Higgins Passage, Northern BC?

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JDCAVE

JDCAVE

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Apr 3, 2011
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Location
Canada
Vessel Name
Phoenix Hunter
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Kadey Krogen 42 (1985)
Anyone here navigated Higgins Passage, between Price and Swindle Islands? It must be navigated at HW. Murray?

We are considering exploring the west side of Aristazabal Is. and Higgins passage would shorten the transit time.

ImageUploadedByTrawler Forum1440688379.109270.jpg

Jim
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Last edited:
No. Never been there or done it.

I see on the web that Kevin Monahan had made a sketch of it. On the Fine Edge website he recommended to one person not to do it if his vessel draws more than a few feet.

Do you have a copy of Kevin Monahan's sketch? I ran into him in Victoria once and gave me all sorts of trip planning once.

He's been everywhere both in the coast guard and on his Nordic Tug. I'd consider him an authority.

I see he has an email address on his website.

monahan at shipwrite.bc.ca

Might try that.
 
Last edited:
Jim,
I contemplated doing the passage but didn't.
Going in when the next few days have higher tides would be a blessing.
It's probably one of those places that look scary on the charts but aren't so bad.
Local knowledge about hazards including kelp would be helpful.

Perhaps shooting out a PM to R Cook would produce the input you're looking for. He's been just about everywhere up there. Don't think Murray has been that far south.
 
I know of a couple of KK42's that made the trip together in 2013. They navigated it at high water after first checking it with their dinghies. I will follow up with them in more detail but wanted to check if anyone here has been through.


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum
 
Last edited:
Northern Spy said:
No. Never been there or done it.

I see on the web that Kevin Monahan had made a sketch of it. On the Fine Edge website he recommended to one person not to do it if his vessel draws more than a few feet.

Do you have a copy of Kevin Monahan's sketch? I ran into him in Victoria once and gave me all sorts of trip planning once.

He's been everywhere both in the coast guard and on his Nordic Tug. I'd consider him an authority.

I see he has an email address on his website.

monahan at shipwrite.bc.ca

Might try that.
Click to expand...


I have emailed Kevin Monahan about his Radar Book and he was quite helpful, so will follow up with him. I have his book on radar operation and collision avoidance and his other book on Local Knowledge. The LK book,is quite useful for understanding the dynamics and successful navigation of some of the tidal passes of Johnstone Strait and Cordero Channel.


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum
 
We used it all the time in a fishboat drawing 7+' of water. Rising tide, go slow, run the sounder......
 
Are we talking the passage between Lohbrunner and Swindle, or Lohbrunner and Price?
 
Thanks TAD. We had a good look at the Tarkanen Shipyards in Sointula. That's stepping back in time alright. We did the "fuel truck dance" while in Sointula.


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum
 
JDCAVE said:
Thanks TAD. We had a good look at the Tarkanen Shipyards in Sointula.
Click to expand...

Lots of good history there.
Again, settle by folks rowing up the coast.
I have a hard enough time grasping my great grandparents rowing to Powell River; getting on up past Campbell River by oar is just too much to comprehend.

Tough like a Target steak those folks.
 
Remember you have 16-17' of water(above zero) at high tide up there. It's not Prince Rupert's 22's, but it's still plenty for most boats......
 
Hawgwash said:
...getting on up past Campbell River by oar is just too much to comprehend.
Click to expand...

By kayak we timed it to fight the last of an adverse tide going into Seymour Narrows (by milking back eddies along the shore), slack in the middle, and got flushed out the other end. My guess is that's been the way to do it for thousands of years.
 
MurrayM said:
By kayak we timed it to fight the last of an adverse tide going into Seymour Narrows (by milking back eddies along the shore), slack in the middle, and got flushed out the other end. My guess is that's been the way to do it for thousands of years.
Click to expand...

Of course, but next time, just for fun, dress completely in wool, then load up your entire family with three goats and go through blind.
:blush:
 
Hawgwash said:
Of course, but next time, just for fun, dress completely in wool, then load up your entire family with three goats and go through blind.
:blush:
Click to expand...

Or in a dugout canoe, with the whole family, in the winter, packed to the gunnels with potlatch gifts, back when glaciers were still hanging off the mountains in Strathcona Park :thumb:

Not trying to take away any of your families accomplishments, just suggesting it's not too hard to travel BC's coast by human power, if you have the time to wait for favourable weather and tide.
 
manyboats said:
Jim,
I contemplated doing the passage but didn't.
Going in when the next few days have higher tides would be a blessing.
It's probably one of those places that look scary on the charts but aren't so bad.
Local knowledge about hazards including kelp would be helpful.

Perhaps shooting out a PM to R Cook would produce the input you're looking for. He's been just about everywhere up there. Don't think Murray has been that far south.
Click to expand...

Did go through there back in 2005, with a relatively high tide.
 
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