I would not be so concerned about hitting Hell Gate at slack tide but, you should go with the flow of course. Might be a hundred feet of turbulent waters around the Gate but, a strong hand on the tiller/wheel will get you through. It's a beautiful trip at night the only thing is you might not see the debris in the
water as easily as during the day. Big chunks of
wood piling pieces etc... can ruin your day if it hits the prop. With the coastal flood warnings in these waters today there might be a little more debris around for a few days too.