Just for background, when I first moved to Oak Harbor from Spokane I knew that I would need to go through Deception Pass regularly and my father-in-law had instilled me with a great deal of apprehension. I had to drive across the bridge to and from work every day so for the first year I budgeted 15 minutes every day to stop on the island and look at the pass for transit conditions.
I kept a log of rate of flow from the current tables, eddies, whirlpools, smooth flow, problems that boats were encountering, etc.
From that experience I have come to two primary reasons that boats get into trouble. 1. Going against the current. 2. Being on a line that takes them south of the center line of the pass. Avoid those two conditions and the transit is safe. I do try to avoid currents over 6.5 knots but have been through in 8.2. It was fun to see 13 knots on the GPS.
The biggest challenge is after you get out of the pass because there are up-thrusts of current that will make your boat turn up to 90º. It isn't dangerous because you are in open deep water but is a bit unsettling. I don't fight it, I go with the flow. I let the boat turn and then ease the wheel to bring her back on course. very little stress on the steering gear that way. If you try to keep it pointed in one direction you need to wildly steer back and forth and it is pointless. Keep Calm and enjoy the ride.
I could regale you with tails of woe and near disaster (others not mine) but they always involving violating rule #1 or #2 or worst of all #1 and #2.