Chart of the worse bit with buoys marked
Entrance to Rocky Pass
Looks wider than it actually is - just under the water dangers lurk..JPG)
Pilot and co-pilot - a great team.JPG)
The kelp - usually means it is very shallow.JPG)
Buoy draped in kelpRocky Pass
One of the navigational challenges John wanted to do this trip was to traverse the 15 mile narrow, twisted channel called Rocky Pass that is located through what looks like a large channel of water. But looks are deceiving as there are rocks and lots of kelp lurking just under the surface. Two sections of this pass are dredged to a level that is suppose to allow small craft like us to pass - but the last dredging was in 1977 so who knows! However the 50 buoys that mark the channel are now back in place. They were removed to keep people from going down the channel, but fishermen still did, sometimes with bad consequences, so navigating Rocky Pass is now very possible - as long as you do it on a rising tide. It is important to stay in the dredged channel between the buoys to make sure you have enough water under you so you don‘t go aground. We heard of a sail boat that went aground on a very high tide and had to wait 3 weeks for enough water to float again.
One of the navigational challenges John wanted to do this trip was to traverse the 15 mile narrow, twisted channel called Rocky Pass that is located through what looks like a large channel of water. But looks are deceiving as there are rocks and lots of kelp lurking just under the surface. Two sections of this pass are dredged to a level that is suppose to allow small craft like us to pass - but the last dredging was in 1977 so who knows! However the 50 buoys that mark the channel are now back in place. They were removed to keep people from going down the channel, but fishermen still did, sometimes with bad consequences, so navigating Rocky Pass is now very possible - as long as you do it on a rising tide. It is important to stay in the dredged channel between the buoys to make sure you have enough water under you so you don‘t go aground. We heard of a sail boat that went aground on a very high tide and had to wait 3 weeks for enough water to float again.
John’s biggest challenge was planning when to enter the pass as there are conflicting tidal currents, some of which are quite strong, throughout the pass - he did this perfectly. With the help of our friend John who made sure we knew where every buoy was located, we made it through the pass without incident. We were happily greeted by sea otters and whales on our exit, my favourite bit!
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