West Entrance
Central
Eastern Entrances
46087
46088
Smith SISW1
Tides
Average 8ft High to Low�Tidal Height and Current do not coincide
Currents do not always flow in opposite pairs
Adverse Currents stick the shoreline
Positive Currents aim for the middle of the channel
NOAA Height predictor:�https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.html
NOAA Current predictions:�https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaacurrents/index.html
Weather
-Westerlies are the predominant wind, particularly in the summertime.
-Diurnal Westerlies in particular, Hot summer days.
-Southerlies in the winter time, occasional northerlies.
-Currents and Wind work together or against each other to affect sea state
-Hard to get a good forecast outside of 48 hours
Weather Resources
UW Atmos: https://a.atmos.washington.edu/data/
Sailflow or Windalert
Different models, NAM 3km, GFS farther out
Windy
NOAA-NDBC
Grib files
NOAA, tends to very much overestimate.
Radio Frequencies
Channel 13 is Bridge to Bridge,especially for large commercial traffic
Seattle Traffic 5A, this is USCG, all large traffic communicates with them like Air traffic control. If you go into the Puget Sound, Bush Point is the crossover to 14
Victoria Traffic 11 is the Canadian version, the boundary does not follow the international boundary line
22A are standard USCG broadcasts
What to look for
Exhalation blows
Tail flukes
Seeing tail flukes usually indicates a longer, deeper dive
Gray Whale
Humpback Whale
Whale backs
Orcas: 18 – 29 feet long
Gray Whales: 40 - 45 feet long
Humpback Whales 45 - 55 feet long
Minke Whales 20 - 32 feet long
Other marine mammals
Harbor Porpoise 5 - 5.5 feet long
Dall's Porpoise 6 – 6.5 feet long
Harbor Seals 5 - 6 feet long
Sea Lions 6-11 feet long
Don’t be fooled!