Case Inlet to Hood Canal

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sledge

sledge

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2018
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Location
FL
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American Tug 41
I don't know how controversial is this topic but looking at the map of Puget Sound, a short 2 mile canal would allow about 150 miles of circumnavigation around the newly created island. I wonder if it was ever seriously considered or what would be the pros/cons....
case_inlet.JPG
I did find one Blog mention of it Here.
 
I grew up in the Seattle area and have never heard this discussed. Maybe TFers on the Kitsap or Olympic penninsulas know something. The question would be who would pay for it and for what advantage.
 
I grew up in the area and heard stories from old timers about plans to connect those waterways back in the 1800's to shorten routes when water transportation was the only option. Though it's only 2 - 3 miles between waterways, there is a 250 foot elevation that has to be locked or dug through making the project too expensive.

There has been talk of connecting the two waterways over the years to increase tidal flushing of Puget Sound. And more cruising areas for recreational boaters.

It will never get past environmental review or funding.
 
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Quite a few years ago a boater in my marina (Seattle) told me he was taking his family on a trip to Hood Canal and asked where he could stop in Tacoma for fuel. I thought about that for a second and then showed him a chart of the area. Boy was he surprised.
 
Yes that 250' to 300' elevation would make it a bit harder.... but heck if Seattle can bore a tunnel for the SR99 viaduct then I guess this would just be pocket change, Ha!
 
Never was very attracted to Hood Canal.
I’d rather go north and south in the Sound than loop around Hood Canal.
 
They're opening up the south end between Indian Island and Marrowstone island in Puget Sound. They are currently connected by a strip of land which is to be replaced by a bridge. Should be an interesting study in what this type of action causes.

Tator
 
Tator, are you talking about legal action or tidal action? Or both?
 
Legal action. I don't have very many of the particulars, I have friends on Marrowstone and have driven over the spit that connects the two islands many times. They are currently building the bridge that will span the opening they are creating.

Tator
 
Sounds like the changes between Marrostone and Indian Islands are to restore what was once there. It doesn't seem there will be a navigation channel. Well, maybe for kayaks at high tide.


New bridge eyed between Marrowstone, Indian islands

A cut between Case Inlet and Hood Canal would be a different issue entirely. And to what benefit?
 
Interesting! That's a favorite place to anchor with my wood boat pals from Port Townsend.
 
Ken E. said:
Spy, You have something similar at Sechelt on the sunshine coast. Has there ever been talk of opening that up? Again, it becomes an issue of who would pay, what benefit would the opening provide and if the local Tribe and government would go along with it. The rapids near Egmont would be no more.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/S...528197b4a0d5e!8m2!3d49.6214832!4d-123.8277109
Click to expand...

THere was an attempt a LONG time ago untill it was stopped. Early 1900 I believe. No, I seriously doubt it will ever be done. If would destroy most of what is Sechelt right now.
I have no idea anymore where I read that but it was in one of my local books collection.
 
C lectric said:
THere was an attempt a LONG time ago untill it was stopped. Early 1900 I believe. No, I seriously doubt it will ever be done. If would destroy most of what is Sechelt right now.
I have no idea anymore where I read that but it was in one of my local books collection.
Click to expand...
Good. My trip to Vancouver by road is long enough with two ferries. I don't need a drawbridge added in to make it worse.

Although, sometimes when I fly over Sechelt, I wonder if Lehigh will break through some day, just like playing on the beach in a massive scale.
 
Hood Canal is kinda cool. You have long stretches between spots, but there is Pleasant Harbor at the north end, and Alderbrook at the southern end. The town of Hoodsport has a small marina where you can tie up (for boats under 30-35') or use as a dinghy landing, then reprovision at the supermarket just across the street. Plus, there are a couple of state parks between. Wouldn't want to go down or up the Hood when the wind is blowing, though.

We had a very nice 10-day cruise there about 6 years ago with perfect weather conditions. Even made a short little GoPro video about it: https://youtu.be/8tjMauW8uX8
 
A private company started to dig a canal at Case Inlet but they stopped, I don’t remember if they went broke or were stopped by environmentalists. This happened in the 1800’s. It was about the same time another private company started building a canal from lake Washington to Elliot bay. The canal was started from the lake Washington side in the vicinity of the I90 freeway. If you look on google earth you can spot the remains of the canal. Neither canal went more than a few 100 feet.
 
Portage_Bay said:
A cut between Case Inlet and Hood Canal would be a different issue entirely. And to what benefit?
Click to expand...


I can't speak for the validity of these claims but here is the quote from the related blogger:

"Yes, there is a 300-foot elevation to be overcome. But once completed at sea level, the waterway would have a constant current heading north, much like Vashon’s Colvos Passage does presently. The result would include significant tidal flushing of Hood Canal and South Sound tidal waters into the Strait of Juan De Fuca, where the waters could mix and be refreshed with seawater from the mighty Pacific Ocean."
 
That would be a potentially very good environmental benefit. It's an interesting idea please provide a link to the blog.

However my question "To what benefit?" was about economic benefit.

Commercial shipping traffic to / from the Port of Tacoma would not use it. Commercial shipping traffic to / from the Port of Olympia what little there is probably would not use it.

The only transportation benefit would be small vessels, mostly recreational boats.
 
Hey Tilt did they actually have environmentalists in the 1800’s?
 
As a retired mining guy, I can tell you the few hundred million cubic yards, or so, that would have to be mined would need to go somewhere. Where is that somewhere?

There is hope though. As the plates under Jusn deFuca keep churning away the desired objective will occur. Not this year though. And Vancouver Island will be split in two as Port Alberni becomes the overlook for a daunting set of Rapids.

Mother Nature rules.
 
You also have the issue of the depth of the Hood Canal is lost at the Great Bend and the upper end of Case Inlet is mud flat, so you wouldn't see the water movement you'd expect. Not to mention taking out North Mason High School or the lake ontop of the hill, not to mention the fish hatchery on Colter Creek.
 
The demand for canals died when the road systems became all weather capable.
 
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