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Our First Trip to Roche Harbor: Crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca

We were nervous about crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca on our Ranger Tugs R25, but the water got rough before we even reached it. Suddenly, we were wondering if the weather forecast was wrong and whether we should trust the experienced boaters telling us to keep going.

This was a trip we had been planning for six months. We were finally taking our own boat to Roche Harbor in the San Juan Islands, and we were also headed to our very first Fluid Motion Rendezvous, where hundreds of Ranger Tugs, Cutwaters, and Solaras would be gathering for several days of boating, seminars, competitions, and fun.

Of course, getting there meant packing what felt like half our house into a 25-foot boat, watching the weather constantly, timing our departure around wind and fog, and facing a crossing that Sarah had spent a long time being nervous about.

Along the way, we circle Smith Island looking for puffins, find thousands of cormorants instead, dodge debris in the water, spot a humpback whale, admire some incredible waterfront homes, and eventually make our way into Roche Harbor for the first time on our own boat.

And arriving brings a few more firsts. We have to call the marina on the VHF, pull into an unfamiliar fuel dock, dock beside another boat for the first time, and figure out how to turn our Ranger Tug into home for the next several days.

Once we're settled, we finally get to explore Roche Harbor, visit the mausoleum and Sculpture Park, encounter some unexpected wildlife, cook our first real dinner aboard, and experience the evening Colors ceremony from our own boat.

This trip had been on our list almost since the day we bought our Ranger Tug.

We finally did it!

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Prefer to read? Here's the full story from this adventure, adapted from our video transcript and lightly edited for readability. Timestamps correspond to the video.

0:00 | Are We Really Going to Cross the Strait?

Our neighbors told us the Strait of Juan de Fuca was supposed to be smooth.

There was just one problem.

We weren't even there yet, and the water was already getting pretty rough.

Sarah was beginning to wonder what we had gotten ourselves into.

If the water was this uncomfortable in an area we regularly traveled, what would the Strait look like?

We had spent months preparing for this trip, but suddenly we weren't sure the weather forecast matched what we were experiencing.

And we had a decision to make.

0:38 | Six Months of Planning

This was a trip we had talked about almost every day since buying our Ranger Tug.

For Sarah, it was also a trip she had spent a long time being too nervous to take.

Before we could worry about crossing the Strait, however, we had another challenge.

Packing!

Preparing for a longer trip on a 25-foot boat is partly about figuring out what to bring and partly about figuring out what can stay home.

Sarah started by going through our safety equipment, checking that our handheld VHF radio and backup charger were ready, and organizing the things we would need during our trip.

Derek worked on getting all the fishing equipment into one manageable container.

That sounds simple until you realize how much fishing equipment Derek normally brings aboard.

We also organized our supplies, put together little spice containers, and started filling every available storage space.

And apparently, cleaning the windows was an essential part of getting ready for our adventure.

2:30 | How Much Can You Fit on a Ranger Tugs R25?

By the second day of preparation, our little Ranger Tug was filling up quickly.

We had our inflatable dinghy folded up in the cockpit, along with its motor and batteries.

The downriggers were staying mounted because we needed to make room for everything else.

Inside the cabin, we were organizing our supplies, fishing equipment, freezer, and everything Derek would need if we caught salmon and wanted to fillet and vacuum seal our catch.

And we still hadn't packed all our clothes, food, computers, and camera equipment.

Then there was the Fluid Motion Rendezvous.

We weren't just packing for a boating trip. We were packing for several days of seminars, dinners, competitions, parties, and even a Mardi Gras boat decorating contest.

That meant boating clothes, nicer clothes, costumes, and apparently a surprising number of shoes.

Derek wasn't taking responsibility for that one.

Sarah pointed out that they were both guilty.

Somehow, everything was going to have to fit.

5:21 | Will the Weather Cooperate?

For a while, we weren't even sure the trip was going to happen.

Our son wasn't feeling well, and we weren't going anywhere until we knew he was okay.

Thankfully, everything worked out.

Then the weather decided to complicate our plans.

We had originally planned to leave on Monday, Labor Day, but the forecast wasn't looking particularly good for crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Sarah was disappointed.

We had booked our reservations six months earlier, and she wanted every possible day of vacation.

But she was also a little relieved.

The Strait was one of the reasons we had never taken our own boat to Roche Harbor before.

We considered taking the longer route through Deception Pass, another area Sarah had previously been nervous about navigating.

Ultimately, we decided to wait.

And wouldn't you know it?

Monday's weather never became quite as bad as predicted.

By that afternoon, we were both wondering if we should have gone.

But we had made our decision based on the information available, and Tuesday was looking better.

6:47 | We're Finally Going to Roche Harbor!

Tuesday morning, after six months of planning and an extra day waiting for the weather, our adventure was finally beginning.

We finished our safety checks, loaded our route into the navigation system, and reviewed our timing.

Our plan was to reach Smith Island around 11:00 a.m., when the wind was expected to be calmer and the fog should have burned off.

We had also spent the previous evening talking with boating friends and reviewing different weather models.

After considering the conditions, we decided to take the route across the Strait instead of going through Deception Pass.

It would save us several hours of traveling and quite a bit of fuel.

We were excited, but we were also realistic about the things we hadn't done before.

This would be our first trip carrying our new inflatable dinghy, and we were still figuring out the best way to store everything aboard.

We also discovered that our refrigerator wasn't cooling as expected.

That was a little concerning considering how much food Sarah had packed!

Fortunately, after turning on the house battery, it started cooling again.

We made a note to investigate that later.

For now, we were packed, the boat was ready, and we were finally heading north.

10:58 | Hoping for Puffins and Whales

One of the things we were particularly excited about was traveling past Smith Island.

Sarah had wanted to see the puffins that visit the island.

We weren't sure whether they would still be there this late in the season, but we thought it would be worth looking.

That led to a rather entertaining conversation about where puffins actually go during the winter.

South?

North?

Maybe this was already their winter destination?

Neither of us was entirely sure.

We decided we would have to look that up.

Regardless, we were hoping to see some interesting wildlife along the way.

Whales would be wonderful, too.

And with that, we settled in for what we hoped would be a beautiful ride to Roche Harbor.

12:01 | The Strait of Juan de Fuca Was Our Biggest Concern

We had been to Roche Harbor before, but never aboard our own boat.

Almost from the day we purchased our Ranger Tug, we had talked about how wonderful it would be to wake up one morning, get aboard, cruise to Roche Harbor, spend some time exploring, and eventually return home.

It sounds pretty simple when you describe it that way.

Except there was one big thing standing between us and Roche Harbor.

The Strait of Juan de Fuca.

And before we even reached it, we encountered something we weren't expecting.

The water in Admiralty Inlet was rough.

Really rough.

We were in an area where we normally fish, but the water felt like a washing machine.

Sarah started questioning the forecast.

There wasn't much wind, the currents didn't appear particularly strong, and the conditions didn't seem to match what we were seeing in our weather applications.

If the forecast was this different from the conditions we were experiencing, how could we trust what it was predicting for the Strait?

We checked the weather again and talked about what to do.

Our neighbors, who had considerably more experience in these waters, had told us that this area could get bumpy even when the Strait was calm.

They kept reassuring us that the conditions farther north should be much better.

We decided to continue and see for ourselves.

14:46 | Our Neighbors Were Right!

And then we reached the Strait.

It was beautiful.

The water was calm, the fog had cleared, and suddenly the crossing we had spent so much time worrying about was turning into a wonderful experience.

Our neighbors had been right!

For Sarah, this was a particularly big moment.

When we crossed the Strait during our previous trip to Sidney, she had wanted to stay as close to land as possible.

This time, we were heading right through the middle.

But just as Sarah stopped worrying about the waves, she found something else to worry about.

Debris!

We started seeing logs, sticks, and other floating debris in the water.

Even though the conditions were beautiful, we had to keep scanning ahead and watching where we were going.

It was a good reminder that calm water doesn't mean you can stop paying attention.

After being so tense earlier in the trip, Sarah's neck was beginning to hurt.

Fortunately, Derek was available to provide a little onboard massage service.

Apparently, cruising on our Ranger Tug now includes spa treatments.

16:42 | Exploring Smith Island

One of the reasons we had chosen this route was the opportunity to visit Smith Island.

We had wanted to see it for years.

As we approached, we could see structures on the island and what appeared to be an incredible number of birds.

We were also careful to watch the chart and surrounding rocks as we made our way around the island.

Then we got a closer look.

Birds were everywhere!

Along the cliffs, on the shoreline, and in the surrounding water.

We pulled out the binoculars and cameras to see what we could find.

Unfortunately, there weren't any puffins.

They appeared to have already left for the season.

But the island was anything but empty.

18:41 | Thousands of Cormorants!

Instead of puffins, we found thousands of cormorants.

It was incredible!

There were birds covering the shoreline and flying around the island.

Even without seeing the puffins we had hoped for, it was worth making the detour.

We would love to return when the puffins are there.

As we continued our journey, Derek pointed out something pretty special.

Sarah was out in the middle of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, enjoying herself.

The same Strait she had spent so much time worrying about.

It was a pretty big accomplishment.

And then something else caught our attention.

19:14 | A Whale!

Suddenly, we spotted something in the water.

A whale!

We scrambled to get the camera ready as it surfaced nearby.

It happened quickly.

One moment we were watching the water, and the next we had spotted a humpback whale.

Then it was gone.

We weren't even sure whether the camera had captured the encounter.

But we had seen it!

After all the worrying about the crossing, we were now enjoying calm water, incredible birds, and a whale sighting.

What an amazing morning.

20:02 | Getting Closer to Roche Harbor

After leaving Smith Island, the scenery began changing again.

We passed beautiful waterfront homes and landmarks that made it feel like we were finally getting close to our destination.

Then Roche Harbor came into view.

We had visited before, but arriving in our own Ranger Tug was a completely different experience.

We carefully followed the navigation markers and worked our way through the protected passages.

Along the way, we passed Henry Island and traveled through Mosquito Pass.

Sarah wasn't particularly impressed with the name Mosquito Pass.

But the scenery was beautiful, and we were beginning to see more and more boats.

Then, suddenly, we were surrounded by them.

We had arrived at Roche Harbor!

Now came another part of boating that still makes us a little nervous.

Calling an unfamiliar marina on the VHF radio.

22:21 | Calling Roche Harbor Marina

We contacted Roche Harbor Marina on VHF channel 78.

We wanted to stop for fuel before heading to our assigned slip.

Thankfully, the marina staff were friendly and helpful.

They directed us toward the fuel dock and explained that our slip assignment would be waiting for us there.

Simple enough.

Now we just had to find the fuel dock.

There was one little problem.

Derek kept getting distracted by all the beautiful boats!

Everywhere we looked, there was something incredible to see.

Sarah reminded Derek that he was supposed to be looking for the fuel dock, not admiring the yachts.

Of course, a few moments later, Sarah was admiring them too.

At least we agreed on something.

There were some amazing boats in Roche Harbor!

24:37 | Our First Time at the Roche Harbor Fuel Dock

Eventually, we had to stop sightseeing and focus on docking.

Pulling into an unfamiliar marina is still one of those things that makes both of us a little nervous.

Every fuel dock is different.

You don't always know exactly how much room you're going to have until you're approaching.

We have learned that this is usually the point where we both get quiet and concentrate on our jobs.

And that's exactly what we did.

Derek brought the boat alongside the dock, Sarah handled the lines, and everything went smoothly.

One more unfamiliar dock successfully checked off our list!

It might not sound like a big accomplishment to experienced boaters, but every successful docking experience makes the next one a little less intimidating.

After topping off the fuel tank, we were ready to head to our assigned slip.

And that brought another first.

26:12 | Docking Beside Another Boat

We had never pulled into a marina slip immediately beside another boat before.

There was already a boat tied up next to our assigned space, and suddenly the slip looked a little smaller than we expected.

Fortunately, the marina staff were waiting to help us with our lines.

Derek brought Drops in the Ocean into the slip, and before we knew it, we were safely tied up.

Sarah was impressed.

She told Derek he had docked like a pro.

Derek seemed pretty pleased with himself, too.

Of course, Sarah also pointed out that she had believed he could do it all along.

We had made it!

After six months of planning, an extra day waiting on the weather, a surprisingly rough start, and our first crossing of the Strait aboard our own Ranger Tug, we were finally in Roche Harbor.

And we couldn't have been happier.

28:09 | Welcome to Roche Harbor!

Before unpacking everything, we decided to take a walk around the marina and get our bearings.

Roche Harbor feels like its own little village.

There are restaurants, shops, showers, laundry facilities, groceries, and plenty of places to explore.

We weren't planning to stop anywhere just yet.

We mostly wanted to figure out where everything was so we could get settled and start enjoying our visit.

And eventually, we needed to return to the boat and deal with everything we had packed.

Remember all those shoes?

They still needed somewhere to live.

29:11 | Turning Our Ranger Tug Into Home

Once we returned to the boat, it was time to turn our Ranger Tugs R25 into home for the next several days.

We connected shore power, hooked up the water, made some lunch, and started unpacking.

Living aboard a 25-foot boat definitely requires some cooperation.

Especially when one person is trying to wash dishes and the other is trying to get to the helm.

There isn't a lot of extra room to pass each other!

At one point, Sarah was trying to work in the galley while Derek was attempting to squeeze past her.

That led to a little laughter and some playful commentary about being married to a nut.

Apparently, that's part of living aboard a little Ranger Tug.

Eventually, we got everything organized.

Now we were ready to explore.

30:02 | Our First Adventure Ashore

Our first destination wasn't exactly what you might expect.

We were going to visit a mausoleum.

Someone had recommended it, and we thought the walk would be a wonderful way to stretch our legs after spending several hours aboard the boat.

It was about a mile each way.

Before heading out, we took a moment to talk about the crossing.

Sarah couldn't believe how much she had enjoyed it.

She had spent approximately two and a half hours traveling across the Strait of Juan de Fuca and loved every minute.

In fact, she told Derek he was in trouble now.

Why?

Because she was going to start begging to take the boat more places!

That's quite a change from being nervous about crossing the Strait.

And it was wonderful to see.

31:19 | Exploring the Historic Mausoleum

The mausoleum turned out to be a fascinating place.

As we wandered around, we started reading about the people remembered there.

Some of their stories were heartbreaking.

We learned about a young boy who had drowned after falling from the docks.

It was one of those moments when a place you expected to visit for a few minutes suddenly becomes much more meaningful.

We found ourselves slowing down and thinking about the people who had lived here before us.

It was a surprisingly moving first stop.

Next, we headed toward the Sculpture Park.

31:54 | The Roche Harbor Sculpture Park

The Sculpture Park was definitely a change of pace.

We had no idea how large it was or how many different kinds of artwork we would find.

There were sculptures tucked throughout the woods, interesting displays, and some rather unusual surprises.

At one point, we noticed something moving in the bushes.

We weren't sure what it was.

Then we realized it was a baby deer!

And where there is a baby deer, there is usually a mother nearby.

Sure enough, there she was.

We watched the mother and baby for a little while before continuing our walk.

The park was filled with interesting artwork, including a little lighthouse, whimsical displays in the woods, and a large crab sculpture.

Some of it was beautiful.

Some of it was a little strange.

But we had a great time exploring.

We had no idea this place was here, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our afternoon.

33:49 | Life Around Roche Harbor Marina

As we made our way back toward the boat, there was still plenty to see.

Floatplanes were coming and going, boats were moving around the marina, and everywhere we looked there was something interesting happening.

Our little R25 looked pretty small compared with some of the yachts surrounding us.

And apparently, some boats even come with their own cat!

We stopped to admire a beautiful cat aboard one of the boats.

That's another thing we love about exploring new marinas.

You never quite know what you're going to find.

By now, though, we were getting tired.

It had been a long and exciting day.

And we still had one more first ahead of us.

34:15 | Our First Real Dinner Aboard

Believe it or not, after owning Drops in the Ocean for months, we had never really cooked a proper meal aboard.

We had used the microwave plenty of times.

But cooking dinner on our little boat was something new.

Sarah decided it was time to find out whether she could make something edible in our tiny galley.

We also put our electric grill to work.

It wasn't an elaborate meal, but after a full day of cruising, exploring, and learning, it was exactly what we needed.

And there was something particularly special about sitting aboard our own Ranger Tug in Roche Harbor, enjoying a meal we had prepared ourselves.

We weren't visiting by ferry.

We weren't staying in a hotel.

We had brought our own little home with us.

It was one of those moments when you realize you're actually doing something you've dreamed about for a long time.

35:00 | The Evening Colors Ceremony

One of the traditions at Roche Harbor is the evening Colors ceremony.

Every evening, the flags are lowered while music plays across the harbor.

The ceremony concludes with the firing of a cannon.

And just when you think everything is finished, the marina comes alive with boat horns!

We were able to experience the ceremony from our own boat.

What a wonderful way to end our first day in Roche Harbor.

After everything we had experienced, it felt like the perfect ending to an incredible adventure.

35:24 | Our First Day Is in the Books!

As the evening came to a close, we sat down to reflect on everything we had done.

We had crossed the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Sarah was quick to point out that she hadn't even been scared during the crossing.

Actually, the rough water earlier in Admiralty Inlet had been much more intimidating.

We had explored Smith Island, seen thousands of cormorants, and spotted a whale.

We had navigated into Roche Harbor for the first time, successfully docked beside another boat, and turned Drops in the Ocean into our home for the next several days.

We had explored the mausoleum and Sculpture Park, cooked dinner aboard, and watched the Colors ceremony.

Not bad for our first day!

And we weren't quite ready for bed.

We figured we would play a game or two before calling it a night.

After all, we were on vacation!

36:55 | One Adventure at a Time

We had talked about bringing our own boat to Roche Harbor almost from the day we bought it.

For a long time, it was something we hoped to do someday.

Now we had actually done it.

And after seeing how much fun we had, we're pretty sure this won't be our last trip.

That's one of the things we're discovering about boating.

Every new experience makes the next adventure feel a little more possible.

We're still learning.

We still get nervous about unfamiliar waters, weather conditions, docking, and all the other little things that come with owning a boat.

But every trip teaches us something new.

And sometimes, the adventure you've spent months worrying about turns out to be one of the best experiences you've ever had.

We would love to hear from you!

What's a trip or adventure you've been wanting to take but haven't quite worked up the nerve to do yet?

Tell us in the comments.

And if you're learning right alongside us, subscribe and come along. We still have a lot more to figure out!

We took a leap, bought a fixer-upper on Hood Canal, and an empty dock meant one thing.

We needed a boat.

Now we're building our dream home and our dream life, one adventure at a time.