Sometimes the weather will dictate our route to a destination. When the weather is favorable Admiralty Inlet cuts a shorter distance whether heading north or south. In doing so heading south on a flood and north on an ebb does speed things along. However when the weather sours, the ditch provides a somewhat protected route from the exposed elements of Admiralty Inlet.
We dock our boat in Shelter Bay across the ditch from Laconner. After several years of transiting the channel, I have found some truths from experience, at least as I interpret them.
1. Generally, there is a convergence zone in the area of the south side of town, about where the orange steel bridge crosses the channel. This convergence zone differs depending on tide state. Typically it floods into the north and south entrance to the channel and ebbs the same way.
2. When leaving our slip heading either north or south, I almost always try to leave soon after the flood changes to the ebb. Large tide swings can cause currents of two plus knots at maximum flow, so following the ebb out of the channel makes for a speedy discharge. When the tide state approaches one foot, I stay put. Water becomes very thin in spots around the south entrance buoy six and the swinging bridge in the north entrance. Recent dredging has helped, but overall, the channel is mud stuck risky at low water.
3. The south entrance has day board channel markers to help the navigator enter and depart the channel at least to the gorge. Following those you should be okay. Wandering off, well you know what might happen. The north entrance has no day boards, but just make it a point to stay in the center of the channel.
4. Recently the Coast Guard switched the two sets of channel buoys on the north end of town. Just remember red right returning and you should be okay. For some reason someone determined that that was half way through the channel where on one side it was red green and the other side was green red. Just make sure you stay between the two sets.
There are a few spots where some shoaling has occurred. Typically, these spots are on the inside of a bend in the channel. So, if the channel bends to port I favor the starboard side of the channel and vice versa. A couple of exceptions; when entering from the south where the channel bends to port coming into the gorge, I favor the port side of the boat. When passing by the swinging bridge heading north, I favor the port side of the channel.
And whatever you do, as others have found out, DO NOT wander off the channel. It looks as though there is plenty of water, but that water may only be a foot deep. The next time through, when you pass by and observe a Great Blue Heron standing in water up to its knees, you will see what I mean. The ditch is narrow, but certainly passable, providing a more protected passage when the weather sours.
Laconner is a very nice layover marina with nice restaurants, a well stocked grocery store, fuel dock, clean bathrooms, and two free pump out stations. Avoid trying to tie up on the east side of the pump out dock. Currents make docking on that side dicey. They also have a small reciprocal dock for those so inclined.
http://www.laconneryachtsales.com/navigation/
We dock our boat in Shelter Bay across the ditch from Laconner. After several years of transiting the channel, I have found some truths from experience, at least as I interpret them.
1. Generally, there is a convergence zone in the area of the south side of town, about where the orange steel bridge crosses the channel. This convergence zone differs depending on tide state. Typically it floods into the north and south entrance to the channel and ebbs the same way.
2. When leaving our slip heading either north or south, I almost always try to leave soon after the flood changes to the ebb. Large tide swings can cause currents of two plus knots at maximum flow, so following the ebb out of the channel makes for a speedy discharge. When the tide state approaches one foot, I stay put. Water becomes very thin in spots around the south entrance buoy six and the swinging bridge in the north entrance. Recent dredging has helped, but overall, the channel is mud stuck risky at low water.
3. The south entrance has day board channel markers to help the navigator enter and depart the channel at least to the gorge. Following those you should be okay. Wandering off, well you know what might happen. The north entrance has no day boards, but just make it a point to stay in the center of the channel.
4. Recently the Coast Guard switched the two sets of channel buoys on the north end of town. Just remember red right returning and you should be okay. For some reason someone determined that that was half way through the channel where on one side it was red green and the other side was green red. Just make sure you stay between the two sets.
There are a few spots where some shoaling has occurred. Typically, these spots are on the inside of a bend in the channel. So, if the channel bends to port I favor the starboard side of the channel and vice versa. A couple of exceptions; when entering from the south where the channel bends to port coming into the gorge, I favor the port side of the boat. When passing by the swinging bridge heading north, I favor the port side of the channel.
And whatever you do, as others have found out, DO NOT wander off the channel. It looks as though there is plenty of water, but that water may only be a foot deep. The next time through, when you pass by and observe a Great Blue Heron standing in water up to its knees, you will see what I mean. The ditch is narrow, but certainly passable, providing a more protected passage when the weather sours.
Laconner is a very nice layover marina with nice restaurants, a well stocked grocery store, fuel dock, clean bathrooms, and two free pump out stations. Avoid trying to tie up on the east side of the pump out dock. Currents make docking on that side dicey. They also have a small reciprocal dock for those so inclined.
http://www.laconneryachtsales.com/navigation/
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