Boundary Pass 3
Open the map ↗

Boundary Pass is the northeast stretch of the main channel linking the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Strait of Georgia. It picks up where Haro Strait ends, at Turn Point on Stuart Island, and runs about 13 miles northeast toward the Canadian border near Saturna and Patos Islands. It's wide — 1.5 to 5 miles across — deep, and the route most boats use heading north.

Timing

In clear weather this pass is straightforward — wide and well marked. Save your caution for thick weather or night, when a stranger to these waters should have a pilot aboard and everyone else should slow down and take extra care.

Coast Pilot, In Plain Words

Here is what the U.S. Coast Pilot says about Boundary Pass and the water around it. The official text is below.

Read the official text

San Juan Islands

Haro Strait and Boundary Pass form the westernmost of the three main channels leading from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the southeast end of the Strait of Georgia; it is the one most generally used. Vessels bound from the west to ports in Alaska or British Columbia should use the Haro Strait/Boundary Pass channel, as it is the widest channel and is well marked. Vessels bound north from Puget Sound may use Rosario Strait or Haro Strait; the use of San Juan Channel by deep-draft vessels is not recommended.

Haro Strait extends north from the south end of San Juan Island for about 18 miles to Turn Point Light on Stuart Island, thence Boundary Pass leads northeast for 13 miles to its junction with the Strait of Georgia between East Point, the east end of Saturna Island, BC, and the west end of Patos Island, the small United States island; both of which are marked by lights. These waterways have widths from 1.5 to 5 miles, and the depths are generally great.

No difficulty will be experienced in navigating Haro Strait and Boundary Pass in clear weather; strangers should take a pilot in thick weather.

The International Boundary between the United States and Canada passes through Haro Strait and Boundary Pass.

In accordance with the Cooperative Vessel Traffic Service, the United States and Canada, in cooperation with industry and the British Columbia Coast Pilots, have established a Special Operating Area at the intersection of Haro Strait and Boundary Pass in the vicinity of Turn Point Light (48°41'18"N., 123°14'12"W.). This special area will help reduce the risk of incidents between both commercial and recreational vessels transiting the boundary waters of Haro Strait and Boundary Pass. For the boundaries and rules regarding the Special Operating Area, see Cooperative Vessel Traffic Service (CVTS) at the beginning of this chapter.

Tidal currents

In Haro Strait and Boundary Pass, the flood current sets north; the ebb current sets in the opposite direction. The ebb usually runs longer and has a greater velocity. At the north entrance to Boundary Pass, the flood sets east along the north and south sides of Sucia Islands and across Alden Bank; the velocity is about 1 to 2 knots. The Current has moderate velocity between Sucia and Orcas Islands. There is a large, daily inequality in the current. See the Tidal Current prediction service at tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov for specific information about times, directions, and velocities of the current at numerous locations throughout the area. Links to a user guide for this service can be found in chapter 1 of this book. Heavy, dangerous tide rips occur between East Point on Saturna Island and Patos Island and for two miles north in the Strait of Georgia. Tide rips also occur on the ebb between Henry Island and Turn Point, as well as around Turn Point where the ebb may attain a velocity of 6 knots during large tides. The flood current sets east from Discovery Island across the south end of Haro Strait until close to San Juan Island. This east set is especially noticeable during the first half of the flood. Heavy tide rips occur north of Middle Bank as well as on the Bank and around Discovery Island.

Source: U.S. Coast Pilot 10, Chapter 7, 7 ed. (NOAA, Office of Coast Survey). Updated weekly. Official Coast Pilot ↗

Local Knowledge

  • Watch out

    The ebb runs longer and stronger than the flood here. Around Turn Point the ebb can hit 6 knots on a big tide, with dangerous rips on the ebb between Henry Island and Turn Point. More rips build up between East Point on Saturna Island and Patos Island, reaching a couple of miles into the Strait of Georgia.

  • Tip

    A vessel traffic system watches this water near Turn Point, where the US and Canada work together to keep commercial and recreational boats apart. Expect ship traffic — this is a main route north for large vessels too, not just pleasure boats.

  • Timing

    In clear weather this pass is straightforward — wide and well marked. Save your caution for thick weather or night, when a stranger to these waters should have a pilot aboard and everyone else should slow down and take extra care.

Plan a Trip Through Boundary Pass

1. Start from

Nearest harbor on each side of the narrows. Pick a side to start there.

2. Cross to the other side of Boundary Pass

Roche Harbor Marina → Boundary Pass · 7.5 nm · ~0h 56m at · from the southeast

Stations & Data

Times are NOAA predictions, not live readings. Open a station for its full tide and current charts.

Questions

What is Boundary Pass?
Boundary Pass is the northeast stretch of the main channel linking the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Strait of Georgia. It picks up where Haro Strait ends, at Turn Point on Stuart Island, and runs about 13 miles northeast toward the Canadian border near Saturna and Patos Islands. It's wide — 1.5 to 5 miles across — deep, and the route most boats use heading north.
When is the best time to go through Boundary Pass?
In clear weather this pass is straightforward — wide and well marked. Save your caution for thick weather or night, when a stranger to these waters should have a pilot aboard and everyone else should slow down and take extra care.
What should I watch out for at Boundary Pass?
The ebb runs longer and stronger than the flood here. Around Turn Point the ebb can hit 6 knots on a big tide, with dangerous rips on the ebb between Henry Island and Turn Point. More rips build up between East Point on Saturna Island and Patos Island, reaching a couple of miles into the Strait of Georgia.
What does Class 3 mean?
Class 3 is BoatRoutes' own 1-to-5 rating of how costly a timing or judgment mistake is here — it is not a NOAA scale. Class 3 means real current or confined water — cross near slack or a fair stage; a mistimed run demands attention.

Predictions, not observations · U.S. Coast Pilot 10 (7 ed.)

U.S. Coast Pilot text is a work of the U.S. Government and is in the public domain. Per 17 U.S.C. §403, no copyright is claimed in that text. BoatRoutes is not endorsed by NOAA.