Swinomish Channel

J

jeichner

New member
Joined
May 16, 2019
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3
Fluid Motion Model
C-28
Vessel Name
Yachats
We are heading up to Anacortes next week to meet other boats going on the factory Poet's Cove cruise. We usually take Deception Pass heading North but am looking at cruising through Swinomish Channel since it is shorter to Cap Sante marina and I haven't been through it before. Has anyone heard of any problems going that way, like dredging, etc that could be an issue?
Jerry Eichner
 
Gone that way several times in my sailboat, never a problem. And that was with 6' draft. Should be a slam dunk in a 2' draft Ranger. It's fun to make a quick stop in La Conner on the way. Be sure to consult your currents guide, as the currents switch and can be fairly strong in the channel. Although with a couple hundred horseys pushing you along I suppose that's a non issue.
 
Our boat lives in La Conner. The channel is doable at any tide in our boats. At very low tides the sight picture in the south end, can be intimidating with markers on dry land and lots of visible rock, but it is wide enough and deep enough. The south end was dredged last year.

The local knowledge I would give is that the south end is narrow, and not to cut corners at the west end. The sound goes from deep water (50ish ft) to shallow water (12-15 feet depending on tide) in about 50 yards.
There are rocks lining the south end that are not visible at higher tides. There are range markers as well. My Garmin seems to be very accurate with the range markers.

It is a no wake zone from “Hole in the wall” at the south to the railroad swing bridge at the north.

Make time to stop and visit the town. It is a fun little town. Be careful of current docking.
Going north from town just stay well between the markers and you should be fine.

If you have any other questions feel free to PM me

Rocky
 
Love the Swinomish channel! Traversed it twice on my factory experience trip. Of course Deception pass is also very cool. So different from SoCal!
 
There are no current predictions for the Swinomish. Currents vary with the runoff from the Skagit River. You can watch the bouys and pilings to get an idea of current flows.
 
... and if you do dock at LaConner and the current is northbound, don't try to dock northbound. Go past the dock, do a 180, and dock southbound. Don't ask me how I know this 😳
 
The Port of Skagit posted this helpful article: http://www.portofskagit.com/la-conner-m ... h-channel/

Main takeaway for me is that the current flows north a few hours before until a few hours after high tide. The current flows south a few hours before until a few hours after low tide.

As noted previously, our shallow draft boats should have no problem in the channel, but pay attention to markers and stay in the channel.
 
the only two places you need to worry about the current are if docking in la conner - making sure to do it upstream, and when traversing the cut on the south end as the current runs across the channel and can push you out of the lane. You just need to pay attention to the plotter and the markers and stay in the channel. our boats have plenty of power to overcome any current.
 
I plan on taking the Swinomish Channel next Wednesday on my way to Cap Sante. The distance from my Edmonds Marina to Cap Sante via the channel is stated as 51 nautical miles and at 7 kts should take some 7.25 hrs and at 12 kts would take some 4.25 hrs.

I've run this channel many times. It takes about 1 hr to traverse from south to the train bridge at 3 or 4 kts. Going faster than 4 kts going through La Conner is likely to have you hailed to slow down. The live-aboard folk are very sensitive to being rocked. You may see the local fishing boats moving at high speed through the channel but just ignore that. As others have said, just pay attention to your chart plotter going north all the way before getting to the 90º turn to port "Hole in the wall".... followed by S bends then as you leave La Conner behind you stay centered between the green and red buoys. Beyond the train bridge you can pick up your speed all the way to Cap Sante. The last set of green/red buoys at the north end are widely separated and once passed take a nice gradual big swing to port to enter the Cap Sante Marina. Take care approaching Cap Sante entrance as boats can suddenly exit from behind the breakwater wall on your starboard side as you enter....slow going does the trick as always. 🙂

My reserved slip is C-8.

See you there... 🙂
 
Barry,

We've traveled the channel a couple of times and had no issues, like you said go slow, watch the chartplotter and your depth. We even fit under the railroad bridge when it was down (had to drop the antenna). Haven't decided whether we'll do the channel or go around through Deception Pass, depends on how much diesel I feel like burning 🙂

In any case, we'll leave Everett in time to hit Deception Pass at about 1pm to hit close to slack tide. We'll keep an eye out for Laxey on the way up. Looking forward to meeting you in person. We're in slip C-16 at Cap Sante.
 
We're planning to take the Swinomish up to Cap Sante Wednesday as well.

I've been following this post, as it will be our first time up the channel and appreciate all the good advice.

We're reserved in slip C-18.

Looking forward to seeing you all there.

John and Laura Boyle
2019R31-CB, Occam's Razor
 
Well, today when I went down to my Port of Edmonds at 9 am there was thick fog everywhere. It did not lift for several hours.

I'm no big fan of fog even though going slowly with radar active along with AIS I really don't like cruising in the foggy stuff. So if this condition exists next Wed morning I'll likely leave later in the day once the fog lifts.

FYI...
As an aside.... my daughter from San Francisco will be joining me at Cap Sante for the Poets Cove cruise. The marina has told me that daughter can leave her car in the large gravel car park behind the office for unlimited time.
 
Annie Time is planning on traveling from Oak Harbor to Cap Sante by way of the Swinomish channel on Wednesday as well. I have not checked the tides yet, but sounds like it won’t matter in our 27ob.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Hmmmm, we will have to all get in line and avoid bumping into each other. 😉
 
If stopping in La Conner what are some of your favorite places for a bite to eat?
 
bergroup":1an8g97d said:
If stopping in La Conner what are some of your favorite places for a bite to eat?
Click to expand...

1) At far end (south) Calico CupBoard
2) The Oyster & Thistle
3) La Conner Brewing
4)

...and if you're a carpenter/joiner journeyman or interested in all wood products visit - The Wood Merchant.

...just north of town (just north of the La Conner Marina) on starboard side there a nice fuel stop (usually good pricing for diesel)
 
We go to LaConner quite a bit, both by land and by water. Our favorite places are (not in any order) Calico Cupboard (locally sourced food, excellent bakery and breakfasts, coffee is good as well); Anelia's (tasty Polish food, they open for lunch, local couple working hard to make a go of it in LaConner); Seed's and Nell Thorn have excellent food but are pricey; Whitey's BBQ is take out, bad name good BBQ; LaConner Brewing (good food and beer, they have a wood fired pizza oven, place smells wonderful, sometimes my pizza crust has been overdone.) Typing this is making me hungry.

The channel is not difficult unless at a low tide, like others have said, don't cut the corner at the south entrance-stay to the east, stay in the middle of the channel as much as possible, no wake zone especially in LaConner, transit takes an hour, if stopping in LaConner, dock into the current, there is a friendly fuel dock on the north end of LaConner.

Safe travels, we are looking forward to meeting people at Ganges in a few days.

Tim & Cynthia
Epiphany C-28
 
As for places to eat in LaConner, the best thing I ever ate in my life was the polenta with gorgonzola and shiitake mushroom appetizer at Nell Thorn. I would go back just for that, but everything else on the menu is good too.
 
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