Cruising the Ditch will be getting easier

[jssailem]

Some sailors use the ditch, that channel which provides a waterway short cut from Skagit Bay to Padilla Bay. Others say “No way ! I don’t want to run aground.”

I you have been on the fence between the extremes there is good news. The ditch will be dredged this winter. They plan to remove the accumulation of silt to provide a depth of 12 ft at MLLW.

Here is the article, provided by Waggoner’s Guide, describing the dredging activity.

Dredging in Swinomish Channel Underway | Waggoner

waggonerguide.com

Perhaps next spring you’ll add the ditch to your cruising plans.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Over here, the “ditch” means something entirely different.

 

[Hello Below]

Perhaps next spring you’ll add the ditch to your cruising plans.

Perhaps

 

[Terry Cox]

Here is the article, provided by Waggoner’s Guide, describing the dredging activity.

Hey, thanks for the article, John. Good to know info.

 

[Mark Maulden]

Been through there numerous times. No issues..watch the tides..But glad the dredging is happening.

 

[Foswick]

That's interesting. Every now and then we make the trip down to Seattle and, when we do, it is always a straight-through trip - just point A to point B. We took the Swinomish Channel north, once. But, I had never even noticed there was a waterway between Skagit and Padilla Bays. I just see that expanse of shoal on both sides and don't give it a second thought.

Going inland down both of those waterways could be a bit of a timesaver if I had to motor anyway.

 

[Terry Cox]

Been through the ditch many times, several under sail. Our boat has a five foot draft and so to avoid running afoul of enough water I make it a point of transiting with at least a one foot plus tide state. Minus tides can become problematic with a five foot draft; spoken from experience in my early days of transiting, especially west of Goat Island.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Hey, thanks for the article, John. Good to know info.

Terry, somehow I got on Waggoners' email list and every month they send out a bunch of helpful stories. You might want to look into it, because I've never bought the publication, so it should be free.

Waggoner Cruising Guide
From:info@waggonerguide.com

 

[Terry Cox]

Thanks for the tip, Stu. I'll look into it.