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tidalrace:deception_pass
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tidalrace:deception_pass [2025/08/13 22:01] pstureavley |
tidalrace:deception_pass [2025/08/15 00:46] (current) pstureavley |
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| ===== Intro ===== | ===== Intro ===== | ||
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| The Deception Pass [[:tidalrace:tidal_races|tide race]] offers some challenging paddling in a beautiful setting on [[:whidbey_island|]] in [[:washington|Washington State]], USA. From [[:deception_pass_background|Seattle Times Article]]: "…At a peak flow of nearly nine knots, 2 million cubic feet (//approx. 56634 cubic meters, or 56,634,000 liters//) of water pour through Deception Pass per second. That's eight times the average flow of Washington's mighty Columbia River. It's more than 50 times the average flow of all the rivers emptying into Puget Sound." | The Deception Pass [[:tidalrace:tidal_races|tide race]] offers some challenging paddling in a beautiful setting on [[:whidbey_island|]] in [[:washington|Washington State]], USA. From [[:deception_pass_background|Seattle Times Article]]: "…At a peak flow of nearly nine knots, 2 million cubic feet (//approx. 56634 cubic meters, or 56,634,000 liters//) of water pour through Deception Pass per second. That's eight times the average flow of Washington's mighty Columbia River. It's more than 50 times the average flow of all the rivers emptying into Puget Sound." | ||
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| - | ==== South side ==== | + | ==== South Side Launch ==== |
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| Launching on the south side of the tidal current there are two primary paddling options: The Pass Paddle and West Beach Paddle. They are both lap paddles, not downwinders.The **Pass Paddle is paddling laps east and west** between West Point and Deception Island. The **West Beach Paddle is paddling laps north and south** in the Rosario Straight parallel to West Beach. | Launching on the south side of the tidal current there are two primary paddling options: The Pass Paddle and West Beach Paddle. They are both lap paddles, not downwinders.The **Pass Paddle is paddling laps east and west** between West Point and Deception Island. The **West Beach Paddle is paddling laps north and south** in the Rosario Straight parallel to West Beach. | ||
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| - | {{:tidalrace:deception_south_launch.png?nolink&830x693}} | + | {{:tidalrace:deception_south_launch.png?direct&830x693}} |
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| - | ---- | + | ==== Northside Launch ==== |
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| - | **Northside Launch** | + | |
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| Launching from the northside is also possible albeit with a longer paddle to the main tidal current. There are 2 convenient Deception Pass State Park launches on the north side - **Bowman Bay** and **Rosario Head ** (less paddling, longer carry). As with the southside, you are looking at lap paddling, surfing to the east with east moving waves closer to Lighthouse Point, then easily floating with the ebb tidal current back to the west to start over again. | Launching from the northside is also possible albeit with a longer paddle to the main tidal current. There are 2 convenient Deception Pass State Park launches on the north side - **Bowman Bay** and **Rosario Head ** (less paddling, longer carry). As with the southside, you are looking at lap paddling, surfing to the east with east moving waves closer to Lighthouse Point, then easily floating with the ebb tidal current back to the west to start over again. | ||
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| - | {{:tidalrace:decept_north_launch.jpg?nolink&829x536|decept_copy2.jpg}} | + | {{:tidalrace:decept_north_launch.jpg?direct&829x536|decept_copy2.jpg}} |
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| ===== Warnings ===== | ===== Warnings ===== | ||
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| * It can get **extremely technical** with waves coming from three directions. | * It can get **extremely technical** with waves coming from three directions. | ||
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| ===== Skills Required ===== | ===== Skills Required ===== | ||
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| * [[:tidalrace:tidal_races|Understanding and familiarity with dynamics of tide races]] and Deception Pass in particular. | * [[:tidalrace:tidal_races|Understanding and familiarity with dynamics of tide races]] and Deception Pass in particular. | ||
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| ===== Pass Laps - Conditions ===== | ===== Pass Laps - Conditions ===== | ||
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| * Best conditions are with a west wind and ebb tide. If it's been building for awhile out in the Strait of Juan de Fuca ([[https://wx.ikitesurf.com/spot/600|ikitesurf Smith Island]]), the long fetch will build the incoming ocean swell. The whole beauty of the waves there is the opposing swell against the out-flowing ebb tide. Generally showing up an hour before max ebb yields the largest waves. Watch for a decent west wind in the Strait and time it with max ebb through the pass. If you are looking for smaller waves you can of course wait for the ebb current to be dropping. Large waves do not require very high local wind - the swell coming from the west is important. Most of the play is in line with Deception Island - outside (farther west) gets manky and inside (closer to bridge) gets glassy in the normal range of paddleable conditions. | * Best conditions are with a west wind and ebb tide. If it's been building for awhile out in the Strait of Juan de Fuca ([[https://wx.ikitesurf.com/spot/600|ikitesurf Smith Island]]), the long fetch will build the incoming ocean swell. The whole beauty of the waves there is the opposing swell against the out-flowing ebb tide. Generally showing up an hour before max ebb yields the largest waves. Watch for a decent west wind in the Strait and time it with max ebb through the pass. If you are looking for smaller waves you can of course wait for the ebb current to be dropping. Large waves do not require very high local wind - the swell coming from the west is important. Most of the play is in line with Deception Island - outside (farther west) gets manky and inside (closer to bridge) gets glassy in the normal range of paddleable conditions. | ||
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| * [[https://www.windy.com/?48.395,-122.612,11|Windy.com Deception Pass]] | * [[https://www.windy.com/?48.395,-122.612,11|Windy.com Deception Pass]] | ||
| * [[https://www.dairiki.org/tides/daily.php/dec|Dairiki Tidal Currents Deception Pass]] curve tops are max floods, curve bottoms are max ebbs | * [[https://www.dairiki.org/tides/daily.php/dec|Dairiki Tidal Currents Deception Pass]] curve tops are max floods, curve bottoms are max ebbs | ||
| + | * [[https://www.starpath.com/catalog/books/1806.htm|PNW Tidal Current Atlas]] | ||
| * [[https://www.tide-forecast.com/locations/Deception-Pass-Saint-Park-Bowman-Bay-Fidalgo-Island-Washington/tides/latest|Tide Forecast Deception Pass]] (remember - slack tide current occurs awhile after high or low tide points when the tide has been changing direction) The tidal curves on this site indicate water levels, look at Dairiki above for a better timing indication of current through the pass. | * [[https://www.tide-forecast.com/locations/Deception-Pass-Saint-Park-Bowman-Bay-Fidalgo-Island-Washington/tides/latest|Tide Forecast Deception Pass]] (remember - slack tide current occurs awhile after high or low tide points when the tide has been changing direction) The tidal curves on this site indicate water levels, look at Dairiki above for a better timing indication of current through the pass. | ||
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| ===== West Beach Laps - Conditions ===== | ===== West Beach Laps - Conditions ===== | ||
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| * With a south wind, paddle south toward the naval air station where you can meet some larger and cleaner swell about halfway to the naval station (approx. 3/4 to 1 mile south of West Point). Along the south, you can run into waves and currents coming from both sides making it very technical paddling. | * With a south wind, paddle south toward the naval air station where you can meet some larger and cleaner swell about halfway to the naval station (approx. 3/4 to 1 mile south of West Point). Along the south, you can run into waves and currents coming from both sides making it very technical paddling. | ||
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| ===== Put-ins/Take-outs/Parking ===== | ===== Put-ins/Take-outs/Parking ===== | ||
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| * Southside - normally launch from the West Beach parking lot in Deception Pass State Park. If the shore break gets too big you can launch from around the corner at the amphitheater parking lot. The Amphitheater and its parking are just to the east of West Beach - still on West Point. There is a sign on the road for the right turn to the Amphitheater immediately before you enter the West Beach parking lot. There is more grass for OC setup at the north end of the West Beach parking lot. | * Southside - normally launch from the West Beach parking lot in Deception Pass State Park. If the shore break gets too big you can launch from around the corner at the amphitheater parking lot. The Amphitheater and its parking are just to the east of West Beach - still on West Point. There is a sign on the road for the right turn to the Amphitheater immediately before you enter the West Beach parking lot. There is more grass for OC setup at the north end of the West Beach parking lot. | ||
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| ==== Big Days ==== | ==== Big Days ==== | ||
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| Most OC paddlers usually find catching the waves here more difficult than surfskiers do - at least in part due to the strong counter current. But some days are easier than others and when you do catch waves it can be very satisfying. | Most OC paddlers usually find catching the waves here more difficult than surfskiers do - at least in part due to the strong counter current. But some days are easier than others and when you do catch waves it can be very satisfying. | ||
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| ===== More Videos ===== | ===== More Videos ===== | ||
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| * [[:tidalrace:deception_pass_videos|]] | * [[:tidalrace:deception_pass_videos|]] | ||
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