The official start of summer is almost here, which means the annual Pacific Northwest Cruisers Party is on the horizon. This year marks the 17th rendition of the popular boating event, which will take place August 11-13 at Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes.
The weekend is filled with activities including a blindfold dinghy race, kids costume contest, live music by TropRocker Dave Calhoun, and a potluck. The main event is Saturday night on the docks and will feature a live band. Organizers expect anywhere from 75-80 boats, and upwards of 750 people. Anyone can attend, whether by boat or car. For those planning on bringing their boat, simply sign up on the event’s Facebook page to reserve a slip. Just enter your boat’s specifications in the comments section and organizers will add that vessel to the reserved boat list. Each boater, however, is responsible for paying their own moorage.
Bob Bitchin of Cruising Outpost will be back as host, providing the beer, wine and music on Saturday night. After logging more than 75,000 miles under the keel of the Lost Soul, their Formosa 56, together with his wife Jody, Bob and Cruising Outpost help sponsor this yearly event which is entirely organized by volunteer “Kings and Queens” from the loose-knit Puget Sound boater’s group known as “The Brethren of the Sound.”
And if anyone can appreciate a good party, it is Bob Bitchin. “I threw our first cruisers party 20 years ago in Florida. Other companies were sponsoring parties, but they were either by invitation only or they charged admission,” he recalls. “I thought, ‘that’s not how you throw a real party’. So ours have always been free and open to anyone.”
Coinciding with the party and finishing out the following week is the first Cruising Outpost Share the Sail, which will take place in the San Juan Islands. Bob started the Share the Sail concept many years ago with Latitudes & Attitudes. The idea was that as seasoned cruisers, Bob and Jody would introduce boaters to the cruising lifestyle by sharing their knowledge and experience. And by sharing the costs of charter boats, it’s also an affordable way for people to see new cruising areas. They’ve taken place in such locations as Tonga, the British Virgin Islands, Croatia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, New Zealand, and Thailand. Readers of the magazine and fans of Bob Bitchin reserve a stateroom aboard chartered boats and fly in from across the country. Bob and Jody join them as they explore the area for a week. (By the way, next summer’s Share the Sail will be in Tahiti!)
The crew of Pacific NW Boater will lead this year’s mini-flotilla, taking participants to experience some of our incredible WA State Parks, quaint towns and anchorages. Unique to the San Juan Islands Share the Sail, a number of local boats from throughout Puget Sound will join the group, tagging along for a day or two or the entire time. While the charter boats will start out at San Juan Sailing in Bellingham Friday night, for any locals wishing to join the festivities at any time here is the itinerary:
Saturday, August 12 – Cap Sante Marina, Anacortes (17th Annual PNW Cruisers Party)
Sunday, August 13 – Watmough Bay, Lopez Island
Monday, August 14 – Roche Harbor, San Juan Island
Tuesday, August 15 – Reid Harbor, Stuart Island
Wednesday, August 16 – Port of Friday Harbor Marina, San Juan Island
Thursday, August 17 – Echo Bay, Sucia Island
Friday, August 18 – Return charter boats to Bellingham
If any readers have friends or family in other parts of the country that might be interested in joining this year’s Share the Sail, more information can be found here.
This year’s PNW Cruisers Party will also be an emotional one for the Brethren of the Sound, as there will be a ceremony on Saturday, August 12 to say goodbye to an original founding member, the late Captain John Aydelotte. Organizers of the annual cruisers party fondly quote “Big John”, as he was known, by repeating one of his favorite mantras: “You can’t do it wrong.” Captain Aydelotte will be sorely missed.
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