Harrison Lake Cruise: 30 mile Downwind Run!

Jeffrey Dere enjoys a scenic spinnaker run aboard his San Juan 21

Article and photos by Jeffrey Dere

Who doesn’t love long downwind runs?  I have had the pleasure of several long downwind runs:

Lower Columbia River:  Cathlamet to Walker/Lord Island:  18 nautical miles
Lord Island to Martin Island, 15 nautical miles

Lake Havasu AZ:  From Bill Williams to the London Bridge, 15 nautical miles
Topock Gorge to the London Bridge, 15 nautical miles

Princess Louisa Inlet:  Actually Princess Royal Reach and Queens Reach, 30 nautical miles from Egmont to Malibu Rapids. 

Alberni Inlet: on Vancouver Island, Barkley Sound, from Bamfield to Port Alberni, 30 nautical miles.

Harrison Lake, from the Harrison Boat Launch to the Port Douglas Canal, 33 nautical miles.  

Of course, what goes downwind must go upwind, but still, downwind running is a lot of fun, especially 30 miles of it! And yes, I have a spinnaker, and have used it all of those runs.

Getting to Princess Louisa Inlet, or Alberni Inlet has some challenges (expensive ferry rides) for me, so I like going to Harrison Lake.  I have sailed at Harrison Lake several times over the years, usually during the summer months, and usually plan a 4-5 day trip.  I sail a San Juan 21, usually anchor out, cook all my meals on board, and carry an inflatable kayak for shore excursions. For all of these trips, I have been by myself.  The boat launch is at the south end of the lake, has room to rig a sailboat, a nice dock, clean washrooms, and multi-;day pay parking.  From my home south of Seattle, if I leave early and don’t get hung up in traffic or at the border crossing, I can usually make it to the boat launch, get rigged and in the water by late morning or early afternoon.  

The summer weather pattern usually includes southerly winds, that build, sometimes to 15-20 knots, and continue until evening.  Perfect for a 30 mile downwind run.  If the wind builds early enough, I can make the 30 mile run in one day, and continue up the Port Douglas Canal (0.75 miles) up to Little Harrison Lake. Most of the time, the wind subsides at the north end of the lake, and I end up having to motor up the Port Douglas Canal. But one time, the wind was strong enough that I got to sail up the Port Douglas Canal, and up Little Harrison Lake, and drop anchor at the head of the lake. 

Spinnaker run!