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| Running the Rapids: Dent Rapids, Gillard Passage, and the Yucultas at Maximum Current:
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Mike Hirko sent this harrowing tale:
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February 28, 2000
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I completed a solo 40 day cruise from Raft Island (South Puget Sound) to the Queen Charlotte Islands between July 12 and August 19, 1999. My boat is a 1978 San Juan 28 sloop, NOLHI (No Other Love Have I) named after the haunting melody from the 1950s TV series Victory at Sea. I used your publication extensively for this voyage and found it helpful in preparing for each day's leg. My journey north through Yuculta, Dent, Greene Point, and Whirlpool Rapids followed your guidance and no difficulty was experienced. I thought you would appreciate my log notes on the southbound journey.
I departed Forward Harbor on Friday, August 13, at 1050 to meet Whirlpool Rapids slack water at 1128. I was a little early and experienced a slightly stronger dying current than I expected, crossing at 1118 doing 3 knots. NOLHI was under diesel power for all of this day, cruising at normal settings, and crossed Greene Point Rapids at 1310 and 9 knots as the current had now changed to flood. As I calculated my ETA for Dent and Yuculta Rapids it became apparent that I would be arriving at maximum flood current despite what I considered a very good cruising speed.
My previous experiences at crossing rapids had all been at slack water except once at Dodd Narrows going against the flow; but this would be with the flow at near maximum flood current. I spent the next hour weighing the pros and cons of whether I should attempt the passage or wait out the tide change. I reviewed all the information and charts of Dent and Yuculta Rapids and realized that I had never done anything like this before. I consider myself a cautious sailor and generally err on the side of safety. What would the water be like? How much control would I actually have with the rudder? I just didn't know, but if I didn't try I would never know. I began to prepare NOLHI and myself for the passage. My Dent Rapids ETA was about 1515 with a
1506 high tide and Yuculta about five minutes later.
As NOLHI approached Dent Rapids I could see a 40+ sloop killing time to the north. Then, a 20' runabout with "large" dual outboards passed me to my starboard side heading for the rapids. With my binoculars I watched as the runabout entered the rapids, was pushed to the right and made his way in a long bending arc near the shore towards Gillard Passage and disappeared from view. There was nobody else around and it was now NOLHI's turn.
Entry into the Dent Rapids was smooth and I remember being surprised that I was not going faster. Water on the right side was smoother so there I headed, watching whirlpool after whirlpool being born before my eyes and steering between them as best I could, having a tug of war with the rudder. More than once the water would simply just push NOLHI's 6,000 pounds sideways with what seemed such little effort and she would end up 10' left or right of where she had just been. Luckily there were no obstructions and I kept NOLHI headed down stream always in open water. The lull between Dent and Gillard Passage was enough to catch a breather, review a chart, and unclench my two-handed grip from the rudder for a moment.
I found Gillard Passage and Yuculta Rapids to be different from Dent Rapids. Gillard Passage was traversed at about 1515 (10.6K GPS) and looked very different from when NOLHI was going north. The water now was boiling on the port side and gave the impression of hidden obstructions. I chose to go
starboard again and kept a close eye on the depth meter. Once into the rapids, the depth meter was useless, due to the water's turmoil and the abundance of bubbles confusing it. The transition into Yuculta Rapids was very fast, with swirling water being born out of calm stretches. I followed my planned route to the starboard side, avoiding the charted eddies, and
exited toward Calm Channel. At the confluence of Calm Channel and Bute Inlet I found a large floating debris field. Though maneuvering through it at only idle power, NOHLI was attacked by a wannabe telephone pole but escaped unharmed.
My suggestions are twofold. First, NOLHI and I gave it our best shot. But your "Given the right conditions, even a SLOW boat can take all the rapids in one tide" is misleading to all or most all sailboats that feel that if they just don't dally, they will easily make all four rapids in one tide. I don't
consider NOLHI to be a SLOW sailboat and in fact she cruised between six and nine knots VMG once past Whirlpool Rapids. Clearly, one needs to either start earlier or cruise faster before the rapids form at Dent and Yuculta; I don't see that happening in the average cruising sailboat. My fear is some family on a cruise, whose captain is lacking, doesn't take the time to realize the danger before it is too late.
My second suggestion is simple: Don't traverse these rapids at maximum current flow. I won't be doing that again in this lifetime because I now know what rapids are like and what they can do. I accomplished my purpose but some unsuspecting crew may not be so lucky.
--Mike Hirko
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Response
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So, despite the Waggoner's warnings, you went and did it anyway. On Friday the 13th, and at maximum current on a big tide, too. I'm glad you made it, and I appreciate your letter.
My comment about making all the rapids on one tide, even in a slow boat, was based on a 1981 trip in a 38-foot sailboat. Northbound, we ran with an ebb from Big Bay all the way through Whirlpool Rapids on one tide. It must have been a small tide, because we went through Greene Point Rapids at what must have been maximum ebb. Conditions have to be right, though. Part of "right" would be a small tide.
Marilynn and I are extremely cautious around tidal current rapids. In the main, we try to time our transit for a one-hour window, 30 minutes on either side of slack water. We stick to that window of time on spring tides (new moon or full moon) but will broaden it around neap tides (half moon). On a small neap tide we'll go through most rapids anytime, because the current isn't flowing very fast. It all depends on the rapids in question, and the information in the tide and current tables. When there's any question at all, we wait.
--Bob Hale
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