Community Environment Health & Wellness

The 100-mile adventure on the Salish Sea

Over 65 boats arrived in Gig Harbor last week to participate in the annual Salish 100. Each summer, a fleet of small boats cruise from Olympia to Port Townsend, covering the length of the Puget Sound.

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The 100-mile journey is not a race but a chance for boaters to build community and celebrate their watercraft and adventures. Overnight stops along the route include Longbranch, Gig Harbor, Blake Island, Kingston and Port Ludlow, concluding in Port Townsend.

Event organizers say that every kind of small boat shows up at the Salish 100, “from SUPs and SCAMPs to skiffs, Whitehalls, wherries, sharpies, melonseeds, and various home-built sail and rowing vessels.”

‘Summer camp for adults’

Started in 2021 by the Port Townsend Pocket Yachters, the cruise is now part of Northwest Maritime, a nonprofit dedicated to educating and inspiring people about maritime life and culture.

“It’s kind of summer camp for adults,” said Jesse Wiegel, known as the “Cruise Boss” at Northwest Maritime. “It’s not about bragging; it’s about building community.”

Salish 100 participants depart Gig Harbor. Photo by Julie Warrick Ammann

Skippers from around the country gather to experience all the Salish Sea has to offer.

“Here in the Puget Sound, we have a lot of tidal exchange,” up to 14 feet, Wiegel said. “It can be daunting.”

There are ferry lanes to cross, sandbars, tide rips, and weather conditions that can quickly change. Flat and calm winds can turn to small-craft warnings. Traveling together brings added safety. Five support vessels travel with the fleet of boats along the 100-mile cruise.

A BoatShop barbecue

At each stop along the route, local boating organizers and communities support the skippers. The Gig Harbor BoatShop hosted a barbecue for the estimated 60-plus boaters.

Many of them have never sailed on the Puget Sound, said Tom Regan of the Gig Harbor BoatShop. This event is a “good introduction to sailing on larger bodies of water.”

A casual barbecue allows boaters to stretch their legs, get cruise updates, and tour the Gig Harbor BoatShop. Local tips are shared. Gig Harbor locals warned sailors from elsewhere to watch out for raccoons on Blake Island.

Salish 100 participants enjoy a barbecue at the Gig Harbor BoatShop. Photo courtesy Gig Harbor BoatShop

Some boaters sleep on their boats, while others stay at local accommodations or with friends and family.

Margo Christianson of Fox Island cheered on her sister, retired nurse practitioner Cathy Schaeffer, 75, as she rowed past the Gig Harbor lighthouse. Visiting from Anacortes, Schaeffer built a craft kit with neighbor Jill Connell, 65, a retired chemical engineer. Both are members of the Anacortes Rowing and Sailing Society.

Cathy Schaeffer in Gig Harbor.

The neighbors began their boat-building project in 2022 at the Northwest Maritime Center. “We spent another nine months finishing it here in our garage,” Schaeffer said.

Schaeffer and Connell thought the Salish 100 would be fun. “It really turned out to be an adventure, and a thrilling part was coming through the Narrows in our 15-foot boat.”

South Sound newbies

Like many boaters, this was their first experience in the waters of the South Sound. “It was just beautiful,” said Schaeffer. “We really enjoyed that part of the trip, probably the most, and it was fun to come into Gig Harbor.” The duo stayed at Arabella Landing.

Jill Connell participated in the Salish 100 with her neighbor, Cathy Schaeffer.

After seven days of navigating currents, enduring Northwest weather patterns, encountering wildlife and forming new friendships along the 100-mile journey, the skippers arrive in Port Townsend.

“Every night is the destination. It’s about the journey,” Weigel said.

To participate, there is a $200 fee. The vessel must be 22-feet or less. Every vessel is vetted to ensure basic safety requirements are met. This includes a VHF radio and monitor running at all times while underway. Young children to seniors have participated.

Click here for more information about the Salish 100, or visit its Facebook group.