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La Conner - current & shallows
Reivers Dustin
02/02/13 #13882
Couple oddities about Swinomish channel:
The current flowing through the Swinomish can be strong and mean. At times flowing north, at other times flowing south, without any discernible relationship to tides. While you can get a tidal report for La Conner NOAA will simply tell you that the currents “are unpredictable”.
A very friendly gas dock operator offers what the local wisdom for predicting the current directions. He told me of a formula, he calls it a Rule of Thumb, that he used, source unknown, which goes like this:
The actual time of slack water and the duration of current flow are dependent on the range between high and low water (tide), and are affected by river runoff. Approximate is the best you can get.
Use the La Conner tide readings (Seattle + 30 minutes)
Slack water occurs 2 1/2 to 4 hours after either high or low tide
Current flows north 2 1/2 to 4 hours before high tide to 2 1/2 to 4 hours after high tide
Current flows south 2 1/2 to 4 hours before low tide to 2 1/2 to 4 hours after low tide
Not what you'd call precise measures!
Next point: Shallows up on North side after the channel opens up (sandy bottom). To the West of Goat Island (South side as the channel opens up) there are shoals (rocks). These rocks form almost a straight line to the West from the North edge of Goat. Basically, after the half-way turning mark, don't stray too far to the South. You may be adding your rudder to the collection there.
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