Hi Mark, just a few general comments. The San Juan's set in the middle of the passage where the waters of Georgia Strait must flow during tidal swings. Currents are often swift around any restriction and oftentimes "slack" really doesn't exist from a practical standpoint. The current Atlas's and charts tend to show the strongest areas and leave it as an excretes in extrapolation to determine what is happening at other areas. Because you intend to paddle solo much of the time you won't be able to take advantage of local knowledge, so you should be aware that 1-3 knot currents and minor tide rips are very common in the San Juan's. They exist but are less commonly encountered in the South Sound and Hood Canal area. Mark wrote: <snip>. >>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. <snip> > 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?<< I've paddled some but not all of this area. As long as the SW wind is under 15 it's pretty benign. I really liked launching and paddling around Pleasant Harbor, but not the carry down to the launch site :-) >>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.<< This is one of my favorite places to paddle. The launch at Boston Harbor is very pretty and you can paddle in any direction taking advantage of what the current is doing at the moment. Usually the launch site is part of a large mild back eddy controlled by what is happening at Dana Passage. The current in Dana Passage achieves three knots but the rip is not very concentrated. Squaxin Island is owned by the Squaxin Tribe and is off-limits to land on without their permission. Any charts/guides you have that indicate otherwise are out of date. Hope Island is now a state park. There is a new Water Trails Marine campsite available - I believe the cost is about $7.50 per night. Paddling from Boston Harbor on a flood tide to the south east end of Squaxin and then following the shore to the crossing to Hope is very doable in most conditions. Wind is the major obstacle here. The crossing is about 3-4 miles. A cautionary note If you try to paddle straight across the bay to Hope, every time I've tried this I've been outfoxed by contrary currents (big eddies I think) and wound up spending much more energy than expected. >> 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.<< After doing these paddles you won't be able to say you have never paddled in currents:-) >>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.<< The current coming up the Rosario side basically splits into three legs, Rosario Strait, Bellingham Channel, and Guemes Channel. The Guemes leg is marginally the weaker. I've launched at Washington Park and circumnavigated (as an overnighter) Cypress Island counterclockwise. The current was running about 3 knots and I remember ferrying like crazy to keep from being swept down Guemes Channel. This is just to say that there is a current element in your proposed crossing. >>I would appreciate any suggestions or warnings you might have for these areas. > Mark J. Arnold << Please temper all of my comments with the following: I am extremely conservative by nature, the first time I attempt a route I always err strongly on the conservative side, much of what you are proposing I haven't had the pleasure of paddling. Happy Paddling, Rob Robinson *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue May 30 2000 - 15:54:52 PDT
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:26 PDT