Sechelt Rapids — BC, Canada

Sechelt Rapids, known locally as the Skookumchuck Rapids, are at the south end of Skookumchuck Narrows, the entrance to Sechelt Inlet on the Sunshine Coast. Boom Islet, the Sechelt Islets and many rocks and shoals form them, and their roar carries for miles. Entry to Sechelt Inlet is governed entirely by the rapids and in general can be made only at slack water. (PAC 201)

How the rapids behave

On large tides the stream reaches 16½ knots on the flood and 16 knots on the ebb. (PAC 201) The flood sets southeast, into Sechelt Inlet, and the ebb northwest. (CHS current table) Away from slack, expect large whirlpools, dangerous upwellings, 4 m standing waves and back eddies. (PAC 201) The water on one side of the rapids can stand more than two metres higher than on the other. (BC Parks)

The strongest flood runs off Roland Point and to the southeast, where an extremely hazardous rip forms shortly after slack. The flood also turns there first: off Roland Point it can reach 5 knots as little as 15 minutes after low-water slack. West of the Sechelt Islets light the flood reaches about 8 knots. (PAC 201)

The strongest ebb runs just west of the Sechelt Islets light, setting hard across the channel to the west-northwest. Whirlpools form close to the light and are carried downstream. On large tides the ebb still runs at 5 knots as far as 0.4 mile southeast of the light. (PAC 201)

How slack works here

Sechelt Rapids is a reference current station: the Canadian Hydrographic Service tabulates its slack water and maximum flood and ebb daily in the Canadian Tide and Current Tables, Volume 5. (PAC 201)

The Sailing Directions prefer high-water slack for a transit. The turn to flood comes earliest off Roland Point, so a low-water slack ends there first. (PAC 201)

Planning a transit

Going through at any time other than at or near slack is hazardous for any vessel. Vessels over 40 m or with more than 3.4 m draught should not attempt to enter Sechelt Inlet at all. The best route is west of Boom Islet and the Sechelt Islets light, giving Roland Point a wide berth on the flood. On the ebb, larger vessels should avoid the gap between the Sechelt Islets light and the small island 0.2 mile northwest of it, where low-powered vessels can be spun around or set onto the west shore if they try to turn back. (PAC 201)

Tugs towing log booms or gravel barges use the rapids near slack, so expect company. (PAC 201)

BC Parks tells paddlers to know the tides and cross the narrows at high or low slack. (BC Parks)

Watching the rapids

Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park has a flat, easy trail of about 4 km, roughly an hour's walk, from the parking lot at Egmont to the main viewpoint at Roland Point. (BC Parks) Sunshine Coast Tourism suggests Roland Point for the big waves and North Point for the whirlpools, and publishes a yearly table of the best viewing times. (Sunshine Coast Tourism)

Nearby

Skookumchuck Narrows, about 3 miles long, forms the entrance to Sechelt Inlet, with the rapids at its south end. Beyond them, Sechelt Inlet runs 20 miles south-southeast to Porpoise Bay and is deep throughout. (PAC 201) To the north, Malibu Rapids flow through the narrow gorge at the entrance to Princess Louisa Inlet and should also be taken at or near slack. (PAC 201)