The Coast Guard received a report of a dredge hung up on its anchor and taking on water shortly before 9 p.m., and sent two rescue boats to assist. By 9:30, the Coast Guard had taken all three people onboard the barge, Bar Fly, onto a 25-foot rescue boat. The rescued crew was taken to the Coast Guard’s station on Quillayute River and there were no injuries reported.

The other rescue boat was able to take the barge out of the channel, but by 8 a.m. the following morning, the boat had overturned and sunk in about 10 feet of water. The barge has two 500-gallon tanks with about 200 gallons of diesel fuel and 150 gallons of hydraulic fuel onboard. A sheen of about 100 feet long had spread out around the barge, and a boom was set up to help contain the spill.

On Tuesday afternoon, a diving and salvage company was on the scene to assess the barge and come up with a salvage plan. The state Department of Ecology is also helping with the spill recovery process.

Sucia Island is the crown jewel of the San Juan Islands and of the entire marine state park system. It’s shaped like a welcoming hand—thumb to the north, fingers to the south—and has a surprising number of bays, each with its own personality. You can happily spend a week here, anchored in a different cove every night, hiking a different trail every day, eating every meal on a different beach.

Sucia Island State Park covers more than 500 acres. Hiking trails and dirt roads wander through forest, wetlands, and numerous sand and gravel beaches. The park has firepits, picnic tables and shelters, restrooms, and more than 50 campsites.

Among Sucia’s many attractions are its magical landforms. Small cobbles, dropped from the sandstone, have left behind a surface that resembles lace. Wind and wave have carved out pillars and caves.

For thousands of years these islands were Indian seal-hunting grounds. The present name was given in 1791 by the Eliza Expedition (sucia means “dirty” in Spanish), warning mariners of the island’s many rocks and shoals.

Sucia offers numerous beautiful anchorages for boaters to visit, including Fox Cove and the more protected Fossil Bay.

The steep shores of Sucia Island seem to have been sculpted by the sea.

Fox Cove

This cove on the southwest side of Sucia is protected by Little Sucia Island, though it is somewhat exposed to southwesterlies. Sunset views are lovely here, and the sculptured sandstone on the north beach is some of the finest on the island. At high tide you can see across the low isthmus to Fossil Bay.

Moorings and Anchorage
Four mooring buoys are set in a square pattern at the head of the cove. The southwest buoy is in deepest water, the northeast buoy shallowest. There’s room to anchor west of these buoys; to the east the bay shallows rapidly. Moorage fees are changed year-round.

Getting Ashore
All shoreline around Fox Cove is state park land. Little Sucia is closed to the public from January 1 to August 15 to protect nesting areas.

With two floats and plenty of buoys, Fossil Bay is easily the most popular anchorage on Sucia. The bay takes its name from the fossils found in the surrounding bluffs. Little Hernden Island once served as a “guest book” for Sucia, with visitors scrawling the names of their boats on its rock face. The practice is now prohibited, but some of the writing is still visible.

During summer, boats raft thickly, and the floats are cluttered with lawn chairs and barbecues. The west float is removed from October through April.

Moorings and Anchorage
Fossil Bay has two floats, each one about 100 feet long, one at the head and one across the entrance to Mud Bay. Depths are about the same on both sides of these floats, slightly shallower toward shore. Fifteen mooring buoys are set in two parallel lines, all in similar depths. Fees are changed year-round for use of buoys and floats.

There’s good anchorage southeast of these buoys.

All of Fossil Bay is less than 2 fathoms. Mud Bay, behind Hernden Island, dries at low tide.

Getting Ashore
All surrounding lands are state park.

Sailor, writer and teacher Migael Scherer, who divides her time between Seattle and Lopez Island, is the author of “A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands,” published by International Marine/McGraw-Hill. The guide can be purchased online through Armchair Sailor Books & Charts, Captain’s Nautical Supplies, Amazon and other retailers.

The number of fishing licenses sold in Washington since the start of the year was up 11 percent through August to about 802,000, compared with around 720,000 during the same period last year. Revenue from licenses and endorsements for crabbing and clamming totaled $18.5 million, up $1.1 million over the same period in 2008.

The number of fishing licenses varies from year to year, but an 11 percent increase “is a pretty big jump,” said Matthew Meacham, an analyst for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s licensing division.

State biologists say salmon fishing has been stronger than usual in some areas of Puget Sound, with pink salmon showing up in record numbers. Forecasts called for about 15 million pink salmon heading to the Fraser River north of Vancouver and another 5.8 million coming into Puget Sound—the highest forecast ever for the region, said Steve Thiesfeld, the WDFW’s salmon manager for Puget Sound.

“We’re having an absolute banner year on pink salmon in Puget Sound,” Thiesfeld said. “This will go down as one of the best pink salmon years ever, if not the best ever.”

Mike Chamberlain, who owns Ted’s Sports Center in Lynwood, chalked up the fishing boom to numerous factors, including months of superb weather, anglers staying closer to home and more unemployed fishermen with plenty of time on their hands.

“We see a lot of these guys who don’t have anything else to do, and it’s very inexpensive for them to (fish),” Chamberlain said.

But Chamberlain believes the single biggest reason for the year’s spike in fishing is the abundance of pinks. Though salmon fishing purists consider pinks less desirable than other salmon species, Chamberlain said, they’re smaller and easier to catch, an attractive prospect for fledgling anglers.

“Your return on the investment is low. You don’t need a boat. You don’t need to have a special rod and reel, because these fish average anywhere from three to seven pounds. It doesn’t take a lot of expensive tackle to fish for pinks.”

Coho ocean fishing has also been unusually good, said Wendy Beeghley, a WDFW fish biologist who focuses on ocean areas outside of Puget Sound.

“We’ve had phenomenal ocean fishing for coho this year,” she said. “Early on, we predicted that we would have some really good coho returns to the Columbia River. We expected a pretty good ocean fishery based on that and indeed, that has panned out. I’ve been here 22 years and these are some of the highest catch rates I’ve ever seen.”

The season for pinks is winding down and chum typically don’t start showing up until mid-October. But Thiesfeld said coho salmon have been showing up earlier than usual around Sekiu, a popular fishing spot on the southern side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Anglers have reeled in coho between 10 and 15 pounds in the area, Thiesfeld said, which is unusual.

“We don’t see those very often in the Sound and we’re seeing a fair number that size,” he said. “They’re rare and they’re prized.”

Not all areas and fisheries were bountiful this year; sockeye runs were too low to allow for any sockeye fishing at all this year in Puget Sound and Chinook were scarce from Port Townsend down through Tacoma. But overall, Beeghley said, the year has been a stellar one for anglers.

“It was amazing fishing, just amazing, some of the best fishing I remember having,” she said. “A lot of people who haven’t fished in a while went out and bought fishing licenses, myself included.”

The recession has prompted a growing trend of “staycations” – vacations taken closer to home – but Thiesfeld doesn’t think that’s what caused the spike in fishing this year in Washington.

“If you look at our boat ramps and rivers, there’s a tremendous amount of people out fishing,” Thiesfeld said. “I don’t think it’s just because they’re staying home. It’s because the fish are here.”

That’s been good news for both the state and business owners such as Chamberlain. Newbie anglers have been flocking to his store all summer, looking for guidance and ready to buy.

“A lot of people have come into the sport who have never fished before. We see it every day,” Chamberlain said. “We’ll draw them maps and show them places on the river that they can go. We’ll rig them up to the point where the line’s threaded through the guide and all they have to do is go out and cast.”

Consequently, Chamberlain said, business has been booming for the past three months, following a slow winter and a previous summer dampened by high fuel prices, the recession, bad weather and mediocre fishing.

“Having a very, very good pink salmon run like we’ve having this year is a boon to our business,” he said. “This is a year when pink turns to green. And you’ve got to capitalize on it.”

The two mothers and three offspring have been in Eld Inlet, near Olympia, for the past four weeks. There have been reports that boaters have gotten close to the group, prompting warnings from whale experts.

The National Marine Fisheries Service advises pepole to stay at least 100 yards away from orcas. Harassing or harming marine mammals is against federal law.

In June, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration proposed rules that would prevent vessels from coming within 200 feet of killer whales or parking in the path of a whale. The proposed regulations would also establish a half-mile zone along the west side of San Juan Island from May 1 through the end of September that vessels would be prohibited from entering. The rules could take effect next May.

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Being named number one worldwide after selling a brand less than a year is no less impressive.

Lake Union Sea Ray in Seattle scored both distinctions when it was recently notified that it was Meridian Yachts’ top independent seller worldwide between January and August of this year. Additionally, the company was named the number one Trophy and Bayliner dealer globally based on sales during the same period.

Lake Union Sea Ray began selling Bayliner, Trophy and Meridian yachts last October after purchasing a sizeable stock of inventory from Olympic Boat Centers, which filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2008.

Patrick Blake, a vice president at Brunswick U.S. Marine & Outboard Boats, which owns Bayliner and Trophy, congratulated Lake Union Sea Ray owner Kevin Roggenbuck on his company’s success with the brands after selling them for less than a year.

“I knew from the beginning that you would lead a team to success, but I had no idea it would happen so quickly,” Blake wrote in a letter. “You and your team have surpassed every expectation! It is truly a pleasure to work with such a well-run organization.”

The addition of the three brands substantially increased the boat lines offered by Lake Union Sea Ray, which had previously been selling Sea Ray and Boston Whaler boats. As part of the move, Lake Union also added three new sales and service locations and cherry-picked from an experienced sales staff previously employed by Olympic Boat Centers.

The risk has paid off, said Kay Woltman, marketing manager for Lake Union Sea Ray.

“We’ve only been an authorized dealer of (Trophy, Bayliner and Meridian yachts) officially since last fall. To be able to say that we’ve accomplished that number one position in less than a year—it’s amazing,” Woltman said.

She attributed the success to a combination of strong brand recognition of the various boat lines and a knowledgeable experienced sales staff. “We’ve been doing this for 22 years, so I think the experience of our staff plays a huge role in the success we’ve been able to achieve in moving our boats,” she said.

Mandatory checks will take place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sept. 25 near the Ridgefield weigh station on Interstate 5, not far from the Washington-Oregon border.

The inspections are the latest in a series of more than two dozen check stations set up this year by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in an effort to keep aquatic invasive species, primarily zebra and quagga mussels, out of state waters.

Sgt. Eric Anderson, WDFW enforcement coordinator for the program, said signs will be posted notifying motorists of the inspection at the weigh station at Milepost 18, a key entry point for out-of-state boaters.

The inspections can usually be completed in 10 minutes, Anderson said. But failure to stop for an inspection can result in a citation.

“We need the cooperation of boat owners to keep aquatic invasive species out of Washington waters,” said Allen Pleus, unit lead for WDFW’s Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention and Enforcement program.

“Once species like zebra and quagga mussels become established, they can be extremely destructive to native fish and wildlife while also causing millions of dollars in damage to public water systems.”

Invasive mussels, which attach themselves to boats or other water-based equipment, have spread quickly in recent years, Pleus said. Since the 1980s, when zebra and quagga mussels entered the Great Lakes in ship ballast water, they have shown up in more than 20 states, including California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

Neither species has yet been found in Washington waters, although WDFW has intercepted and decontaminated 17 boats infested with the tiny mussels in the past three years, Anderson said.

Like quagga mussels, zebra mussels are a freshwater species alien to North America that reproduces in mass quantities—one mussel can produce a million eggs in a single spawning cycle.

Importation of aquatic invasive species is a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to $5,000 in fines and up to a year in jail. Knowingly bringing such species into Washington is a felony and can result in even greater fines and jail time.

 The emphasis of the check station inspection program is to intercept invasive species, not penalize boat owners, Anderson said.

“Our primary goal is stop these species from entering our state,” he said. “At the same time, we need boat owners to recognize the importance of inspecting and cleaning their vessels before moving them from one body of water to another.”

Because invasive mussels multiply quickly, they can threaten native fish and wildlife by consuming available food and smothering some species, Pleus said. They can also clog water intake systems at power plants, irrigation districts, public water suppliers and other facilities, causing millions of dollars in damage.

Pleus noted that mandatory check stations are just one way WDFW is working to keep invasive species out of Washington’s waters. The department, he said, also works closely with the Washington State Patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard and public agencies in Oregon and Idaho to detect and eradicate the tiny invaders on both recreational and commercial vessels. 

More information on aquatic invasive species is available on WDFW’s website.

Although numbers weren’t available, attendance was light for the first four days of the annual sales event, one of Seattle’s four major yearly boat shows. And it didn’t help that rain and a legendary Huskies football game on Saturday conspired to dampen the number of boat shoppers on what should have been one of the show’s busiest days.

Still, the sun showed up on the final day and brightened the mood of boat brokers. Most reported a solid amount of interest from buyers, many of whom were attracted by the cut-rate prices on the existing stock of boats.

“People are very sensitive to deals, so the ones we made have been very aggressive,” said Mark Helgen, vice president of sales for Lake Union Sea Ray.

Sun brought out the crowds after a slow start to the show.

The company had 11 powerboats at the show, most in the 40-foot and larger range.  The discount prices were attracting attention, but Helgen said they won’t last forever.

“The pipeline is dwindling and the supply of deal boats are going away,” he said. “We are already seeing several segments of the market running out of boats and being replaced by more expensive inventory.”

The show caps one of the most difficult years in memory for most Northwest boat sellers.  The financial crisis that began last September sent boat sales—already wheezing due to summer’s high fuel prices—spiraling. The January Seattle Boat Show confirmed many fears that buyers were keeping their wallets closed.

But as the economy has stabilized and the stock market has begun rebounding, sales of boats—both new and used—are returning. Slowly.

The most recent boat sales numbers in Washington state showed that new boat sales were down 33 percent over the same period last year. But the rate of decrease slowed from the first three months of the year, when they were down a whopping 56 percent.

Used boats showed even more signs of life, with a drop of 6.6 percent in the number of boats sold, compared with a decline of 27.5 percent during the first quarter of the year. New boat sales figure should be available next month.

Pointing to a stronger future for boat sales?

The still-tough market has caused many brokers to scale back for this year’s Boats Afloat show. Signature Yachts, which specializes in high-end and long-distance cruising sailboats, brought six vessels to the docks. Last year, the company had 14.

Still, the signs are positive, said Robbie Robinson, the owner of Signature Yachts.

“In the last month, we’ve sold five boats, three of them at normal margins,” he said. “We are happy about that. It is a good indicator.”

But Robinson is under no illusions that the sales volumes of a few years ago will return any time soon.

“I think it will be a long road back to where we were,” he said.

What: The 21st Annual Fishermen’s Fall Festival sponsored by the
Fishermen’s Terminal Tennant’s Association.

Where: On the Boardwalk of Fishermen’s Terminal, 1900 W. Nickerson Street, Seattle.

When: Saturday, September 26, 2009: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

More info: All proceeds directly benefit the Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial and their efforts to honor the local fishing community and their families.

Press release from the Port of Seattle:

The 21st Annual Fishermen’s Fall Festival sponsored by the Fishermen’s Terminal Tennant’s Association is an opportunity to meet commercial fishermen and learn more about their industry, which is a vital part
of the economy of the Greater Puget Sound Region.

EVENT SCHEDULE

3:00 p.m.
Survival Suit Race, beginning at the West Wall

DEMONSTRATION STAGE SCHEDULE
11:00 a.m.
Salmon and Halibut Fillet Demonstration

Noon
Shifty Sailors

1:00 p.m.
Wild Salmon Fillet Competition

2:00 p.m.
Lutefisk Eating Contest

3:00 p.m.
Awards Ceremony for the Wild Salmon Fillet Competition

3:30 p.m.
Oyster Slurp Competition

4:30 p.m.
Kontagious Performing Company – Hip Hop Dancing

MAIN STAGE SCHEDULE
11:00 a.m.
Sunshine from Polynesia – Traditional Hawaiian Dance Troupe

Noon
J.P. Patches

1:00 p.m.
Reptile Man

2:00 p.m.
Music by Knut Bell

3:00 p.m.
Survival Suit Race

Please go to the West Wall
4:00 p.m.

Music by the Lost Varnets
6:00 p.m.

Raffle, followed by more music by the Lost Varnets

THE RUNDOWN

FUN FOR KIDS:
Kids of all ages are invited to participate in activity booths including Miniature
Wooden Boat Building, Fish Prints, Oyster Art, Creation Station, Have Art
We’ll Travel, Spin Art, Balloon Sculptors, Trout Pond and more.

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT:
Upbeat, spirited works by local artists are featured at the event.
Sunshine from Polynesia: You won’t want to miss this local
Hawaiian/Tahitian dance troupe ages 5 to adult which will perform on
stage for one hour, including a mini lesson for children of all ages.
Lost Varnets: Live entertainment from this exclusive local
oyster band!

Knut Bell: Performing American/alternative county originals, this live
local band is sure to entertain.

SEAFOOD DEMONSTRATIONS:
Guests are invited to join while Anthony’s HomePort Kirkland Chef Louis
Morales and Jon Speltz of Wild Salmon Seafood Market demonstrate salmon
and halibut filleting on the Seafood Demonstration stage. The opening
performance on the Demonstration Stage, guests will learn how to fillet from
the professionals while celebrating the local fishing community.

SURVIVAL SUIT RACES:
At 3:00 p.m. guests are invited to watch a riveting survival suit race,
beginning at the west wall. During the race local fishermen and women will
don their survival suits to see who will take the gold in a race to the finish.

SALMON FILLET CHALLENGE:
The popular wild salmon fillet challenge returns to the Seafood
Demonstration Stage at 1:00 p.m. During the event each competitor will
fillet two salmon and will be judged on speed, recovery and the quality of the
filleted fish.

OYSTER SLURP:
Local oyster lovers are invited compete to consume 10 oysters on the half
shell with no hands; what promises to be a riveting oyster slurp competition.

LUTEFISK EATING CONTEST:
A centuries-old delicacy, lutefisk is a traditional Norwegian Yuletide meal
consisting of cod soaked in lye. The first 10 competitors to sign up for this
competition will begin in round one to see who can consume a quarter of a
pound of the lutefisk in the shortest amount of time. The first five
competitors to finish their portions of this delicacy will move onto round two
where they will again be challenged to eat another quarter pound of lutefisk.
The first three to clean their plates will move onto round three where they
will consume yet another quarter pound of lutefisk. The first two iron-bellied
contestants to clear their plates will move onto the fourth and final round
where they will compete for the top prize.

OUTDOOR BARBECUE:
Cooked by members of the local fishing community, all proceeds will benefit
the Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial – Salmon Meal $10.00 and Hot Dogs
$5.00. Each meal includes a beverage and dessert, with the salmon meal
also offering guests fresh corn-on-the-cob.

U.S. COAST GUARD & SEA SCOUTS OPEN HOUSE:
Continuing from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. the U.S. Coast Guard and Sea
Explorer Scout ships will be open to the public!

ROCK CLIMBING WALL:
Guests age 16 or older can challenge their athletic ability on the rock wall.
Provided by the U.S. Army, the rock wall will challenge your skills as you plan
your route to the top.

Nordic Spirit:
The Nordic Heritage Museum’s boat, the Nordic Spirit, which is a replica of a
1909 Viking vessel will be on display at the festival!

F/V Sea Star:
A star of the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch”, the F/V Sea Star allows
the public an inside look into the deadliest occupation in the country. During
the festival, the proceeds from the entry fee is donated to the Seattle
Fishermen’s Memorial! Children under 5 are free, kids are $7.50, adults
$10.00 and seniors $7.50.

###

On Wednesday night, the center hosted a fundraiser to kick off a $495,000 project to improve its facilities on the south end of Seattle’s Lake Union. Wooden boat aficionados, center staff and board members mingled in the center’s boathouse, went for rides on the 1926 Lake Union Dreamboat Winifred and snacked on food provided by nearby Daniel’s Broiler.

Addressing the group, CWB Executive Director Betsy Davis said the planned improvements are needed to upgrade the center and further the work of the nonprofit organization that founder Dick Wagner and wife Colleen started in 1977.

“There’s a lot of exciting work we’re going to be doing over the next six months and it’ll really help us strengthen these facilities we’ve been using for almost the past three decades,” Davis said. “We’re taking this incredible concept and really making it permanent for the future.”

The project will include installing grating on docks to provide natural light for fish, replacing harmful creosote pilings with steel ones, adding dock supports and creating new entrances to the center from the west and south ends of Lake Union Park. Construction on the 12-acre park is currently underway and is expected to be finished next spring.

Additionally, center staff currently housed in the adjacent armory building will be moved to the center’s boathouse to make way for the Museum of History & Industry, which is relocating to the armory building after a renovation slated for next year.

Wagner also spoke, commending Davis for moving forward on the improvements, which will enlist the help of volunteers.

“It’s going to be the most exciting public participation event that Seattle has ever seen,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to the beginning of it, and at the end of it we’re just going to have a hell of a party.”

The work is expected to take place over the next six months, when it will have the least impact on fish and other marine life. Future plans for the center include constructing a new education building in Lake Union Park, moving the existing boathouse about 30 feet north to connect with a new gangway to the park and developing a shipyard and community center on county-owned property at the north end of Lake Union.

Speaking at Wednesday’s event, former champion hydroplane racer Chip Hanauer said he hopes the center retains its quirky character as it continues to evolve. The center, Hanauer said, is one of the few authentic places left in the city’s increasingly slick and developed downtown area.

“It’s got to keep its funk or it just won’t be the same,” he said. “It’ll lose its soul.”

Hanauer, who now sails an old Pelican boat that he restored, spoke of the joy of being around wood—whether it’s playing a guitar or being on a classic wooden boat. The Center for Wooden Boats, he said, provides a unique experience for people who love wooden boats and the era they represent.

“When you’re at this place, you feel like you’re in a different world,” he said. “You’ve got to be in a wooden boat to truly appreciate being on the water. To have this place that pays reverence to wooden boats, we’re very lucky and I’m very grateful.”