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Old 24-10-2016, 19:56   #1
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Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

Hola amigos!

Rookie sailor here, looking for advice on dealing with heavy current areas and all the fun things they bring.

I have experience running up to grade three whitewater in canoes and, ironically, that came in handy with the little buit of sailing I've done in BC. The coast is full of beautiful little channels and islands but many of them have high currents and at least some form of rapids. At peak flow we are talking 18-20 kts. I only made passage through one such area at roughly slack tide but the channel was still moving too fast to turn around and fight the current and the outlet was a big bay which was full of swirling water. I powered through in my POS lightweight fin keeled boat but it was a bit scary.

There must be some tricks or tips to doing it under more control. I will be buying a heavier folkboat eventually with which to ply these waters but I wanted to ask your opinions on a few places I'd like to go at least once.

First is the South end of Quadra Island just east of Campbell River. For those not familiar this is one of those 18 knot current places. IIRC the ebb tide moves south and creates a long wavetrain quite far south of the island and the waves are quite large. An acquaintance told me there is an eddy just south of the island but I remember my charts showing debris and very little depth quite a ways off of shore (no shock with that current running by all the time) so my question to you is: In this case if I want to go East from CR past this area do I have to wait for flood tide or better yet, slack tide? or is there a safe way to traverse the wave train? In a canoe one uses a technique called ferrying where you just paddle bow upstream and pointing diagonally across the waves. Assuming the current isn't too powerful you usually don't get pushed too far downstream doing this. It works in canoes probably because there's no keel catching all that current. I suspect the same technique could potentially turtle a boat because of all that water pushing underneath and once the surface catches the rail, well, I know what happens then, haha.

Another specific example is called Okisollo channel. It's pretty long and has whirlpools along much of its length during peak currents. I'm assuming the only way to traverse these channels is to wait until near slack tide (with the current drawing you in your desired direction) and make a run for the next safe haven?

Any tips and tricks you wish to share with me about navigating these sorts of areas would be appreciated. They are all but impossible to avoid in the region and I wouldn't want to avoid them anyway as they are navigable and beautiful.
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Old 24-10-2016, 20:14   #2
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

Go through most high current passages on the turn/slack.

An exception is running the Yuculta Rapids, Gillard Pass and Dent Rapids in one fell swoop.

From another forum:

North to the Broughtons - SailNet Community
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Old 24-10-2016, 21:02   #3
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

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Originally Posted by KetoNomad View Post
At peak flow we are talking 18-20 kts ...

For those not familiar this is one of those 18 knot current places.
For those not familiar ... in 2016 there is only one current station in all of BC on one tide that has a predicted current in excess of 16kts. 18-20 is hardly typical.

you've answered your own question though ... buy a copy of the current tables, know how to use them, and know what you can do with your boat. Then time your arrival accordingly. The faster the maximum current, the shorter your window for crossing the passage at slack tide ... if you arrive too late, turn round and find somewhere to anchor until the next slack.

Even kayaking it can take a fair bit of skill to handle passages running at 5-6kts, and only the experts try surfing the waves in the rapids running 10+ kts. (Even your river running experience won't prepare you for the whirlpools - unless you've been paddling some big and deep rivers). Don't even think about it with a sailboat.
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Old 24-10-2016, 21:22   #4
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

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For those not familiar ... in 2016 there is only one current station in all of BC on one tide that has a predicted current in excess of 16kts. 18-20 is hardly typical.

you've answered your own question though ... buy a copy of the current tables, know how to use them, and know what you can do with your boat. Then time your arrival accordingly. The faster the maximum current, the shorter your window for crossing the passage at slack tide ... if you arrive too late, turn round and find somewhere to anchor until the next slack.

Even kayaking it can take a fair bit of skill to handle passages running at 5-6kts, and only the experts try surfing the waves in the rapids running 10+ kts. (Even your river running experience won't prepare you for the whirlpools - unless you've been paddling some big and deep rivers). Don't even think about it with a sailboat.
My mistake, I'm in Iowa at the moment where ocean current info is a dusty memory, alas. Either way, pretty fast!

So what happens when you go through (or attempt to) at max current? I'm sure someone's tried. I saw a Youtube video of a guy trying to buck Seymour Narrows in a sailboat and getting tossed around like a tub toy before retreating South. Could have gone worse.

Anyway, thank you for confirming my suspicions. I was hoping for some sort of magic trick but wasn't holding my breath
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Old 24-10-2016, 21:38   #5
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

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Go through most high current passages on the turn/slack.

An exception is running the Yuculta Rapids, Gillard Pass and Dent Rapids in one fell swoop.

From another forum:

North to the Broughtons - SailNet Community

Great thread on running the channels on Sailnet, thank you. I hope to make use of it.

So you're in Calgary? Wow, that;s got to be tough. I'm based out of there for work but once an Islander... Why are you there? Must be for work also.

Anyway, nice to "meet" you haha
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Old 24-10-2016, 22:33   #6
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

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Originally Posted by KetoNomad View Post
So what happens when you go through (or attempt to) at max current? I'm sure someone's tried.
of course they have (not a sailboat, and not max current, but):

but ... why do YOU want to? it'll be flat calm in a couple of hours - why play Russian roulette with your boat?
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Old 24-10-2016, 22:48   #7
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

As others have posted - basically do not do it and wait for slack. It is less about the current, and more about the turbulence, overfalls, whirlpools. Total loss of control when pushed through channels with rocks and reefs is not a great thing. When you have a keel versus a small planing boat it also gets a lot more 'entertaining'. Best to keep it simple and keep to slack!
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Old 25-10-2016, 07:06   #8
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelkara View Post
of course they have (not a sailboat, and not max current, but):

but ... why do YOU want to? it'll be flat calm in a couple of hours - why play Russian roulette with your boat?
Haha yeah I saw that yesterday

I just want to know if it's possible, it's good to have options, especially if you just want to drop in to a place like Campbell River to get groceries and leave it would be nice if you could do it quickly but I guess you can't.

I defiinitely want to run that Sechelt Narrows though, just because what's beyond is nice but yeah, I will DEFINITELY be waiting for slack tide on that one, haha.
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Old 25-10-2016, 07:56   #9
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

Living in the area you speak of , you are correct. I cant travel more then 6 miles north of home without going through some sort of rapids.
There are a few rapids that move at 18 knots or so at peak times of year but most peak out anywhere between 5 - 9 knots, still a challenge. They simply require passage at slack tide or near to it. If your a newbie and travelling when theres more boaters out you will find others simply waiting to go through at slack. This can be a big help if your nervous. Most chart plotters show the current in real time, I often go through if its moving less then 3 knots. After you get to know them you may even sail through most of them. The good thing is all current areas are well known and marked up here, and until your familiar with them treat them all as if they can be extremely hazardous to your boat and your life.
The bigger challenge may be where the current is not that strong, and therefore not marked but when they meet the opposing winds all hell can break loose. One of my worse experiences was hitting an area where the current was no more then 1.5 knots between islands but with an opposing SE the waves went from a manageable 5 feet to 10feet in a matter if seconds with all hell breaking loose on decks. I learned a lesson
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Old 25-10-2016, 08:13   #10
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

We've run just about all the rapids in BC and SE Alaska numerous times, in 22 and 26-foot power boats, and a (full keel power cruiser) Nordic Tug 37. All these boats had enough power to easily overcome modest amounts of current.

For most rapids it is generally not necessary to time your transit very exactly at slack current. The first time you try each one though, you might want to do it fairly close to slack (the timing of which is usually quite different from that of high or low tide). Some rapids have a fairly long window of relatively slack current, but others switch more quickly, offering less flexibility in timing your transit. Make sure you understand the current timing correctly. As long as opposing traffic is not a problem, going through when others are going through is often a good strategy.

As long as you have enough power to make a few knots greater than the current speed, and thus have good steering, many are reasonably easy with or against modest currents. Almost all can be OK with current 2 knots or less. Some are smooth enough that transit in 4-6 knots is fairly easy, if you are attentive at the wheel, and ready to make quick course corrections in turbulence.

Watch out for opposing traffic, and monitor channel 16. Look out for floating wood, and for large whirlpools which in some rapids may appear rather suddenly, and can carry fast-moving wood. Transit in poor visibility or tough weather can be more dangerous. Be wary of stronger winds opposing the current direction, which can set up standing waves. Take a good look at conditions before you go through.

Cruising guides like the Douglass series can help you understand the level of difficulty to expect. Some of the more challenging ones are Sechelt and Nakwakto, and the Yucultas if you hit them very far off slack current.

For BC, if your chartplotter does not include current tables, you may want to get the Ports and Passes book (revised every year), which is particularly easy to read and understand. For SE Alaska you can access and download current tables from NOAA's web site:

NOAA Current Predictions - Current Predictions
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Old 25-10-2016, 08:25   #11
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

Canadian current atlas, with the cheat sheet links:

What you are seeing in the chandlery is the 2016 code book that is also available to be copied online
https://www.starpath.com/catalog/books/1806.htm
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Old 25-10-2016, 08:39   #12
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

I use the following as a guideline for sailboats.

If the current strength is

0-3 knots on either side of the turn, I will go through anytime.

3-6 knots either side, a 30 minute window either side

6 knots and above either side, 15 minute window and getting shorter

In any case be aware of tide rips, overfalls and whirlpools.
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Old 25-10-2016, 10:47   #13
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

Listen to Jack. His schedule is precisely what I use, though he has put it more succinctly that I would have :-)

But a "folkboat" - you mean a Nordic (International) Folkboat? Lovely little ship. Sailed a number of them in my misspent Scowegian youth. Learned on a 3/4 scale version of 'er, called a "Junior Boat"

The NF, and therefore the IF, is not quite the boat for these waters. She was designed for the Baltic, not for the Salish Sea. She's very deep for her displacement, her SA/D is too low for summer conditions in the Salish Sea. At 12.5 the SA/d is even lower than TrentePieds', which Lord knows is low ennuff! We are into motorsailer country here. But in open water, with good sustained winds above 15 knots - VERY rare in the summer Salish - she is luvverly. As many blue water voyages will testify.

If your candidate has an inboard engine she'll do, but an outboard on the end of a NF would be a total PITA.

You might also want to be mindful that she doesn't - natively - have a marine toilet c/w holding tank. Tough to fit a holding tank in an NF. Bucket'n'chuckit ruled supreme in my day, but south of 49, the Coast Guard takes a VERY dim view of that. So does the Canadian Coast Guard, for that matter, but true to Canadian tradition the hossifers smile a lot and say "sorry" when they lay a fine on you :-)

Much as I tear up thinking of "old times" in NFs, I, were I in the market for a ship for the Salish, would go to the many, many far more suitable choices that can be bought for a song on this coast.

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Old 25-10-2016, 11:09   #14
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

Not sure who told you about the south end of Quadra Island but those current figures are way out of line, and ridiculously high. We keep our boat in Campbell River on Discovery Passage and it is always necessary to pay attention to the current tables for the infamous Seymour Narrows - six miles north of our marina. It will flow at up to 16 knots on a really big change, but often at 10-12 knots max flow.

Cape Mudge is at the southern end of Discovery Passge 3 miles S of the marina. I use 60% of the Seymour Narrows current as the flow at Cape Mudge, the Passage entrance from the South. Basic math says that even this is way too much for a sailboat to oppose at full flow. So I use the current tables to leave CR toward the end of a bigger flood - it takes about 35 minutes to get out past the Cape to the red lateral buoy. Coming in is a bit more complex.

The turbulence can be extreme because of the narrowing and the varying bottom depths in Discovery Passage. This turbulence extends well out into Georgia Strait. This area is where the current flooding around the N end of Vancouver Island meets the current flooding in around the S end of the Island. So the latter stages of the flood have two currents opposing each other. It can be extremely dangerous in a strong SE blow, like we have going on today, because of the long SE fetch running into the flooding current - and a mess of tidal rips and whirlpools. An enormous haystack with waves coming from all directions gets created off the end of Wilby Shoal that will toss your boat around horribly - if you're stupid enough to be out in it. Above SE15 at nearby Sentry Shoal is going to be VERY rough, above 20 even my dock buddy with a 50ft sailboat stays on the dock ( he captains tugboats for a living).

Wilby Shoal is a big ledge stretching almost 2 miles southeast of the tip of Quadra and further channels the flow into the Strait. It is marked by a green can at the tip, and a red can approx 1.5 miles to the west. Depths at the cans are in the 20' range (lots of boulders on the Shoal) but drop off sharply and consistently. The whirlpools rotate anti-clockwise on a flood and create a good counter current along the face of the shoal. You can use this to come into Campbell River from the east - from Desolation Sound - against the flood as long as there is no significant SE wind. Thankfully the prevailing summer winds are NW and sea conditions are usually much better in up to 20kt+ winds. I usually follow the 80-100ft contours from the green can in around the red and up to the Cape to keep some separation - the current also sets a bit against and over the shoal.

You can then struggle a short distance past Cape Mudge lighthouse close to the beach against whatever current you think you can handle because you can almost immediately get into another counter current flowing along the west side of Quadra. My Navionics app gives current speeds at the Cape or you can estimate them from tables. Follow along the beach past the village to the bluffs across from Campbell River, then cross Discovery Passage to the marinas. Watch out for the ferries - they appear suddenly from behind the bluffs when leaving the Quadra side. Personally I won't take on more than 4 knots around the Cape because I don't like also having to fight my way across the Passage through the ferry lane. It is usually the last hour of the flood that I target. Monthly low currents can be opposed at almost any point in the latter half of them this way.

You should also time coming in on an ebb when big currents are running unless you like little or no steerage - big ebbs are easily 6-7 knots.

The Oksillos are mess of whirlpools on the NW end at all times, there are standing waves on bigger ebbs and Bentley Rock just W of center. Close to slack is the only sensible option. You can scoot through the Upper Oksillo and Hole in the Wall on the same change if you time it well. You can avoid the Lower Oksillos by going N of the Okis Islands.

Jackdale's guidelines are good. Some of the passes in our area have straight plumes that flush you out cleanly, many have whirlpools and rips, rocks and reefs. The former give you a little more leeway in taking them a bit later - with the flow of course. Most of us will start into the pass while it is still flowing against us a few minutes before the change to gain a few minutes of useful slack around the pass - going W through the Upper Oksillo for example.

If you're going to sail in the Discovery Island area or north of it, you need current tables and need to know how to use them and interpolate them. We have a lot of strong wind against strong current situations in the area with predictable nasty sea conditions. Some of the cruising books have sections providing some local knowledge about the various passes. Don't mess with them and don't pay any attention to the myriad small power boats running them. They have no displacement and often LOTS of Hp.
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Old 25-10-2016, 12:20   #15
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Re: Handling high current areas, whirlpools and wave trains

Dave: What a wonderful write up! You should be in Waggoner's ;-0)!

Used to have a client in Quathiaski, but haven't been there for years. Your write up is gonna go in the ring-binder that is my roll-yer- own "Salish Pilot"

Thanks on behalf of all that "nudge Mudge" :-)!

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