Perhaps Echo Bay This Summer!
- Thread starter Kings Gambit
- Start date
Hi Mark, reminds me of a story several years ago that our flotilla of four boats experienced. Bob Barker sails a Cal T2, 27 foot with a Honda ten horse OB. Three of us manage to pass through Yuculta at slack water; this was the slack before the flood. Bob arrives late, too late. We're all ashore in Big Bay waiting for him to show. Then we finally see his mast appear very slowly. Then he slides back because is Honda is unable to keep up with the current, which can run ten to twelve knots at maximum flow.
We hail to Bob, go close to shore where the current is less strong, which he does. Ever so slowly he manages to creep through, then across to Big Bay. Needless to say we have retold that story many times and it always brings many laughs. This was just one of many experiences that we encountered in our years of cruising PNW waters. So many memories.
At the time, we had a 14’ RIB with a Suzuki 30 that we towed. Had a blast playing with the whirlpools!
We could see clearly the “Devils Hole” whirlpool and kept off to the left of it. An impressive sight, to be sure
. I’d be reluctant to run Dent more than an hour on either side of slack tide unless, perhaps, I needed to get through before dark. The publication “Ports and Passes” was very useful in timing the transits.
Last edited:
Hey @Kings Gambit Can I send your message and contact info to Waggoner’s as a quote about “Ports and Passages”?
John
John
I think that should be "Ports and Passes." I left my copy on the boat in BC so did not have it in front of me when writing above (now corrected). Why would Waggoner's care about my opinion from Southern California? For real?--but sure.
KG
? For real?--but sure.KG
Last edited:
That said, I'd have to qualify my statement that I'd be so reluctant in a sailboat motoring with a low horse-power engine or moving slowing under sail. The big motor yachts I saw going through early appeared not to be much concerned. There were a lot of big motor yachts up there, especially in the marina at Dent Island.
https://www.dentisland.com/
Last edited:
While we had our boat on the hard at Marine Services in La Conner this past June, they hauled out a large, maybe 100 feet, yacht that had serious damage done to both five blade props and prop shafts. It seems, according to the hired skipper that I talked to, they had just come out of the Dent Resort Marina at low water, were just floating with engines in neutral, not realizing they were over a well charted rock, when the owner took control of the boat, placed both engines in forward gear, and ground both props on the rock.
Each prop is worth about $20K, the shafts probably as much. The starboard prop was really chewed up, port side not as much, but beyond repair. They were able to limp back south to have the boat hauled out for repair. You would think the crew of such an expensive boat, with all the navigation bells and whistles, would avoid such calamities, but...
Thanks @Kings Gambit. Ports and Passes is a Waggoner's publication. They are always interested in opinions and observations. Sometime include the comments in there publications. With as many locations and passages that exist in the Pacific NW waters it is impossible for the small staff to be current. So they accept and verify the ramblings of many boaters. Me being a rambler I from time to time offer up ideas. Once I cease to work full time as a Milk Man I expect to do much more rambling, and share my thoughts of experiences with them.