Transiting Seymour Narrows

We'll be on the Island princess transiting the Seymour narrows on the 27th of May. I've consulted the tidal charts and the times of slack tide are 1:27pm, and 8:18pm. If we're leaving Ketchikan the previous day at 5:30pm which time is more likely that we'll transit? I would love it to be earlier so as to not worry about missing the evenings activities.

I would think the later slack most likely, because it is only a few hours to Vancouver once you reach the Narrows. That is a lot of time to kill over night to arrive at 7am the next morning. Should still have some light though even if they transit late, it is a neat area to be on dek for, lots of sharp turns!!

Most likely the later one. You enter Canadian inside passage about 2pm . It takes about 6 hrs to get to Seymour Narrows . Then it is a 6 hour run to Vancouver from there.

1:27 is low slack tide and 8:18 pm high slack tide . Cruise ships like to go thru Seymour Narrows during high slack tide not low. There are 4 slack tides during a 24 hr period.

Keep in mind that you spend a full day cruising before going thru Seymour Narrows.

It ALSO could be the next one after what you have listed. around 2am. Of all the cruises I have taken, the majority were late night, early morning. It absolutely will NOT be 1:27pm

All you are doing at this point is speculating and will not know, until the noon report that day, which I have already suggest people listen for. If you miss it, you can also get the information from the bridge via the purser's desk.

In Seymour Narrows a flood tide runs south and an ebb tide runs north so a southbound ship wants to go thru the narrows on an ebb tide. Looking at the tide and current predictions for May 27 at about 5 pm the current is predicted to peak about about 14 knots somewhere about 7 pm it is likely your ship will enter the narrows when the current is about 5 or 6 knots. It will still be light at that time...so you will see the narrows but it will interfere with your evening. It is not likely that you will make the afternoon tide.

All you are doing at this point is speculating and will not know, until the noon report that day, which I have already suggest people listen for. If you miss it, you can also get the information from the bridge via the purser's desk.

It's not speculating at all. We know that the ships can only transit at certain times, and those certain times are listed on the tidal charts. Everything I've read says that Southbound voyages will travel through the narrows in the afternoon or evening. What Potterdude has explained fits right with that. So thanks potterdude for the help! Hopefully I can find a way to get some evenings activities in and also watch some of the transit. :)

Where does one get information on these tide statistics at Seymour narrows ?

Where does one get information on these tide statistics at Seymour narrows ?

Google is your friend

http://tides.mobilegeographics.com/locations/5755.html

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It's not speculating at all. We know that the ships can only transit at certain times, and those certain times are listed on the tidal charts. Everything I've read says that Southbound voyages will travel through the narrows in the afternoon or evening. What Potterdude has explained fits right with that. So thanks potterdude for the help! Hopefully I can find a way to get some evenings activities in and also watch some of the transit. :)

I have sailed this over 30 times, and my point is, it has been in the middle of the night, as well at evening. I have been up at Robson Bight at dinner time, which would put the transit on the later. Earliest was later afternoon, with Vancouver seen during early dining. There is still some "speculating". :)

Ideal, again, is to have a clear, expansive Forward view. You don't see near as much from a balcony or dinner table. It is nice to see, and I have seen, there is a lot of interest, when in the evening and daylight. Can still get a little crowded on a forward open, deck but no problem seeing.

The biggest single factor with the currents in Seymour Narrows is their speed which can reach 16 knots; on May 27 they will reach 14 knots at their peak...it's a full moon night and there is about a 16 foot tidal differential (as I recall). Captains want to take their ships thru the narrows on a high slack tide or with the current on the bow...to go thru the narrow with the current on the stern could cause them to loose steerage.

Google is your friend

 

http://tides.mobilegeographics.com/locations/5755.html

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

That is part of the equation, the other part is current speeds and that is found in this link. One should also keep in mind these are predictions only and things like wind can delay or accelerate tidal heights,current times and speeds.

I have also been thru the narrows some 30 times on a ship and many more times crewing on smaller vessels, it is something one never gets tired of, it really is a spectacular part of the coast.

Northbound the narrows are seldom reached in daylight hours out of Vancouver unless twilight, tides and currents all align around the summer solstice. I now live about an hour up the coast from Vancouver and our summer sport is watching the ship heading northbound .... I have posted before that some evenings we have "cruise ship races" as the ships race by our front door to meet the tide in the narrows and other nights they simply drift by waiting for the tide. Southbound the passage tends to be any where from mid afternoon to late evening.

http://tides.mobilegeographics.com/locations/5757.html

Disappointing, but looks like we will be passing during the night. Sailing south June 25 on the Volendam.

Thanks for posting the link, rachelfran. :) Never would have thought of it!

Ellen

Disappointing, but looks like we will be passing during the night. Sailing south June 25 on the Volendam.

 

Thanks for posting the link, rachelfran. :) Never would have thought of it!

 

Ellen

You will be reaching the narrows on a day that there is little tide differential, not a great deal of current speed and lots of daylight...so it appears that you will see them in daylight southbound on July 2nd.

No, unfortunately, putterdude. We sail from Vancouver on the Inside Passage on June 19th and will be leaving Ketchikan southbound June 24th to arrive back in Vancouver on June 26th.

Am I misreading the charts and perhaps we would be earlier?

Thanks.

Ellen

Southbound on June 25 you will likely transit the narrows somewhere about 6 to 7 PM and obviously will have lots of daylight

Southbound on June 25 you will likely transit the narrows somewhere about 6 to 7 PM and obviously will have lots of daylight

Couldn't it also be 12a /1a as well?

HAL, is a line, the times I have sailed, including last year, that did stall and detour to Robson Bight, this was at dinner time, which was at least 7:30p (I skipped it, but my family did have a window, claiming they had great views. )

Couldn't it also be 12a /1a as well?

 

HAL, is a line, the times I have sailed, including last year, that did stall and detour to Robson Bight, this was at dinner time, which was at least 7:30p (I skipped it, but my family did have a window, claiming they had great views. )

It could be, however not likely as there is a south flowing ebb tide that will peak at 13 knots about 11 pm then gradually reduce. The ebb tide is a pushing tide in the narrows and is avoided.

It could be, however not likely as there is a south flowing ebb tide that will peak at 13 knots about 11 pm then gradually reduce. The ebb tide is a pushing tide in the narrows and is avoided.

If you read the following link he explains Seymour narrows

http://www.hollandamericablog.com/albert/?p=7524

It could be, however not likely as there is a south flowing ebb tide that will peak at 13 knots about 11 pm then gradually reduce. The ebb tide is a pushing tide in the narrows and is avoided.

It has not been the case, with my sailings, the ship transited this in the early evening, with the exception of only a few. Most times, it has been past 9pm. Must be doing the wrong sailings. :) Who knows??

Putterdude, we'll be on the southbound Statendam run leaving Ketchican on July 12th at 7pm. Inside Passage cruising on July 13th and arriving in Vancouver at 7am on July 14th.

What's your prediction as to when we'd be passing through Seymour Narrows?

Putterdude, We're on a SB arriving Vancouver on June 15 and also returning NB on the same day.

What's your best guess as to the time we will be travelling through the Narrows?

Thanks!

So the Sun departs at 4:00PM- NB and the next slack is 8:45 PM if I read the chart correctly; will we take our time getting there and then sail on through? I understand the narrows are about a 2 hour trip from Vancouver.

Im trying to look at my cruise- does someone have a link that explains this a bit more so I can just look at the tides & currents and try & understand this more out of curiosity-- I dont want to torture anyone having to break it down to basics for me but now I am curious-- even though I know it is still somewhat unpredictable....

7/14 NB statendam

Putterdude, we'll be on the southbound Statendam run leaving Ketchican on July 12th at 7pm. Inside Passage cruising on July 13th and arriving in Vancouver at 7am on July 14th.

 

What's your prediction as to when we'd be passing through Seymour Narrows?

Somewhere 9:00 and 10:30 PM and probably about 9:45 pm.

Im trying to look at my cruise- does someone have a link that explains this a bit more so I can just look at the tides & currents and try & understand this more out of curiosity-- I dont want to torture anyone having to break it down to basics for me but now I am curious-- even though I know it is still somewhat unpredictable....

 

7/14 NB statendam

what about me Putterdude :D

is there a seymour narrows book for dummies?

7/14 northbound statendam

:)