Hopefully this will be corrected soon.

Dear Blue Water Cruising Association;

As a licensed professional Captain with many miles under sail,  I’m personally quite a fan of your organization and am writing to introduce our new Milltown Marina and Boatyard opening this fall in the Marpole area of Vancouver on the North Arm of the Fraser River. One will find it to be a very complete facility including  224 in water slips for sail and power 30 feet  to 80+ feet and 200 drystack slips for power to 30 feet.

I invite any of your members who may be interested in moorage with us to review our website linked below. Also any Blue Water Cruising members who might like to moor at Milltown Marina will receive 2 months free moorage on annual moorage contracts arranged with us prior to April 30, 2014.

I invite your members to click on the news and updates page on our website as well. There soon will be another update there announcing Milltown Marina as a new base for the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue organization.

In closing, your members are most welcome to learn more of our new marina facilities now well under construction and opening this fall by popping in to our open house  Saturdays and Sundays 11:00 am to 7:00 pm or by calling me at 778 668-1731 or email mcote@milltownmarina.com

Friday Harbour, Wa - easy customs check in, picked up our 1 year crusing permit no problems and good place to pick up some supplies, a bit on the pricy side

Port Angelis, WA - We got a receprical for 3 days at the Yacht club then paid for 4 more at the dock, shopping reasonably close (easy walk)

Greys Harbour, WA - tucked in for 3 days while weather system passed,  From Port Angelis to Greys Harbour for our 34' boat was a day, overnight and morning.  It was foggy and busy with fishing traffic.  We nearly got run over 3 days later when we left in the morning fog by a rather large fishing boat.  Not much for services here, but had a shower and laundry, small grocery store within walking or bus ride.

Newport, Orgeon - stormed stayed for 10 days while several gale to storm force winds blew through.  This was again a day, overnight and morning. Winds were building and Newport was closing the bar to 30' we are 34' so we called the coast guard as we were having some engine/fuel issues and they escorted us into the Marina.  Very nice group of guys.Stayed at Marina dock just inside breakwater, shuttle bus to down town for grocery shopping, etc. (cost was a $1/trip) . Great brew pub within wakling distance and a Sprit bar if you like that sort of thing, Laundry and shower in the Marina offices

Crecent City, California - Hurricane hit and not repaired, when we were there in 2008 there was a few docks still around with some fishing boats. Came in at 7pm and left by 5 in the morning, not much around and very expensive for what you get.  The nice thing about Crecent City is there is no bar crossing.

Fort Bragg , Califorina - Again this was a day, night and morning trip. Small fishing port, we came in the fog at low tide in the morning  (not recommended) and could hear the waves crasing on the rocks on either side of the boat, lots of kelp at the entrance.  They closed the bar crossing after we got in and we were again stormed stayed for 10 days.  Shower and laundry at the Marina office, power included in the $10/night charge.  Grocery within walking distance and a bus if you need to go into Fort Bragg where the Library and main shopping is.  We spent a day at emerg as Mike has some health issues, thank god we had gotten health care insurance for the US as it would have cost us over $3,000 for the 6 hours Mike was in emerg.  We only had health insurance for the US and got it from BCCA (cost was about $300 for both of us for 6 months)

Bodega Bay - California - Fuel dock at Fort Bragg not easy to access to we decided to fuel at Bodega Bay, after leaving Fort Bragg we hung around at the bar entrance and waited for morning light, entered in the fog again.  Nice Marina facility with laundry, showers and fuel.  Left the next day

Drakes Bay - California - Short day trip from Bodega Bay, anchor away from the Feed Lot farm, spent overnight then headed to San Francisco

San Francisco, California, we spent 4 nights on the Sausalito Yacht club as recipricol (no charge), very nice facility, showers, laundry, Free Wifi,  shopping near by. Friendly people from the club bought us drinks,   Bit lumpy on the morring but it was free and only good for boats under 40', Sausalito has good anchorage though.  From there we went to Angel Island for a couple of days, good hikes and heritage, watched the Big Boat Race.  Then we spend 3 weeks at Brisbane in the south bay, cost us $10/night including power, good access to bus routes (after a 30 min walk into the small community)  Radison hotel could take the shutted into the airport, then the BART to downtown.  Laundry and showers at the marina.

Half Moon Bay, Californa, spent overnight at anchor, not much for facilities there is a marina but we chose to anchor.

Monteray, California, Day trip from Half Moon Bay, stayed at marina for a couple of days

San Louis Obispo bay, California, anchored here for about a week, weather was settled, shopping with in walking distance, nice little town.

Santa Barbara, California - Stayed at the Public Marina for 14 days (only allowed 14 days at a time)  It pays to have a smaller boat as marina fees were not that expensive.  Santa Barbara is one of my favorite places although pricey for groceries.  It had 324 sunny days a year.

Oxnard, California - Stayed at the Yacht club on recpricoal for 3 nights (no charge), nice facility, showers, laundry, close to shopping.

Marina Del Rey, California - Stayed at the Pacific Mariners Club for 4 days recipricol (no charge), very friendly group, close to shopping, laundry showers, 

Avalon- Cataina Island, California - forgot that it was a long weekend, morring field was full, but very pretty island, if you paid for 3 nights got a week for the same price.

Oceanside, California - Tricky breakwater entrance, we basically timed the surf, turned 90 degrees and got behind the break water.  Stayed at the Oceanside yacht clup 3 nights  recipricol (no charge)

San Diego, California - stayed at the Police dock for 10 days, then at the San Diego Yacht club for a couple of nights on recipricol (no charge).  Decided not to do the Anchor dance.Got our fishing licences for Mexico here.

Encenata, Mexico, left at 5pm arrived at 7am, stayed marina for a couple of nights, provisioned, got checked in, (marina was helpful with paperwork), import boat licence, fuel, etc.

Turtle Bay, Mexico - 2 days, 2 nights from Encenata to Turtle bay, anchored for a couple of nights, got fuel, checked out the small fishing village

Bahia Santa Maria, Mexico - North of Magdelana bay, spent 4 nights a anchor very quite, nice white beach, fishermen trading logastina

Los Cabos, Mexico - Spent two nights anchored, very busy, lots of traffic and cruise ships.  You know you are back in civilization.

San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico - were just expanding new marina so very inexpensive for us to stay, shuttle to shopping (Mega stores) pub, showers, laundry.  I hear that now the marina is built it is a bit pricey.

Bahia Los Frailes, Mexico - great anchorage, snorkling, fishing, swiming, stayed a couple of days

Bahia Los Muertos, Mexico - good anchorage, snorkling, fishing, swiming, good bar (at least it was still operating when we were there in 2008)

La Paz, Mexico - stayed at Marina Del La Paz, again smaller boat they had room at a good price, used as our home base for provisioning while we sailed the islands.  Isla San Francisco is my favorite along with Bahia Porto Balandra (where the mushroom rock is) Make sure you get your island crusing permit early as they sell out.