[Paddlewise] Help on Puget Area Paddles

Thanks to the great information from Paddlewiser's on tide and current info 
for the Seatlle area and Randal Washburne's paddling guide, I have picked out 
several places I want to paddle on my trip to the Puget Sound area.  I plan 
on being up there for about 3 weeks. Since I will probably paddle solo (at 
least on weekdays) I was trying to pick areas of minimal current or at least 
minimal possiblilities for tide rips and strong eddylines. I have no 
experience paddling in even mild currents so I was trying to be on the safe 
side.  I was trying to find locations with good rustic scenery and and less 
than 1 Nmi crossings.  I usually try to paddle 12-15 Nmi a day (about 4-5 hrs 
in the boat).  The locations I have tenatively selected are:

1. Hood Canal - Anas Bay (Potlatch SP) to Scenic Bay SP (about 20 Nmi one 
way) and Scenic Bay SP to north of Dosewallips SP via Pleasant Harbor (round 
trip). Is there a good lunch stop between Potlatch and Scenic Bay?

2. Southern Puget South - Eld Inlet. Mainly the inlet itself, but would like 
to go to Hope and Squaxin Islands if there is not a currnet problem.

2. Whidbey Island - Oak Harbor to Penn Cove and Oak Harbor to Poinell Point 
(Crescent Harbor) (round trips)

3. Lopez/Shaw Island - Lopez Sound (avoiding Lopez pass) with a side trip to 
James Isand through Thatcher Pass, Spencer Spit SP to East Sound on Orcas 
Island (avoiding Peavine Pass) (round trip), Spencer Spit SP to Jones Island 
through Harney Channel, Wasp Passage, and Spring Passage.  I am a little 
concerned about Spring Passage conditions.

Washburne's guide talks about these areas, but most of his paddles are less 
than 6 Nmi so I am trying to paddle from one listed area to another.  He does 
not give much information on the water between his listed destinations.  If I 
have missed some potential problems in selecting these areas I would 
appreciate a warning. If the tide and current predictions for these areas is 
not very reliable I would also appreciate knowing that since I am trying to 
set the dates for my trip to coincide with favorable and minimal currents in 
these areas. 

Another paddle I was interested in was Anacortes to Lumini Island via the 
east side of Guemes Island and Sinclair or Vendovi Island. This would avoid 
the strong currents in the Bellingham Channel (particulaly around Cypress 
Head). There was not much information in Washburne's quide on what one could 
expect on the east side of Guemes or around Sinclair Island so I am not sure 
if I should even consider this one.

I would appreciate any suggestions or warnings you might have for these areas.

Mark J. Arnold
MJAkayaker_at_aol.com


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