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 Post subject: Surge Narrows
PostPosted: December 16th, 2021, 1:56 am 
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Joined: October 11th, 2021, 4:19 pm
Posts: 52
I've just written this in response to an inquiry through my paddling club. Thought possibly it might be of interest here as well.

My informal (and open to being informed) observations on Surge Narrows.

The area is quite enjoyably navigable by canoe - with attention to weather, tides, and charts. Prudence and patience will serve well.

Probably the most useful piece of advice I could offer is to study the current-tables for Beazley Passage carefully. It's the best reference-point for travel at Slack-tide through Surge Narrows.

Beazley Passage itself develops an ugly overfalls at it's South-end, and has strong and convoluted currents. Big flows can create some pretty-rough sheer-lines. Useful back-eddies on the Stuart-Island side. Generally-though it feels like being a frog on a highway in there.

Half-moons are usually the best times for travel. Flood tides coming in from both the North, and South, of Vancouver Island meet at the 'stopper' which is the Discovery Islands. Makes for cold-clean-clear-oxyegen-rich water, amazing and constantly-changing paddling conditions. The sea-life viewing is superb. Heriot Bay is a good launching poinf.

Often, when planning to travel without drama, I'll look for days when the difference between the highest and lowest tides at Heriot Bay are the least. Bigger tides get more complicated as the water never really stops moving between flood and ebb - there is a lot of volume. The clash of two opposing flows in all the passages can be unpredictable, and difficult to navigate.

Goepel Passage seems the most protected way through the Settlers Group, just one narrow and short pinch to watch for. Going around the outer-edge on the Read and Maurelle side offers pull-outs on the B.C. Parks beaches.

Canoe Passage on the Quadra side has a very popular surfing wave on flood-tides (better following prolonged Westerlies). Getting through this way is a bit more complicated, it's a narrows, and it shallows in a region of deep-water passages. Pick your slack-tide based on Beazley Passage Currents. Note -following the tide charts instead of current charts could yield some surprises. The current charts reflect the hydraulics.

Watch out for strong and localized Northerly winds at Beazley, and south of it to Freedom Point. Also around Antonio Point, where wind and current piles-up. Conditions get especially dramatic when wind is against current. If things are too heavy, pull off on a beach, make a cuppa, read a book, and wait a few hours - tides do change. In a pinch hold tight against the rocks.

There is First Nation land, Community Park land, B.C. Park land, as well as private-land in Surge Narrows. A lot to keep track of, charts and maps are important.

Outside of Surge, and to the South, life is simpler. There are many good campsites to choose from.

Weather to watch around Read and Cortes is often South-easterly due to the very long fetch into the Strait. Comes on slower though in summer, so you usually have time to head for shore before things get too big. Whiterock Passage (watch for boat-traffic on high-slack) is wonderful, and generally a safer passage than Hole-in-the-Wall.

Hole-in-the-Wall is paddle-able - but due to pinches on each end must be timed carefully. Very dangerous whirlpools can form at the mouths on bigger flows. Safest during the lower volumes of half-moon tides. Lots of pull-offs in the passage if you miss your exit-tide coming out and things look hairy.

Fresh water is hard to find in summer, bring lots. I budget 3-4 Liters per person/day. More if I'm paddling in blazing sun and heat. Heriot Bay has excellent drinking-water from an aquifer. Fill-up here as the few spots where water flows year-round in Surge Narrows, it is from swamps and small lakes; generally by summer it's tepid - brown with humics or cedar, and not comfortably potable.

Just a few things off the top of my head - feel free to ask if you have questions. I'll do my best to give a useful answer.
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