Gig Harbor to Cornet Bay

Hi Pat,

Wish I was up there now, even with winter weather.

I have been boating the NW coast since 1986 from South Sound to Sitka,Alaska and I have been thru many of the current passes from Tacoma to Peril Straits,Alaska.

The advise I am giving is based on my experiences in those waters.

I have had some interesting! trips thru even close to slack. While Deception may be OK, many other passes are not safe off slack and I
will not risk an off slack passage until I have been thru that pass at slack.

Maybe I am just chicken, but when you are 500 miles from your trailer and 40-50 miles from a coast Guard Station being cautious keeps you boating. :wink One small mishap can really screw up your trip.

Its not just current and waves that pose a danger. Logs can be sucked down in the current and then shoot up to the surface! When you see your first one it really raises the pucker factor! :smileo Its also possible to lose power in the middle of a pass and then you are at the mercy of the current. :sad

Dent rapids in Canada north of Desolation Sound has a whirlpool in the narrowest part. This whirlpool has sunk a 30 ft commercial fishing boat. He thought he could power thru 'anytime'.

When you cross the Georgia Strait from Blaine, what is your destination? And if its in Canada, where do you clear Customs? I would like to add that information to my list of posibilities.

Larry H
 
Fair enough...I will be chicken about places I have never been until I get a little experience, for example, Malibu Rapids going into Princess Louisa.

Nancy H":qw9q4fvr said:
Hi Pat,

Maybe I am just chicken, but when you are 500 miles from your trailer and 40-50 miles from a coast Guard Station being cautious keeps you boating. :wink One small mishap can really screw up your trip.
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When we leave from Blaine, we are mainly headed for Patos, Matia, Sucia, or Stuart, across a 15 mile wide-open stretch of the Strait. Some times just around to Birch Bay for crabbing (if we ever get to crab again here). Hopefully more frequently we will be heading for the Gulf Islands. Out of Blaine it is convenient to clear customs at White Rock. Otherwise Bedwell Harbor I guess. If Bedwell is closed, I guess you can clear in Sydney or Ganges. The Waggoner Guide has the complete list. I don't think they let you clear by phone while underway, but we have cleared by phone, either the customs phone on the dock or by cell, and never seen a live Canadian customs person.

Nancy H":qw9q4fvr said:
When you cross the Georgia Strait from Blaine, what is your destination? And if its in Canada, where do you clear Customs? I would like to add that information to my list of posibilities.

Larry H
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Larry,
Georgia Strait is of course a body of water that deserves respect. That said, I've crossed it many times in boats under 25ft between Vancouver and the Gulf Islands. For our C-Dory's, conditions less than a small craft warning are not a problem or really any challenge other than being alert for shipping and the usual logs and junk in the water. It takes me from between 40 minutes to just over an hour to cross from Gabriola pass to Vancouver depending on the conditions. I've often gone both ways in a day going over to the Islands for fishing or a cruise and returning in the afternoon. Mornings are often calmer than the afternoon. In my experience either Porlier or Gabriola can be transited at any time with caution. Porlier floods at about 8 knots or so max, Gabriola somewhat less I think. Gabriola is narrower and the channel curves around a bit, watch your charts. Porlier is pretty well a straight shot through. Both are very scenic and worth going one way and returning the other.
Hope the weather treats you well when you come.
Cheers
Ron
 
Could be wrong about Ganges, need to look at Waggoner to be sure, or maybe Ron on Meander knows.
Nancy H":2yn1miuo said:
Pat,

Thanks for the info, I didn't know about Ganges. We have cleared at Bedwell(summer only) and Sidney.

Larry H
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Thanks guys!

I thought running Deception Pass at the flood was a hoot. It took me back to the days that I used to run my driftboat on the smaller rivers. Just a bigger boat in a bigger river. :mrgreen: Grab a handful of throttle and read the river currents.
Unfamiliar water is a different story though. I like to know before I go. You guys are durned handy to have around.

PS. I just got back from Englunds in Astoria. $90 bought me a "Marine Atlas" volume 1 from Olympia to Malcom Island, and "Charlie's Charts-North to Alaska"
Desolation Sound won't happen for me this summer, but it's getting closer. I'll be watching for y'alls reports this summer.
 
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