The San Juan Islands have justifiably earned a reputation as a cruising paradise, and a lot of boats come through these waters all summer long. But this lovely archipelago also has a reputation for kissing the keels and mangling the props of unwary skippers. At almost any state of the tide, there are rocks hiding just below the surface of the water, and you really need to keep track of where you are and what the chart shows as you navigate these islands. The fact is there are rocks all over, but boats don’t routinely run aground on all of them. Just a dozen or so seem to attract most of the attention.

And who would know which rocks are the real troublemakers better than a Vessel Assist skipper? Sure enough, Captain Richard Rodriguez knows which rocks to watch out for. He generated the map above, indicating the rocks most frequently responsible for Vessel Assist calls. Handy!

Captain Rodrgiuez has created an interactive chartlet in Google Maps, as well. Mark well his words, cruisers!

By far the biggest money maker has been Shirttail Reef in Wasp Passage. We’ve seen folks follow supposed ferry routes on tourist maps – you name it.

Unless you have intimate local knowledge, do not take short cuts. Kelp, whirlpools, and ripples are all signs of shallow water.

Some folks think if they follow another boat they will be safe – not so. Bottom line, know where you are.

Thank you, Captain Rodriguez!