you do as well! Cheers to the 2011 Sailing Season!


Amidships: condition of being surrounded by boats.

Anchor: a device designed to bring up mud samples from the bottom at inopportune or unexpected times.

Anchor Light: a small light used to discharge the battery before daylight

Bare Boat: Clothing Optional.
Berth: a little addition to the crew.

Boat ownership:Standing fully-clothed under a cold shower, tearing up 100-dollar bills

Boom: sometimes the result of a surprise jibe

Bottom Paint: what you get when the cockpit seats are freshly painted

Chart: a type of map which tells you exactly where you are aground.
Clew: an indication from the skipper as to what he might do next

Course: The direction in which a skipper wishes to steer his boat and from which the wind is blowing. Also, the language that results by not being able to.
Cruising: Fixing your boat in exotic locations.
Crew: Heavy, stationary objects used on shipboard to hold down charts, anchor cushions in place and dampen sudden movements of the boom.
Current: Tidal flow that carries a boat away from its desire destination, or towards a hazard.
Dead Reckoning: a course leading directly to a reef.


Deviation: any departure from the Captain’s orders.

Dinghy: the sound of the ship’s bell.

Displacement: when you dock your boat and can’t find it later.

Estimated Position: a place you have marked on the chart where you are sure you are not.

First Mate: crew member necessary for skippers to practice shouting instructions to.

Flashlight : Tubular metal container used on shipboard for storing dead batteries prior to their disposal.


Freeboard:  food and liquor supplied by the owner.

Gybe: A common way to get unruly guests off your boat.

Headway: what you are making if you can’t get the toilet to work.

Head up - Leaving the boat toilet seat up. When boat skipper is female, leaving the head up is a serious offense.


Jack Lines: `Hey baby, want to go sailing?'

Jibe: either you like it or you don’t and it gets you.

Keel: term used by 1st mate after too much heel by skipper.

Ketch: A sailboat with good wine in the cabin.

Landlubber: anyone on board who wishes he were not.

Latitude: the number of degrees off course allowed a guest.

Mast:  religious ritual used before setting sail.

Mizzen: an object you can’t find.



Sailing: The fine art of getting wet and becoming ill, while going nowhere slowly at great expense.

Schooner: A sailboat with a fully stocked liquor cabinet in the cabin.

Sheet: cool, damp, salty night covering

Shroud: equipment used in connection with a wake.

Starboard : special board used by skippers for navigation (usually with "Port" on the opposite side.)

Swell : a wave that’s just great.

Square Rigger: a rigger over 30

Sloop: A sailboat with beer and/or wine in the cabin.

Tack: A maneuver the skipper uses when telling the crew what they did wrong without getting them mad.

Caribbean Course

We kicked off the season with our first class of 2011. Since February is a little chilly around here, we sent our classes down to the British Virgin Islands, where we filled three boats with eager students.

We were a little worried about everyone's flights, as there were many closures throughout the US due to snow. Luckily, all the students and instructors made it safely to the sunshine!

Hope's first time sailing, and she is loving it!

One class exploring the baths in Virgin Gorda.

I spot a rainbow!

Yum!!

"The highlight of the trip for me was swimming with some dolphins that came into Diamond Cay on Jost Van Dyke on Saturday morning March 5th. The group of them were first spotted by our flotilla-mates on Vive la Liberte and they eventually made their way right up to our boat. Walt got some video footage, but then they just kept hanging around, so he and I decided to get into the water with them. They swam within a few feet of us and looked right at us in our masks and snorkels! The group included a mother and her calf. They were beautiful animals to see up close; an unforgettable experience!" - Brian (pictured above with Jenn)