This trip uses the powerful currents in Rosario Strait and Cattle Pass to paddle approximately 20 nautical miles in 5 to 6 hours. It begins with a very fast ebb current ride to S Lopez.  Once we round the corner, some use of paddles is required to arrive at Iceberg Point for lunch. Some lingering is called for since this stretch is very scenic.   After lunch the flood current provides a bucking bronco ride through Cattle Pass, followed by smooth swift current the rest of the way to Friday Harbor. 

Strong currents are a given, with Cattle Pass potentially challenging at max current. We will cross a light-traffic shipping lane, and may encounter tide rips, eddies, breaking waves, possibly opposing wind with fast currents.  Registrants are expected to be comfortable in these conditions.  

There are two options for return:  

1) ride the ferry back (requires boat wheels).  You may choose to return that evening or the next day after camping on Turn Island.

2) Paddle back the next day around the N end of Lopez, so this would qualify as a Lopez circumnavigation.

This trip is posted on a weekday because this is when currents are optimal for reasonable launch time for reaching Cattle Pass near slack.  Alternatives would be an early launch (7am, ugh) on Sunday June 2, or a later launch Sunday with Cattle Pass traversed close to full flood (4 kts, wahoo).  Let me know if any of these options are preferable to you.