Navigating Deception Pass (Whidbey Island, WA)

[djy887]

I spent the last couple days camping (land-lubbing) at Deception Pass State Park. We hiked up on to the bridge and spent some time up there just enamored by the beauty...and by the swirling currents and the various boats navigating that treacherous stretch. I was amazed by a log that was shot through the narrows like a torpedo...and wondering how I would handle that sight coming at me in those waters...with little room to maneuver port or starboard...and a current that can quickly turn you and kill steerage control. Without a doubt, different types of craft have to handle those waters very differently (tide, current, winds, etc.). For the C-Dory crowd, with smaller and lighter flat hulls and plenty of outboard horses to spare...how have you handled that channel?

[Lil Rascal]

I went through an hour before slack tide and it was a non-event.

[hardee]

For a C-Dory, going through Deception Pass, there is plenty of room to maneuver BUT (there is always one of those right?) You have to stay awake, stay on top (pun intended) of your game, and not dilly dally in your process.

And that process is the same no matter what rapids, pass or high current area you happen to be traversing. Yes there can be BIG whirlpools, those big round swirly things that look like they could eat you, your boat and more for an appetizer. Be advised, they can, BUT, you can navigate through them although there is plenty of room for some good caution. A friend of mine, an RCMP officer on marine patrol transiting Seymour Narrows near Campbell River BC saw a mid 20 foot FG boat in front of his patrol boat taken out by a log about the size of a telephone pole that came straight up from underwater and launched right through the boat hull just behind the helm seat. That log had been sucked down in one of those whirlpools.

So the best time to navigate the rapids is when those whirlpools are least present -- slack tide.

The next best option, to get through safely is to run them, fast. stay up on plane and keep a good eye ahead for anything in the water, and especially for the whirlpools. You want to take the whirlpools on the side that is turning away from you, or going in the same direction as you are. Keep your speed up and yes, it will not be a straight line. You have to weave side to side to stay on the correct side of the whirlpools, and keep your speed up. I would also try to stay 1-2 boat lengths out from the vortex. (I have never seen any info on where the safest place to be is but that is what one of the BC water taxi guys told me, (he transits Seymour regularly).

Along the way there will be overfalls, or steps, and sometimes they can be as much as a foot or more. That is not something you want to run smack into head on. I have come off some of those steps, but never been where I had to climb onto anything more than maybe 6 or 8 inches. Either up or down, you want to be perpendicular to that shelf.

I should think that it goes without saying that everyone on board is wearing a PFD, NOBODY on the bow or in the cockpit, and everyone sitting, with a hand grip place.

And Just for kicks, there are some tour boats that go through there regularly if you want a closer look.

Harvey
SleepyC

[journey on]

The last time I tried Deception Pass, it was pretty rough; rougher then I wanted to try. I watched a C-Dory 22 try Deception Pass and come to the same conclusion as I had. Then, he tried Canoe Pass and went through with me following. Not a clue who it was; thanked him and went on my way.

So my question is: why does no one mention Canoe Pass. It has plenty of clearance, is smoother, shorter and leads to the same place. Were we just lucky in getting through, is there some obstacle we didn't see? Does seem a better way when Deception Pass is too rough.

Boris

[PaulNBriannaLynn]

I've been through the pass regrettably when we should have waited for slack tide. We lived, the boat handled it okay. It was rough enough we lost power on our port engine(carb) and took a lot of green water over the roof. Would not do it again or recommend to anyone. After going through dozens of times without incident I took the place for granted. We were very lucky to get through with just a bruised ego and overworked bilge pumps.

[hardee]

I think Starcraft Tom uses Canoe Cove. I have only gone through there once on a slack tide. It is narrower, by far, and through the narrow section there are pretty good, curved pinch points, which make for more eddies (at leas from what I have seen from the bridge) so I have not made it my first choice.

From back in my kayaking days, the saying was "Follow the big tongue".

Harvey
SleepyC

[djy887]

It was crazy how quickly conditions changed. It was perfectly clear and sunny one second...and not minutes later, a very low marine layer came through dropping visibility to next to nothing. It seems like a place where its not one thing in particular that can bite you...but multiple distractions that pop up suddenly. Watched a smaller power boat slow way down and turn to avoid that 'torpedo' log I mentioned in my original post, then suddenly get spun by the wake of a much larger yacht heading in the opposite direction. I'm in no position to second guess any skipper, but it seemed to me that a better option might've been to open up the throttle once he course corrected for the log. From high up on the bridge, it looked like he struggled a bit to regain steerage.

[hardee]

For sure, I would not be out there "messing about in a boat". Speed (and power) are your friends there. I saw a sail boat going through there doing nearly 180's trying to make headway outbound, and that was with the current. I'm pretty sure they were glad it was a wide channel. Me, I was glad to have the power to give them a wide birth. I have heard some boats call a "Secur-a Tay" call before entering that pass.

Harvey
SleepyC

[DayBreak]

Going through Deception Pass was the first thing we did in the San Juans with our new C-Dory. We went through at what was probably the perfect slack tide and as the majority of other boaters lined up to make their moves through the pass. We kept up what I thought was a reasonable amount of speed to get through the pass but not too fast so that I would not have time to react to debris in the water. I thought it was a fun experience and would do it again if given the opportunity. We have a photo (#3) in our C-Brats photo album under 'San Juans 2018' of that experience.

[thataway]

Having gone thru most of the passes in the US and Canadian sections of PNW in our Cal 45 (Full displacement sailboat, with spade rudder and 85 hp diesel), taking the C Dory 22 or 25 is a breeze--dancing on the water. BUT, as Harvey pointed out, you often don 't know what is in these whirl pools, and rapids. Best to do it at least near slack tide. We went thru Seymour Narrows showing 13 knots across the bottom, 7 current and 6 boat speed. Then arriving at Campbell river, we saw a 55' purse seiner which had capsized in the narrows the night before with loss of life!

[chromer]

I take friends through Canoe Pass, but so far only on the end of a flood (boat traveling east to west). I feel more in control with the oncoming water pressure.

FYI the tourism boat goes through regularly.

[T.R. Bauer]

We have our share of narrow passes here too. Slack, full sun, and no wind is the best time to run them. Wait a sec, that's the best time for everything

[hardee]

[chromer]

Slack shouldn't be the goal for a C-Dory IMHO. Go either side of slack to avoid the big boys. Gets crowded in there.

[hardee]