Fidalgo Island Circumnavigation
Rating: SKIV (Fetch)
Distance: 30 NM
Date: Nov. 3, 2001
Leader: Pete Schwab Participants: 4
Launch: 06:15 Return: 5 pm
Weather: Great. Mostly overcast with a high around 50F. Very light breezes and flat seas.
Description: I'm going to paste in the trip plan here because it would've worked beautifully. We actually were running well ahead of schedule throughout the trip. We arrived at Deception Pass at 10:30 and were 2 hours ahead of schedule at the south end of the Swinomish Channel. The result..we didn't get to take advantage of any current in the Pass and were against the current in the Swinomish. So the plan is good. Just take more and longer breaks if you're ahead of schedule. By the way, it was a really great trip and including seeing sea otters and a Stellar Sea Lion in Deception Pass.
The Plan:
NOTE:
Being a little ahead
of schedule is ok throughout the length of this trip.
If we should get WAY ahead of schedule near Deception Pass…then we’ll
wait awhile.
Breaks
(every 2 hours) and lunch are not factored into this plan.
We’ll play it by ear.
06:00
– 07:00 (2.5 nm):
Launch from March
Point. We’ll be against the flood
until 6:54. We’ll pass Cap Sante
and round the bend so we’re looking straight down the Guemes Channel.
Bailout
Point: Go
back to March Point.
07:00
– 08:00 (2.5 nm): From our point near Cap Sante almost to Shannon Point
(actually we should be off Washington Park).
The current will be ebbing west at less than 1 knot.
Bailout
Point: Washington Park
08:00
– 09:00 (2.5 nm): Round Shannon Point, Green Point and Fidalgo Head and on into
the channel north of Burrows Island. The
current will ebb south and east (into the channel) at only about 0.5 knots.
Bailout
Point: Sunset Beach – Just
before you turn west towards Green Point.
Public
Access – Between Green Point and Fidalgo Head.
Before you enter Flounder Bay.
09:00
– 10:00 (2.5 nm): Pass the point on NE Burrows Island and head towards the east
shore and/or Biz Point depending on weather.
Still ebbing to the south at about 0.2 knots.
Bailout Point:
Alexander Beach – on the shore half way between Flounder Bay and Biz
Point.
10:00
– 11:00 (2.5 nm): On to Sears Head. The
current should go slack along here at around 11.00.
Bailout
Point: Rosario Beach is past Sears Head east of Northwest Island.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET TO DECEPTION PASS AT AROUND 11:30 WHEN CURRENTS WILL BE FLOODING AT AROUND 2 KNOTS.
11:00
– 12:00 (2.5 nm): Sears Head through Deception Pass and on almost to Yokeo
Point. At noon Deception will be
flooding at 3.5 knots and will max out at 1:38 at 5.1 knots.
Bailout
Point: Bowman Bay or Lottie Bay just before you enter the Pass.
Cornet Bay after you go through the Pass.
12:00
– 1:00 (2.5 NM): Pass
Yokeo Point and go north of Skagit Island, then turn south for another 0.5 nm
towards Lone Tree Point. The flood
is going south here.
Bailout
Point: Skagit Island SP.
1:00
– 2:00 (2.5 nm): From near Lone Tree Point on south to the unnamed point where
we can turn east towards the Swinomish Channel.
Bailout
Point: Goat Island
2:00
– 3:00 (2.5 NM): Unknown Point to ~LaConner.
The flood in the Swinomish Channel runs from south to north.
High tide at LaConner is at 6 pm. However,
the local marina tells me that the current runs about 2 hours later than the
tide (consistently). This is to our
advantage.
Bailout
Point: LaConner
3:00
– 6:00 (7.5 nm): From LaConner to March Point.
Ride the flood.
Bailout
Point: There’s a launch ramp under the Highway 20 bridge.
Tides/Currents: In planning your trip you'll have to be really careful and know what's going on in Guemes Channel, Rosario Strait, Deception Pass, Skagit Bay, and the Swinomish Channel. The Swinomish has only data for tides at LaConner. I talked to a marina operator in La Conner and he tells me that the Swinomish floods FROM Skagit Bay, running north, all the way to Padilla Bay. Also...he told me he has always noticed that the flood current always runs about 2 hours behind the tide! (The ebb works the same way). That seemed to be the case when we were there but, since we were so early, we didn't really have a chance to put it to the test.
Charts:
NOAA Chart #
18423, Page A.
San Juan Current Guide.
Directions to Launch Site: From I5 @ Hwy 16 it takes about 2 hours to get to the launch site at March Point. Drive north on I5 to Hwy 20 (North Cascades Highway) and go west. After you cross the bridge to Fidalgo Island, right at the west end of the bridge towards the Casino. Immediately turn left of Casino Drive and go 0.7 miles and turn right (over the tracks) on March Point Drive. Follow it 3.4 miles and you'll see a launch pad with a locked gate.
NOTE:
On March Point drive there are lots of places you can launch at and park along
the road. You'll see them near the fuel storage tanks. But if you're
expecting a group to meet you you'll probably want to use the place mentioned
above. There's no parking "Between the Signs" but that leaves
space for 4 or 5 cars off to the west side of the paved area.
Facilities:
This is gunna be easy. There aren't any except at Washington Park. Or maybe you could get out at La Conner and find a restaurant, or whatever, with a bathroom. The rest of the route is State Parks and bushes.
Sample Magazine Submittal:
Fidalgo Island Circumnavigation (SKIV). 30 NM.
Launch from March Point at 06:00 and round the island in a
counterclockwise fashion. Tides and currents look really sociable so we should
be able to do the trip in style. Wet or dry suit required. Call Pete Schwab
253-735-9402.
References:
Scott, James
W., and Melly A. Reuling. Washington Public Shore Guide. Seattle:
University of Washington Press. 1986. pp. 46-65.
Washburne, Randel. Kayaking Puget Sound, the San Juans, and Gulf Islands. Seattle: The Mountaineers. 1996. pp. 101-108
Mueller, Marge and Ted. Afoot and Afloat : North Puget Sound. Seattle: The Mountaineers, 1995. pp 76-99.