What should I watch out for at Cattle Pass?

Strong floods raise sharp rips and eddies near the south end. Watch for Salmon Bank, Whale Rocks, and other shoals close to the opening. These are the reason the channel needs care here even though it is open water elsewhere.

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.

Cattle Pass — Currents, Slack & Local Knowledge

Cattle Pass 3

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Cattle Pass is the south mouth of San Juan Channel, near Cattle Point on the southeast tip of San Juan Island. The channel itself is deep, but rocks and shoals sit near this southern opening. The average current is about 2.6 knots, and a strong flood can reach 5 knots or more.

Timing

The rips are worst on a strong flood against a wind. Plan your run around the current so you cross near slack or on a gentler stage.

Cattle PassPhoto: BLM Oregon & Washington / Wikimedia Commons (PD)

Coast Pilot, In Plain Words

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

Read the official text

Haro Strait, SW approach (Canada)

San Juan Channel, the middle one of three principal channels leading from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Strait of Georgia, separates San Juan Island from the islands east. It is 13 miles long from its south end to its junction with President Channel at the north end. San Juan Channel is deep throughout and, except near its south entrance, has few off-lying dangers.

Currents

In the south end of San Juan Channel, between Goose Island and Deadman Island, the average current velocity is 2.6 knots on the flood and ebb; however, maximum flood currents of 5 knots or more cause severe rips and eddies. Daily current predictions for this location may be obtained from the Tidal Current prediction service at tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov. Links to a user guide for this service can be found in chapter 1 of this book.

Cattle Point is the southeast extremity of San Juan Island and forms the west point at the south entrance to San Juan Channel. Cattle Point Light (48°27'02"N., 122°57'48"W.), 94 feet above the water, is shown from a white octagonal tower on the point. Cattle were once loaded here for shipment to and from Victoria.

Salmon Bank, south of Cattle Point and on the west side of Middle Channel, is an extensive shoal covered 1½ to 3 fathoms; it is marked by a lighted gong buoy. Kelp grows on the rocks. Whale Rocks, two dark rocks about 5 feet high, are on the east side of Middle Channel 0.6 mile northwest of Long Island. A reef, with a least depth of 8 feet, extends 0.4 mile south of Whale Rocks.

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

Local Knowledge

Watch out
Strong floods raise sharp rips and eddies near the south end. Watch for Salmon Bank, Whale Rocks, and other shoals close to the opening. These are the reason the channel needs care here even though it is open water elsewhere.
Timing
The rips are worst on a strong flood against a wind. Plan your run around the current so you cross near slack or on a gentler stage.

Plan a Trip Through Cattle Pass

1. Start from

2. Cross to the other side of Cattle Pass

Port of Friday Harbor Marina → Cattle Pass · 8.0 nm · ~1h 0m at · from the northwest

Stations & Data

San Juan Channel, south entranceCurrent · primary · bin 17 · PUG1703

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

Questions

What is Cattle Pass?: Cattle Pass is the south mouth of San Juan Channel, near Cattle Point on the southeast tip of San Juan Island. The channel itself is deep, but rocks and shoals sit near this southern opening. The average current is about 2.6 knots, and a strong flood can reach 5 knots or more.
When is the best time to go through Cattle Pass?: The rips are worst on a strong flood against a wind. Plan your run around the current so you cross near slack or on a gentler stage.
What should I watch out for at Cattle Pass?: Strong floods raise sharp rips and eddies near the south end. Watch for Salmon Bank, Whale Rocks, and other shoals close to the opening. These are the reason the channel needs care here even though it is open water elsewhere.
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.