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How do you safely navigate Deception Pass currents?
Deception Pass can be safely navigated by timing your transit near slack current, four times daily, when fast-moving tides briefly settle. This narrow pass can produce strong currents, whirlpools, and standing waves, especially when the wind opposes the tide. Most boaters wait for calm windows, or simply run through nearby Swinomish channel.
Deception Pass is located in Deception Pass State Park in Washington. It is notorious for strong tidal currents and swirling eddies. It is the starting point for many heading to the San Juan Islands, and the bane of skippers who ignore common knowledge.
The pass can be treacherous for boaters and kayakers. But in reality, other than being a tiny bit narrow, it is not much different than Cattle Pass, Thatcher Pass, or Peavine Pass. Here are some tips for navigating safely.
The safest way to navigate Deception Pass is to go through at slack current.
Looking inbound at what is actually two separate bridges.
You can see the narrow slot of Canoe Pass on the left side, and Deception Pass on the right side.
First, let's understand that in the San Juans, Puget Sound, Gulf Islands, pretty much everywhere, there are nasty places where you can get into trouble if you are prone to doing stupid things. Driving into a storm or wild surf with breaking waves is a mistake for most of us regardless of our boat or skill level.
That being said, the rising/falling tides cause currents. Large tide ranges usually mean faster currents. Narrow passes or jutting headlands tend to intensify things. Add to that, strong winds and storms and you get places to avoid on your vacation cruise.
Deception Pass is very narrow, but only narrow for a short section directly under the bridge. Consequently, the high current speed and accompanying swirlies and waves are confined to the area near the bridge.
As you approach the bridge, you notice your speed or lack of it, rapidly changing, making you acutely aware of your boat's top speed. Most sailboats don't have the top speed needed to overcome normal pass conditions on a calm summer day. The water may be mostly flat, with minimal whirlpools, no waves, and yet the boat stalls out under the bridge, with the skipper wishing
What are the best things to do and places to visit in the San Juan Islands?
The Islands are best experienced by combining visits to marine parks, time in small towns, and time on the water.
The best things to do in the San Juan Islands include visiting marine parks like Sucia and Jones Island, exploring towns such as Friday Harbor, and enjoying boating, fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. Popular destinations combine scenic anchorages, walking trails, and shore access, making it easy to plan a balanced trip with both relaxation and activity.
Explore hidden coves and discover the best things to do in your boat while cruising the Salish Sea
The difference between a truly wonderful vacation and a ho-hum boat ride is the memorable experiences and special places visited along the way. These are some of our favorite haunts and things to do. Maybe some will become your favorites as well.
Matia Island one-mile loop trail
This easy one-mile loop immerses you deeply into the shaded forest the minute you take your first steps. Towering trees, oversized ferns, and thick mosses line the trail. Our first walk many years ago was so serene and calming that even our young kids were quiet and talked in whispers. Matia Island pictorial
Pygmy deer on Jones Island
The northwest is full of wildlife and deer are everywhere, or so it seems sometimes. However, apparently, the many deer on Jones Island have developed to a much smaller size. Even the older bucks with big racks are only about waist-high. Many of the deer are tame, and some are downright annoying. One time a deer met me at the water's edge as I came ashore in the dinghy. Several times deer have joined us around our campfires looking for handouts and letting the kids rub their heads and pet them. I remember once a spike kept crowding too close to the fire, he was intent on getting at a bag of corn curls. It is against park rules to feed the animals so I don't know how they learned to expect treats from boaters. Jones Island deer
Deception Pass State Park
While Deception Pass isn't located within San Juan County, any boating enthusiast would be remiss not to include it in their cruising itinerary. In fact, Cornet Bay, with its well-facilitated ramp, serves as a prime launch point for those embarking on their nautical adventures. But, here's a piece of advice – don't just launch and rush through; take the time to savor the breathtaking scenery.
Consider planning part of your voyage around the four daily occurrences of slack tide. At slack tide, the turbulent waters temporarily calm, providing an excellent opportunity for exploration. A mere quarter-mile beyond the pass, still within the park's boundaries, you'll discover Sharpe Cove. Here, you can moor your vessel at the floating dock, and at the head of the ramp stands the remarkable Maiden of Deception Pass.
What is a good boating itinerary from Cornet Bay through Deception Pass to the San Juan Islands
A typical San Juan Islands itinerary from Cornet Bay begins by transiting Deception Pass and heading north toward destinations like Friday Harbor, Jones Island, or Sucia Island. Distances are manageable, with many stops within 10–25 miles, allowing flexible daily runs and a mix of parks, harbors, and anchorages.
This post first appeared on this website in 2011. Parking and launching fees at Cornet Bay have since gone up a little.
Camping, traveling, vacation rentals, condo's, and resorts on a budget,
Is it even possible?
Yes, it is. Inexpensive (cheap) vacations are possible if you "go by boat" or yacht, as some say. The trick is to already own the yacht and then camp on it at all the great places. Think of it like going to RV parks, only without the garish over-the-top land schooners parked in the best spots.
If you are a newbie to the San Juan Islands boating group, you may ask, Why is Deception Pass State Park Your Ideal Starting Point?
The Simple answer is that this Washington park has the best all-weather, all-tide launching ramp and long-term parking lot.Plus, Deception Pass is one of the places to see that you should not miss, and the Cornet Bay dock is a wonderful place to overnight or just hang out for a few days.
The Google photos above with labels will help you to orient yourself. Because slow boats must time their passage through the pass, you may find yourself spending the night at the dock. I always plan to spend the first night at the dock because after driving six hours, rigging and launching my sailboat, it's late and I'm tired. My crew can fish, hike and race around in the dinghy while I take a break. The next day, I'm ready to go, and cast off at slack tide which may be at noon or 9am. The time doesn't matter, I'm on vacation time now.
The launch fee is around $6, parking is $10/day and staying at the dock is 50 cents a foot. The ramp has three or four lanes with floats. Trailer parking is abundant and long-term. You can anchor out for free, anytime, anywhere. There is a fist of quarters shower that short times you in the bathroom. Lots of locals and campers come down to fish off the floats, but boats tying up have priority. Try explaining that to a fisherman.
It is a very short run out the pass, under the bridge and into the Strait of Juan De Fuca, where high seas or fog may cause you to change your plans, if so, just head the other way to Swinomish Channel. If you have never cruised the channel before, do it for sure, it only adds about 15 miles to your trip and is well worthwhile. Or when you come back a week or so later, use the channel, but try to work it into your plans. FYI, your boat will need to make 10 mph or better to overcome the worst of pass current, otherwise you will have to time it like the rest of us. Of course with a favorable current you can rush on through, but the standing waves can be pretty big at times and an open bow boat will seem like a poor choice. The pass is narrowest directly under the bridge, so you will have a fast current for only a very short distance.
Dock and ramp at Deception Pass State Park (Cornet Bay)
You should run through Deception Pass for the beauty of it.
Next door is Canoe Pass.
And while navigable, Canoe Pass should only be used at slack water, it is very narrow and sight distance restricted right under the bridge. It is a little creepy when the whirlpools turn on and begin spinning you towards the rock cliff face. Sometimes, we take our 9' dinghy with its 7.5 hp motor around Pass Island and wave to the gawkers on the bridge, but when the flood or ebb starts cascading, a tiny little dinghy has no business in either pass.
When you come back a week or so later and are ready to head home you can wait for slack water outside the pass at the dock in Sharpe Cove or Bowman Bay.
I always spend my last night at the dock and get a good rest for the long drive home.
Tall ship ghosting through the pass at high slack water (photo taken from the bridge)
In 60 minutes standing waves 3-6 feet tall may form and the current will be 5-8 mph
Swinomish Channel is itself a very picturesque not to miss
part of all great cruises.
I would be remiss to not point out that most boats can transit the pass a good deal before or after slack water, slack water is simply zero current like in the picture. Also, don't forget that Swinomish Channel is just around the corner and avoids the pass altogether.
Click below for a satellite view of Deception Pass
Where in the San Juans is a campground with a boat ramp?
If camping is your primary activity and your boat is for day use such as exploring, fishing and crabbing,
you will find these parks of interest.
On the mainland:
Washington Park in Anacortes - located one mile past the ferry landing.
Washington Park boat ramp in Anacortes
Excerpt from their website: In the campground there are 68 campsites, 46 have water and electrical hook-ups. These rent for $27 a night. There are 22 non-utility sites that rent for $21 per night. There are 25 sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that reservations must be made 14 days in advance. A sewer dump station is located near the park exit. Camping check-in and check-out time is 1 p.m. The campground is open year round. Please note: Maximum stay limit is 14 days. Visit the reservation website. click here >>Washington ParkThe boat launch at Washington Park was developed and is maintained for the specific use of recreational boaters. Boat launch parking is $9/day and boaters may stay a maximum of 14 days. The two lane launch ramp is suitable for all trailer-able boats, power or sail. You may not overnight at dock, but may anchor nearby. Ramp is a short walk to campground.
Deception Pass State Park - roughly ten miles south of Anacortes. It is important to note some of the differences between Washington Park and Deception Pass Park. While Deception Pass camp sites exceed three hundred in three different campgrounds, none are walking distance to the four lane boat ramp at Cornet Bay. However the modern well designed boat ramp claims to have two thousand feet of side tie moorage and overnight at the dock for up to three nights is allowed. Anchoring close by is simple and free. The ramp parking lot is massive and long term is allowed for a fee.
Four lane all tide - Cornet Bay ramp at Deception Pass Park is open 24/7
Lastly: Those putting in at Washington Park will be much closer to the inner island area after simply crossing Rosario Strait (four miles), but those putting in at Cornet Bay will have to deal with the pass and a longer run up Rosario or an even longer run through Swinomish Channel. These are not insignificant differences and should be well considered according to your overall plan before making your decision.
In the Islands:
Odlin County Park on Lopez Island
Odlin park has thirty one campsites and reservations are a good idea. The boat ramp is sub parr at best and is not suitable for anything but a small skiff and a four wheel drive. There is no ramp dock and best used at high tide only. The ramp is a short walk to the campground.
San Juan County Park on San Juan Island
San Juan park is very similar to Odlin park with twenty six sites, they also take reservations. The boat ramp is also sub parr and should only be considered for skiffs being hauled with four wheel drives, again the ramp is in the park and there is no float.
Moran State Park on Orcas Island is a State Park as is Deception Pass.
They boast over one hundred campsites, some suitable for RV's. Moran park is not ocean front and does not have a salt water ramp, however it is only five miles to the county boat ramp at Obstruction Pass.
A private park alternative on Orcas Island is West Beach Resort in Eastsound
They have camping, docks, fuel, deli store and a boat ramp, suitable for skiffs and four wheel drives.
San Juan Island:
If you take your skiff to San Juan Island and stay at a private residence, rental or hotel you can put the boat in at Jackson Beach day use park. The ramp is well designed, has parking and a dock. Jackson Beach is about two miles from Friday Harbor.
Ferries and trailers:
Don't forget to check the ferry schedules and fares, hauling trailers on the ferry can get expensive and frustrating - very few cruisers do it!
My recommendation for mainland camping is that you get a reservation and camp at Washington Park, the run time to Friday Harbor is under an hour, the entire San Juan area will be at your door.
Click below to see a satellite view of Washington Park
How do you take your boat from the San Juan Islands to Victoria
Note: this is a very old post I am re-posting so some prices will be off.
Suggested Cruise to Victoria BC with Whale Watching
and San Juan Islands Stop Overs
This article is for first timers to the San Juan Island area and has the answers you may be looking for. Timeless advice to make your first trip a fun success.
places to launch and stay on your boat
distances between stops
customs and immigration
alternate planning
what to expect
basic boating information
Study this map and familiarize yourself with names and places. (Find Victoria, Roche Harbor, Swinomish Channel, Deception Pass)
Lets start this Cruise at Cornet Bay in Deception Pass State Park
(Your going to Canada and back, did you remember to bring your passports and Children ID's? the rules are changing)
Boat launch at Cornet Bay (Deception Pass)
Day one, you arrive at Deception Pass
and its probably late in the day and your tired, so lets plan on spending the night right here on the boat securely tied to the dock at Cornet Bay. You will pay a launch fee and $10/day parking, plus 50 cents a foot for spending night at dock. Pay at the self serve kiosk. If your not sure of when your coming back simply estimate, leave a note explaining, the ranger will understand. The ramp is very good, all tide. The parking is huge, you will not have a problem.
There is a very minimal park store, but you should have done your provisioning in Anacortes.
Heading westward facing an incoming current, (another ten minutes and we wouldn't have the speed to overcome the 7+ mph current)
Day two, leg #1, our destination is Friday Harbor,
but first you must time the pass. You should already be familiar with the tide levels and times at Deception Pass (download a page from any of of dozens of sites including NOAA) so cast off at high or low tide. You can be half an hour early or late, this gives you a one hour window. (it takes just ten minutes to reach the pass from the dock) If you are catching a falling tide (current is going out to sea) you can be very late but standing waves may scare you and the crew as you take a fast sled ride and shoot out into the Strait of Juan De Fuca. If you are late and head out on a rising tide, your boat may not have enough speed to overcome the in rushing torrent, and your stuck until the next slack water. The pass is not a problem, it is narrow with the fastest water for only about 250 feet, but slow sailboats can meet their match every four to six hours.
Where are the marine parks of the San Juan Islands?
Below is the marine parks list, followed by reviews, charts, and pictures.
This is not all the parks, just the ones you may want to make part of your cruising. It's unlikely you can visit all in one trip and still do a decent job of sightseeing. You should plan multiple visits to the San Juans.
Many people choose Jones as their favorite for just hanging out for a few days, so Jones is first. For hiking, Sucia, or Pelican Beach on Cypress Island are the best, but all the parks have hiking trails.
Some parks are in a convenient location when you need to spend the night and you're between destinations, Saddle Bag, Eagle Harbor, and Odlin would fit this description.
Most parks with docks have picnic tables on the floats, which are very handy for extending your living area, socializing, and meeting other boaters.
For marinas/etc. where you can get fuel and provisions
Don't do it without careful precautions and being fully aware.
I have avoided posting potentially scary pics. I don't want people with vivid imaginations to have runaway thoughts and fears. But recently, I spent half an hour in Deception Pass playing with the currents, letting them spin the boat while we watched whirlpools develop and subside all around us.
We would run up a few hundred feet and then drift back, letting the boat spin and wander.
As you know, when the tide changes, so do the pass and the water conditions. The changes happen in minutes and even seconds, so be forewarned that you can easily get into trouble here in any number of ways. I'm not going to argue or defend the safety point or even seamanship. Thirty minutes earlier, the water was so nice you could safely paddle a canoe. Thirty minutes later, well, that's another story too.
My photography skills are lacking and water pics seem to always come out flat-looking so I will describe the picture below. What you see is a swirling rotation about thirty feet across. Placid, calm water on one side of the swift flowing current is slowing the flow and throwing off one whirlpool after another. The whirls are both big and little and move with the current for about a hundred feet from creation to disappearance. At this particular spot, there are 3-5 visible at any one time eliciting ewes and awes from us as we yell and point out, especially big ones to each other. The inner whirl in this pic is funnel-shaped, about 10 feet across and very pronounced, dropping about 12-18" in the center. The white center is taking in air and continues down under water just like a land-borne tornado funnel. The wispy white air bubble tail is clearly visible below the surface for quite a distance.
With the motor quietly idling and the boat drifting we not only watch hundreds of whirlpools form and die but we can hear sucking sounds the particularly big ones emit.
Of course, the conversation always touches on how a swimmer would be affected, with or without a PFD. Next comes the kayak and dinghy what-ifs. On this day, a standing wave began to form while we dallied about.
Some standing waves look a lot like a whirlpool on its side, only without the funnel. You can see the water well up from deep down, roll over at the surface, and then dive back down. When the action gets severe, a nasty roller just sits there in one spot. If a small boat (kayak) gets sideways in any wave, it's liable to be rolled over, but in a fast-flowing pass, it is best to be somewhere else.
This standing wave was developing unnoticed by us and was still mostly flat.
As we drifted sideways over the beginning stages, our keel got hooked, and we violently lurched to one side, heeling enough to slide the coffee cups on the table, and snapping my attention back to the fact that we really were in the middle of Deception Pass and should be serious.
Having enough fun and games, and acutely aware that the tourists watching from the bridge were by now probably making bets on our ultimate demise, I pushed her into forward gear, gunned the diesel and made a broad swinging pass back through the standing wave spot, and then for good measure, turned and ran right down whirlpool alley straddling or bisecting every whirly in sight. An hour later or with storm conditions, the pass may not be navigable, but on that transit, all that happened was a little wake-up action.
What is the minimum HP needed to power a 31 foot motorsailer?
It all depends on the current and wind, is the simple answer.
We are tied up in slip F23 at Friday Harbor for our second night and since we have free wifi I thought I would let you know what is going on right now.
Guest slip at Friday Harbor
I can proclaim Rosey has made it to the San Juans, but the story is far from told.
As you know, we started in La Conner and made a 160-mile detour into Hood Canal. At our farthest turnaround point, Rosey's old engine chose to quit and we were forced to return to La Conner using our 7.5 hp Honda dinghy motor. After some discussion and a good night's sleep in our rented slip, we decided to push on to San Juan Island at a maximum 4 mph and hope the wind would help out.
The trip to Friday Harbor took about eleven hours overall. We had some following wind boost in Lopez Sound, but when we turned the corner into Upright Channel
things came to life and we had fantastic sailing right to the marina breakwater, at times our gps showed us 7.1 mph. Every tack required unhooking jib sheets from handlebars. Next time I load bikes, I will try to improve the system.
Yesterday we rode our bicycles to Cattle Pass Point Lighthouse and then over to Lime Kiln Park, a distance of about 35 miles. We had to walk up some of the hills, and several jerks honked at us. None of us were really in shape, but today we feel good with no soreness so it worked out fine
Today we plan to head back with a stop at Spencer Spit and then spend the night at James Island while we wait for flood tide tomorrow morning.
Hopefully, the current will whisk us all the way to La Conner because our 4 mph speed is stopped dead by an opposing wind and current.
Spencer Spit
Anchored at James Island
So the answer to the "how many horsepower" question is 7.5 hp, but were not back to La Conner yet.
(for anyone that is curious - I switched to a 15 hp Honda and gained one mph in top speed and one mph in cruising speed - imho 15 hp is the correct outboard auxiliary power for a boat like Windrose (seven ton +-)
one week later from home:
OK, update time, first off, the four boat dock at James Island was full, so we had to anchor out and dinghy to shore at the kayak campground for our campfire to cook hot dogs and s'mores.
Anchoring was a real chore, we tried setting the hook three times in two locations before I felt good enough to sleep through a tide change. We ended up with a Bahamian set using our grapple anchor for number two. Plus, at Linda's urging, I set Rosey's antique sounder alarm at two fathoms,
I slept like a rock until daylight. We waited for the current change and upped anchor around noon, as soon as we came around the end of James, the kicker quit. For a moment, I considered raising sail, but decided trying to claw off a lee shore was a bad move. We had about a thousand feet before we would be in trouble, and knowing we could quickly drop three hooks, I concentrated on fixing the kicker problem asap.
Turned out the primer bulb was sucking air because the hose barb was broken halfway through, with a little realigning of the hose, it started up and never quit again, but the problem obviously needs attention before we depend on it again.
Once clear of James with the wind still on our beam, we loosened both sails and made quick work of Rosario Strait. The wind held steady, and the helping current up Guemes channel boosted us along at over 5mph right into Swinomish channel
where the wind quit, but the current and kicker carried us up to La Conner in short order. With only one half mile left to reach Shelter Bay the current did an about face. Under Rainbow bridge I let the motor idle in neutral so I could measure the current with the GPS. Astonishingly, we were already being swept back at 2 mph and losing fast.
We quickly spun around and ran at wot to regain our lost ground and make it into the protected channel leading to our moorage. Luckily, we gave ourselves just enough time to make it, an hour or so later would have been a nightmare current possibly forcing us to anchor in the channel somewhere waiting for the current change.
Sunrise from shore from Langley on Whidbey Island in Saratoga Passage
All systems running before engine gave up
see the old spinning flashing light depth sounder? (very nostalgic)
Stopped by Navy for submarine while crossing to Port Ludlow
Lonely Rosey is only guest at Pleasant Harbor on Hood Canal, btw hot showers, wifi come with slip fee
Camp Parson Boy Scout Camp at Jackson Cove on Dabob Bay (Hood Canal)
We anchored at Camp Parsons and went ashore for the Campfire
on Jaiden's last night of summer camp. Our primary reason for making the trip up Hood Canal was to pick up Jaiden and then head north to our planned bicycle trip around San Juan Island. In the morning, after all the scouts had departed in their many cars, we discovered Rosey's engine had given up for good. With only our 7.5 kicker and three gallons of gas, our options were limited. With the help of Quintin in Portland via cell phone, Google Maps, and an upcoming beer festival as an incentive.
We were directed five miles to Seabeck, where I anchored and took the dinghy to shore. I then hitched a ride with some local fishermen to Home Depot, purchased four five-gallon gas cans, and returned with enough fuel to complete our journey.
Our first trip with Rosey is behind us now. We spent twelve days, covered over two hundred sea miles, 35+ bicycle miles, and got held up by a nuclear sub. What a great time.
Here is a follow-up about Roseys not starting that morning. It turned out the shut down lever was still pulled out due to a weak spring or whatever, and after an aggravating but sorta adventurous ordeal, I discovered the issue, pushed the lever, and she started up and has ran fine ever since. So operator error or something like that hits again.
Click below for a satellite view of Shelter Bay in La Conner
How do you navigate Deception Pass currents and Port Townsend fog?
Mariners have dealt with tides and currents forever, and Deception Pass is no exception. Proper timing for slack water is the answer for most cruisers. Many times the best way for cruisers to deal with thick fog, is to stay at the dock and wait it out. Adjusting your plans is far better than risking your safety.
Is Deception Pass the fabled Northwest Passage? Not if you are headed for the "Spice Islands"
In the early days of exploring, Deception Pass was incorrectly charted as a narrow passage leading to a small bay. As it turned out, it was indeed a narrow spot, but it was not a small bay; it separated huge Whidbey Island from the mainland. The small bay turned out to be a massive inland sea running all the way to Olympia, much of which ebbed and flooded through Deception Pass.
The pass is really two passes with a small island in the middle. Canoe Pass is on the north side and Deception Pass is on the south.
From a boater's viewpoint on the water, there is no confusing which side is the one to use. Canoe Pass is much smaller and due to the curving cliff wall you cannot see all the way through. The water flow routinely exceeds 8 kts, (more on the Canoe side) which makes sailboat transits difficult without planning for slack tide and no current.
On this trip we are on our way from Anacortes to Port Townsend and decide to spend the night at Cornet Bay, which is inside Deception Pass State Park.
Cornet Bay has a large dock facility with boat ramps, picnic tables, restrooms and hiking. You may choose to tie up to the dock for a nominal fee, or anchor for free. We arrive at and enter Deception pass on our 28 foot sailboat late in the day on an incoming tide. Windsong cruises at about 5 knots and the pass current was probably running at 7 knots or so. This adds up to a 12 knot ground speed, so the cliffs and gorgeous scenery just flew by as we raced along. The water was turbulent with eddies and whirlpools tugging at our keel and rudder. Steering the boat is a full time job. The highway bridge overhead crosses at the narrowest point about 180 feet above.
Looking inward or east you can easily see large Deception Pass on the right and small Canoe Pass on the left. The current is minimal but may be four or five mph causing sailboats to wait for slack water.
Again both passes are visible in this westward (outbound view). Canoe Pass is on right, but due to S shape cannot be seen through. The current is obvious as shown by the whirls and eddies on the surface. The current is strongest directly under bridge and may be fast enough to stop a slow boat going against it.
This is the Cornet Bay dock. Deception Pass is directly beyond little Ben Ure Island in background. Only a third mile away the pass may be raging but at the dock it is a great place to be. The four lane boat ramp is to the right outside the picture.
Tourists are watching from the bridge, so it’s a good time to look up and wave. Seconds later Deception Pass is behind us and we are cautiously making our way across a very shallow area most boaters avoid.
We are sneaking into Cornet bay without going the long way around little Ben Ure Island. It would’ve taken all of five minutes to go around but the gunkholer in me can’t resist thin water, and I am driving a five foot draft keel boat of all things. Besides, past experience has taught me that with the rising tide we can quickly float off any trouble I get us into. By the time we complete our little short cut, I have added about thirty minutes by being super cautious, and traveled only a quarter mile.
While on final approach to the dock my crew is busy hanging out fenders and getting lines ready. The only boat at the dock is a vintage sedan of about 50 feet. The skipper comes out and stands ready to receive our line. She is a lady of the sea, she may be younger than her boat or maybe older. It’s impossible to tell, and not polite to ask.
I don’t remember any problem with current or wind, but my crew seemed to be yelling and tripping over each other while trying to get us parked. I do remember handing our 12 foot telescoping boat hook to someone and the next thing I see is the handle disappearing into the water. After the pole is lost, everyone is silent, the lady on the dock holding our line must think we belong locked up somewhere safe and away from boats or at least saltwater. I don’t think you ever recover from a first impression gone bad.
I secure Windsong using four dock lines, a fore and aft line and two spring lines, picture perfect and by the book.
That should help our tainted image I think. Smelt are running and there are about 20 fishermen on the docks. Jaiden is 9 years old and is drawn to the fishing like a cat. Soon a lady and her husband have him set up with a spare pole, and he is busy catching the little silver fish about as fast as he can throw out the hook. I am talking to the skipper of the older Chris Craft, she is up from the Tacoma area and has owned the boat for a long time. It was a real beauty once, a classic, all wood hull, acres of mahogany and teak. She had quit doing any bright work cosmetic maintenance years ago, the spar varnish was peeling and coming off in sheets. She told me she was by herself and would spend the summer at one spot or another in the San Juan’s and Puget Sound. Judging by the blankets, tarps, and misc. junk hanging about, she’d been at it awhile already.
Around sunset Linda and I went for a hike out to a point where we had a good view toward Deception Pass. It was high tide, the current had wound down to nothing, whirlpools and eddies were taking a short break. We gaze out at the setting sun and spot a little boat being rowed in the pass as if it was a placid lake.
Back at the boat the fish have quit biting and the fishermen have left, a few more boats have arrived and taken their places at the dock for the night. The Chris Craft has a couple long wood boat poles with shiny brass hook ends, they have either been stored inside or refinished recently. The skipper says I can borrow one in the morning, just be sure to put it back when I’m done. I silently wonder if she thinks I’ll lose it like mine. Ever since losing our pole I’ve been thinking of a way to get it back. Low tide is just before noon and the water level may drop enough to see my pole on the bottom. The water should be about 9 feet deep at low tide and with the Chris Craft skippers 12 foot pole I might be able to bring mine up.
In the morning a few fishermen are around but the smelt have left. The kids don’t mind our planned late departure, they find plenty to do. I’m waiting for all the waters of Puget Sound to rush through Deception Pass and lower the level enough to get my boat pole back. I think, if we were under way as planned the current would flush Windsong back under the bridge and in seconds we would be shot into Juan De Fuca strait on our way to Port Townsend. At about 30 minutes before low tide I am able to make out a light colored straight object on the bottom, I’m sure it’s my pole. I lower the skipper’s varnished wood pole into the water and check to make sure it floats. I don’t want to confirm any suspicions she already has. It’s difficult to maneuver the wood pole under water because it floats, and my pole on the bottom is hard to see. I manage to touch my pole and send it further away from the dock. After more practice prodding I determine the middle of the pole and drag it closer.
The water is still dropping, but for how long? Once we reach low tide the water will start back up, the current in the pass will reverse and we may be stuck on the inside until slack high tide in another six hours or so. That means we won’t make Port Townsend.
Things are tensing up, I want my pole back, but I want to make it through the pass too. I tell everyone to get ready to go, there’s no time to spare, and we’re leaving in a few minutes. The water drops some more and I can see the poles blurry outline quite well. I lean over the edge between the boat and the dock and deftly drag my pole across the bottom until it is right below me. I can’t tell which end has the hook but I’m able to lift one end and begin to stand it up in the water when it slips and falls back to the bottom. Several times I get it started up but each time it slips away. I try picking up the other end while rotating the skippers pole just a little and manage to bring the end almost to the surface. I pin the pole against the dock, got it.
Lets go, I yell as I put the wood pole back on the Chris Craft and thank the skipper. We cast off and head for the pass. I don’t consider the shallow short cut we came in through, not at low tide and certainly not at full throttle. When we get around Ben Ure Island and see Deception Pass I fear we are too late. Windsong is closing the distance fast, but as the canyon narrows the current increases, the fastest current is at the narrowest point.
Windsongs speed over the ground has steadily dropped even though her diesel motor is red lined at 3,000 rpm. We are just barely creeping forward until we are directly under the bridge, for awhile I thought we would make it.
I know there are people on the bridge watching us, but I’m not going to wave, I know they’re saying to each other “he’s not going to make it, he’s not going to make it.” When I look at shore 50 feet away I can tell we have stopped moving in spite of leaving a wake and the screaming motor. Instinctively I shove the throttle lever harder and glance back at shore, no movement, we’ve lost the race.
It is loud on board, a wide open diesel is not quiet, the water is very turbulent and whirlpools form and move around in the eddies. Some of the bigger whirlpools make sucking sounds as they go by. I’m at a loss, I don’t know what to do. I’m about to give up and go back to Cornet Bay when Linda suggests moving closer to shore, where the current may be less. The water depth is very deep in the pass, otherwise there would be massive rapids with this huge volume of water (sometimes there are). We are only 50 feet from shore, but I gently steer us closer while studying the water beside us and ahead of us. At about 20 feet we start to gain a little and I look ahead watching for any sideways water that may slam us into the rock cliff. The narrowest place in Deception pass is only about 100 feet long. If we can somehow make the next 100 feet we’ll have it. For ten agonizing minutes we play tag with cliffs and whirlpools. Time slows to a crawl as we creep forward, gaining a little, losing a little, and then we win. Deception Pass lets us go.
The picture flattens what is about fifteen feet across two feet deep and making sucking sounds. This might be bad news for a kayak, canoe or small dinghy. Even bigger boats feel their tug on the keel.
We definitely speed up, I know we have made it through. As our speed increases I move further from shore, I turn and look up at the bridge and give everyone a big "we made it" wave.
Soon we clear the rocky point, turn south, running parallel to the shore on Whidbey Island. The engine is quietly pushing us along at about 4 knots. Looking at the chart I estimate it’s about 20 miles or so to Port Townsend. Finally for the first time today I can relax. We recovered our pole and beat the pass, let’s eat I say.
While skirting Whidbey Island the motion on board is uncomfortable, there’s a swell coming up the Strait of Juan De Fuca and when it meets shallow water near shore it piles up and we are on top of that pile rocking sideways.
I have been following a depth line of about 50 feet which is pretty close to shore. I like being close so I can see the scenery but I move out to over 100 feet deep and the motion gets a little better. As I look ahead towards Port Townsend it looks hazy, most likely fog is on the verge of forming. We have had several run-ins with thick fog and no longer consider it fun. Fog is dangerous and to be avoided.
The trip so far has been off the beaten track so to speak, close to shore and safe from commercial traffic, but Port Townsend is on the other side of Admiralty Inlet, the main route for overseas traffic in and out of Puget Sound.
Where we cross is about three or four miles wide. All ship and barge traffic headed to or from Seattle must use this stretch of water. We’re glad the fog has held off when we make the crossing over to Port Townsend. We don’t see a single ship, just the Keystone-Port Townsend Ferry. Several traveling boats like us are anchored just off shore from the seawall, we pull up to the town dock and tie up for free, no yelling or tripping and the boat hook stayed in its place, but no one is watching. What luck I was expecting either no room at the inn or having to pay $25 a night. Fore and aft dock lines, two spring lines, and we are set for the night.
The weather is not really overcast, it’s more like a high fog layer is just above our heads. It is a little cold and damp. To be sure, it is a dreary depressing day since we crossed over. Soon we walk up the gangway and head into town. Port Townsend has a refurbished reborn old town area running along the shoreline and we quickly become immersed in gift shops. The ice cream shop is a big hit. There is a stairway that climbs the hill in the middle of town and we decide to walk up to the top and see what’s up there, our reward is nothing but some housing developments. We follow a circuitous road back to the water and discover a maritime museum and the boat basin where we could’ve paid to stay. Back at waters edge Jaiden is entertained playing in the city park. Next door is the police station with three police cars in the parking lot. One car is an absolute mess, seagulls have been using it for target practice so much that it would be impossible to see out the windshield. I get a picture. Kailey is in a snit, she wont talk, while we explored the Seafarers memorial earlier she just leaned against the wall and pouted. Walking back to the boat is a short two minute trip in silence.
Visiting small towns by boat usually means you arrive at the back door right in the middle of town. Port Townsend is no exception, any glitzy welcome display is probably up the hill somewhere on the main road.
Windsong looks cold, small and lonely at the bottom of the ramp. I see someone has come ashore by dinghy. They have dragged their shore boat up onto the dock rather than tie up. Probably a good idea, the passing ships wakes are pounding the seawall. Out a ways are the same group of boats anchored, one undoubtedly belongs to the dinghy. I busy myself making things ship shape. Everything is getting wet, but it’s not raining. The bean bag chair is getting wet but there’s no room in the cabin and it won’t fit in the lazarette. I’m bored and restless, come on Jaiden, lets go for a walk I say. (I’m beginning to look forward to leaving in the morning). We walk straight to a little wine shop I spotted earlier. Its thirty minutes from closing time and the owner is by himself. I know less than nothing about wines so I busy myself comparing prices and looking for cool names. I choose a red wine with a picture of a sailboat on the label. The shop keeper is a transplant from somewhere, so we have lots to talk about, every so often I tell Jaiden to be careful or don’t touch something. Two hours after closing we leave the wine shop and walk back to the boat to find a cork screw. Linda is annoyed and concerned. Probably annoyed with being left behind with Kailey the grump and concerned for Jaidens safety. I don’t remember if we ate or snacked for dinner. It was a rough night Linda tells me in the morning, with all the waves rocking and slamming us into the dock, she hardly slept at all. I have to take her word for it, I slept well. Outside the fog has dropped onto us, the anchored boats are not visible and yet they are less than 500 feet away.
Public dock at Port Townsend is right next to the ferry dock but you would never know it in the thick fog.
I watch the ferry leave and disappear into the gloom before it’s wake reaches us. It’s obvious we can’t leave. With my morning coffee in hand I step onto the dock, and notice we are at an odd angle. Our half inch nylon stern line has parted from the pounding while I slept. I make a mental note to allow more slack, double the critical lines and look into chaffing protection. This may also explain why we had the free dock to ourselves. Linda and I study our charts and current tables while waiting for the fog to lift, but I know we will leave when the fog is gone not when the current is going the right way. Our plan is to head north across the eastern end of the Strait of Juan De Fuca. We will go through Cattle Pass and into the protected waters between San Juan and Lopez Islands.
The run today is a distance of about 25 miles, just a little further than when we came from Deception Pass. The kids are still asleep when we cast off two hours later and quietly slide past the anchored boats. The wind as usual is not much help, We motor-sail most of this leg, mostly because the sails help stabilize us and reduce the swell induced rolling.
Motoring across the east end of the Strait of Juan De Fuca is rolly polly. There was little wind but soon we unfurled the sails trying to reduce the nauseating motion, it didn't help much.
At last Cattle Pass and no more waves or fog. Fortunately the tide was incoming or we would've been stuck outside for awhile. As it was we shot through. Lopez Island on right, Orcas Island dead ahead, Friday Harbor on left will take about half an hour with the currents help.
Click below to see satellite view of Port Townsend
