Discovery Island Tidal Rapids

In the Sechelt Rapids located in the Skookumchuck narrows, 200 Billion Gallons of water rushes through during a 9 foot tide. Standing on shore watching you will see the water force its way through the opening. Making a wall out of sea water some times 6 feet high, almost like a miniature ocean water fall. This phenomenon is only crated on a flood tide.

The Sechelt Rapids can reach speeds up to 18 knots (33 km/hr)! The rapids that our local tour operators take you to with their boats can reach speeds up to 13 knots (24 km/hr)!

Eagles use the Tidal Rapids to feed; massive whirlpools send bottom feeding fish to the service. These fish travel a huge distance in a short time and basically get the bends (decompression sickness). Once on the surface they can’t get back to the deep waters and the Eagles take advantage of this easy meal. The thing that amazes people every time they are taken to the rapids is the amount of Eagles feeding.

The tidal rapids can create permanent waves, white caps, and whirlpools. These features attract white water kayakers and thrill seekers.

This article and the photo above are courtesy of Discovery Marine Safaris.

The photo below was taken on our recent trip with the Aurora Explorer, when the vessel passed the Dent Rapids after having waited for the tide to change, so that it could pass through the narrow passage. The large 135' vessel, with a regular travel speed of only 7 knots, would risk to lose control in a Tidal Rapid, as the captain told us!