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  • West Sound to Blind Island State Park

West Sound to Blind Island State Park

  • September 07, 2019
  • 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
  • West Sound County Dock
  • 12

To successfully register you will need to sign into your OOPS member account, and your account will need to be a member of the "Wet Exit Certified" group if you intend to wear a spray skirt.  Your acceptance is conditional on approval by the Organizer, who may contact you with questions about your skills and equipment.  If the measured water temperature is different enough from that listed below to warrant a change in required immersion protection, the Organizer will contact all participants and the Trips Board member 

Activity Title: West Sound to Blind Island State Park
Date of Activity: 9/7/2019
Narrative: Launch from West Sound Marina and cross to the west shore of the Sound to reach Victim Island SP and then duck behind Double Island continuing across Evans Cove. From there, we'll cross the west end of Harney Channel to Broken Point (the northern tip of Shaw Island) and then paddle along the north shore of Shaw until we reach Blind Island SP. Heading back, we'll pick a channel crossing over to Orcas west of the ferry terminal, and then head up the east shore of West Sound to the take out.

Blind Island is a very small, three-acre marine camping park located near the entrance of Blind Bay, Shaw Island. This natural area includes 1,280-feet of saltwater and rocky shoreline.

This round trip will total approx. 9 nautical miles plus whatever exploring of Blind Bay the group decides to add in. The flood flows westward through Harney and Wasp Channels, but with max floods less than 1.5 knots, tidal currents should not be a big concern.

Meeting Time: 8:30:00 AM
Launch Time: 9:30:00 AM
Type of activity: Paddle Trip
Put in: West Sound County Dock
Take out: West Sound County Dock
Route Alternative for bad weather: TBD
Required equipment:
Minimum Immersion protection: Drysuit
Primary Organizer: Bob Freshman
Assistant Organizer(s): Dave Smith
Has organizer paddled here before? No
Has organizer led an OOPS paddle here before? No
Organizer's first aid and CPR current? Yes
First Aid /CPR Person: Bob Freshman
Maximum number of paddlers: 12
I certify that I understand and will conduct this activity in accordance with the OOPS Activity Policy: Yes
Estimated Air Temperature: 70
Estimated Water Temperature: 60
Estimated Water Time (including breaks/lunch): 5 hours
Tide times & heights: 2019/09/07 Sat 06:19 AM 0.10 Low Tide
2019/09/07 Sat 02:36 PM 6.77 High Tide
Current information: 1.5 Knots
Hazards: Shipping traffic
Wind strength: Level 2: 7-12 knots (14 mph) – wind noticeably effects movement of paddle
Swell/Surf size: Level 2: Waves up to 2', no breaking waves
Sea state: Level 2: Waves up to armpit; light to moderate chop, scattered whitecaps
Landing types: Level 2: Frequent landing opportunities including docks or moderate sloping banks, brush or overhanging trees
Currents: Level 2: Mild currents (up to 2 knots): current increases / decreases group speed by half
Total distance: Level 2: 6 to 11 miles
Open crossing: Level 2: Less than 1 mile
Paddling Environment:
Overall rating: Level 2
Rating Comments: Please bring a tow line if you have one and know how to use it. Windy conditions may escalate to a level 3 paddle.
Location (Optional):
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