Snorkeling the Channel Between Indian Island and Marrowstone Island
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 7:21 pm
And now for something completely different...
I went out snorkeling between Indian Island and Marrowstone Island, in the newly-reopened channel. The backstory on this area is that it used to be naturally open, flushing out the water in the bay and providing habitat for wildlife. In 1958 they built a causeway between the islands, so they filled in the channel. The result was a messy, muddy swamp.
In a partnership between WA, the Navy, and the Port Gamble S'klallam Tribe, they recently opened it back up again. It's been about two years now and the changes are remarkable! Wildlife, birds, geese, and other critters have come back. Scow Bay is cleaner. And the channel is filled with life! Tons of crabs, mussels, sculpins, all kinds of stuff.
It's not deep, just a few feet even at high tide. Definitely go at high tide. There's some light boat traffic now and then, so it might be wise to tow a dive flag/float if you do it. I used the current prediction for the nearby Port Townsend Canal, and it matched up rather well. Go in just before slack at the end of an ebb tide and it will take you down the channel (currents can be RIPPIN'!), and then it will flip to take you back at the flood. I wasn't sure if the reverse would happen, so I got a tow from a friendly boat.
Edit: Found the history of when they built the road and the recent project.
youtu.be/-_2QN1BkHg8
At the west end of the bridge is the Isthmus Trail, actually part of Indian Island County Park. There's some rough parking and a trail down to the water.
I got in the water around 630pm, just as the ebb tide was slacking. The current really does drop suddenly, like it shows in the chart. This day was a mild exchange and the currents were... exciting. I might like to try this during a really good rip!
I went out snorkeling between Indian Island and Marrowstone Island, in the newly-reopened channel. The backstory on this area is that it used to be naturally open, flushing out the water in the bay and providing habitat for wildlife. In 1958 they built a causeway between the islands, so they filled in the channel. The result was a messy, muddy swamp.
In a partnership between WA, the Navy, and the Port Gamble S'klallam Tribe, they recently opened it back up again. It's been about two years now and the changes are remarkable! Wildlife, birds, geese, and other critters have come back. Scow Bay is cleaner. And the channel is filled with life! Tons of crabs, mussels, sculpins, all kinds of stuff.
It's not deep, just a few feet even at high tide. Definitely go at high tide. There's some light boat traffic now and then, so it might be wise to tow a dive flag/float if you do it. I used the current prediction for the nearby Port Townsend Canal, and it matched up rather well. Go in just before slack at the end of an ebb tide and it will take you down the channel (currents can be RIPPIN'!), and then it will flip to take you back at the flood. I wasn't sure if the reverse would happen, so I got a tow from a friendly boat.
Edit: Found the history of when they built the road and the recent project.
youtu.be/-_2QN1BkHg8
At the west end of the bridge is the Isthmus Trail, actually part of Indian Island County Park. There's some rough parking and a trail down to the water.
I got in the water around 630pm, just as the ebb tide was slacking. The current really does drop suddenly, like it shows in the chart. This day was a mild exchange and the currents were... exciting. I might like to try this during a really good rip!