Port Townsend to Dungeness Light and Back

Rating: SKIII

Distance:  34 NM

Date:  May 18, 2002

Leader:  Pete Schwab                        Participants:  4

Launch:  05:00                                   Return:  6:30 pm

The Strait of Juan de Fuca on a still morning

Weather:  Just as variable as it always is on these long day trips.  The first couple of hours were rather cold, probably in the 40's with light breezes.  Most of the day was overcast and about 55-60 F with breezes building to about 10 or 15 knots in the afternoon.  As the day came to a close we experienced ~65F, clear skies, and light breezes.

Description: 

    The sun was only threatening to rise when we launched from the beach at Fort Worden State Park at 05:00. Temperatures hovered in the mid-forties, the sky was mostly overcast, and gentle breezes generated a light chop on the Strait of Juan de (Wanda) Fuca.  All in all we got off to a great start, albeit, a little cold.
    The cold proved to be a bit of an enemy for me.  It wasn't long before my gloves became wet and my fingers started to freeze.  Worse, I'd decided not to don my paddle jacket since the air at the launch site had seemed comfortable.  My core temperature was dropping...I was going to have to stop.  We pulled over on a small beach, out of the wind, and took a little break.  After putting on the paddle jacket and pouring delicious hot coffee on my hands I was ready to go.  We cast off into the waters of Discovery Bay.
    Crossing the bay, we stayed well to the south of Protection Island and headed for Thompson Spit for our first scheduled break.  This time the hot coffee was for drinking, not dunking.  A little food, a little drink, and we made a bee-line for the Dungeness Lighthouse, arriving at 11:30.  Out on the spit temperatures were up in the 50's and the breezes were light.  A comfortable place for a lunch break.  But we couldn't let things get too comfortable.  On a 34 mile day there's little time for extended, leisurely lunches.  By noon we were back in the boats and on our way!
    The consensus was that we'd like to take a different route back to Port Townsend.  Put a little variety in the route. We elected to take the straight line from Dungeness Lighthouse to the north shore of Protection Island some 8 NM distant.  We knew we'd be paddling against the ebb but figured we'd still make the beach in about 2 hours.  Our assessment of the situation was inaccurate!  It took 3 hours!  
    The ebb out there in Wanda is really quite powerful. With Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia emptying into the sea and the additional affront of Sequim and Discovery Bays ebbing right in your face...there's work to be done!  We made slow progress and finally hit the beach on Protection for a short break and the fourth Cliff Bar of the day!
    By the time we left Protection the wind had picked up to 10-15 knots out of the northeast.  Just enough to build an interesting chop on the crossing back to Quimper Peninsula.  Then, on reaching land and rounding the northwest corner of Quimper, we encountered our final weather change of the day.  The wind dropped to a fizzle, the sea flattened out, the sun came out...and we rode the flood back into Port Townsend.  It's enough to give you a real buzz!

Tides/Currents: We launched on a flat tide that began to ebb around 7:30 and dropped from 6 feet to -1.0 feet at 2:30 pm.  Made for a nice ride to Dungeness Lighthouse. We paddled (not very successfully) against that ebb from 12 noon until 2:30.   After a break on Protection Island we were able to ride the flood back to Port Townsend.  PLEASE NOTE:  We took the direct route from Dungeness Lighthouse to Protection Island...against the ebb.  Paddling was very difficult.  It took 3 hours to get to Protection Island instead of a more characteristic 2.  Not only is Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia emptying into the Pacific but Sequim and Discovery Bays are both ebbing right in front of you.  The current attempts to pull/push you out into the Strait and makes for a few very busy hours.  Under these conditions it would be far smarter to follow the coast line back towards Protection.

Charts:

Maptech Waterproof Charts: Cape Flattery to Whidbey Island, Number 103.
NOAA Chart #18465  Strait of Juan de Fuca  1:80,000.

Directions to Launch Site: 

1.  Directions to Port Townsend: From I-5 at Hwy 16 in Tacoma it takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes (80 miles) to get to Port Townsend.  Take highway 16 to Bremerton and get on highway 3 (hwy 16 becomes 3) to the Hood Canal Bridge.  Turn left on Hwy 104 and cross the Hood Canal Bridge.  A few miles past the bridge turn right onto Hwy 19 towards Port Townsend.  Follow Hwy 19 (becomes Hwy 20) into downtown Port Townsend.

2.  Directions to the Fort Worden Launch Site: From downtown Port Townsend (Hwy 20 also called Water Street) follow Water Street to the end of town and turn left on Monroe (there's a sign for Fort Worden).  Follow Monroe and turn right onto Roosevelt Street, turn left onto Jackson St.,  Jackson St. becomes "Q" Street, then turn right onto Walnut Street to get to Fort Warden.  When you get to the Fort (you'll see a locked gate) follow the road around to the left and drive down to the main gate.  Turn right into the Fort.  The take the second street to the right.  Go all the way to the end of the parade field and you'll see the road (turn left) leading down to the beach.  The launch ramp is right at the bottom of the bluff at the big dock.

Places to Stay in Port Townsend:  

The Aladdin Motor Inn: Stayed here for $85 per night.  Two beds, small frig, microwave.  Nice big room.  TV.  Right smack on the beach.  Friendly.  
2333 Washington Street, Port Townsend.  This is on the section of Washington Street that is on the BAY side of Hwy 20.  So as you're coming into town (from the south) you'll want to turn right onto Washington....NOT up the hill to the left.
800-281-3747.

Facilities:

1.  There's plenty of parking down at the dock at Fort Worden and also bathrooms across the street.
2.  Fort Worden also has camping down on the beach.
3.  There's nothing on Thompson Spit except sand, bushes, and ample privacy.
4.  There is a bathroom in the lighthouse on Dungeness Spit.  You are supposed to have paid a day use fee to be there but we just went ahead and used it.  However, if you want to pay the day use fee, and you have the time, you can take a tour of the lighthouse.
5.  Nothing on Protection Island.  You're not even supposed to land there.

Sample Magazine Submittal:  Port Townsend to Dungeness Lighthouse and Back (SKIII). 34 NM. Paddle the waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Wanda Fuca), check out the wildlife on Protection Island and get in a good days paddling.

References: 

Scott, James W., and Melly A. Reuling. Washington Public Shore Guide. Seattle: University of Washington Press. 1986. pp. 260-267, 278-283

Mueller, Marge and Ted. North Puget Sound, Afoot and Afloat. Seattle: The Mountaineers. 1995. pp. 168-214.