Whitewater Forum: Skookumchuck Tidal Levels

Skookumchuck Tidal Levels

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URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13932
Printed Date: 24 Oct 2025 at 11:50am

Topic: Skookumchuck Tidal Levels

Posted By: rivercat
Subject: Skookumchuck Tidal Levels
Date Posted: 12 Apr 2014 at 4:58pm

Thinking about making my way to the Skook Memorial weekend. Was warned that I needed to check the tidal levels to be sure it's a good time to go. Any suggestions on what range of levels is good to go for a beginner playboater?

Cheers,
Cat

Replies:

Posted By: brig
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2014 at 11:56am

http://www.liquidlore.com/bc/skookumchuck/

Here's some good info. It's a great time, a quick roll is helpful.
It's the most friendly (easiest to get back to the eddy) as it starts to come in and as it goes out.

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Chris B.

Posted By: Ellingferd
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2014 at 4:33am

What do you mean by beginner? A wave starts to form around 9 knots, and I would call 10 knots the bare minimum for going out there with the knowledge that it will be nothing like 13-15 knots. However, keep in mind that even at 9 knots, the tour is still a possibility for a beginner, and even at 9 knots the tour is still a kilometer of very strange currents, whirlpools, and boils and swimming should not be considered an option. I have seen it, but it is an ordeal and you need some experienced help in order to facilitate a rescue (you will have to get back in your boat in the water).

From what the tide predictor says: http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow.cgi?site=Sechelt+Rapids%2C+British+Columbia+Current+(use+with+caution)

You will have 8.8 knots on the 24th, 11.06 knots on the 25th, and 12.98 knots on the 26th.

I have never been there at 8.8 and I couldnt tell you for sure if there would be anything great worth surfing. There probably is though.

At 11.06 there will be the typical skook wave when the flow peaks, and the tour will start to get more intimidating.

At 12.96 you will get a hint of what it is like around 14 knots, which is probably the "best" flow for serious playboaters. The bottom of the eddy may start to see the formation of "the penalty box" (although in much smaller form) which is a hole that gets people who come into the eddy next to the wave too low, and often sends them on tour after a little bit of a beating. There will be large whirlpools and other crazy features in the tour as well.

It would probably be a good weekend to see what skook is all about and familiarize yourself with the spot. The progression of flow will allow you to ramp it up if you are feeling comfortable. Also, remember that on the big flow days you will have the opportunity to surf as the flow increases, and you can just stop surfing when you begin to feel uncomfortable.

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Wave Sport

Posted By: Ellingferd
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2014 at 4:36am

I should say, however, that I don't know a skook regular who would go there at 8.8 knots, not to say you shouldn't. I just dont want to be responsible for any disappointment. I would go out there at 11 and 12.9 though. There will be good surf those two days.

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Wave Sport

Posted By: James
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2014 at 8:25am

13 to 15 are magical. At around the upper 14 area the wave will start greening out for portions of the tide which adds a fun little flav if you bring a longer boat or just want to practice down river tricks off a massive green roller. The higher you go the longer the wave will green out for. Also the wave is a bit different on the backside of the peak tide vs the beginning. After peak the wave will be a bit more trashy and erratic in my opinion. Still good but does not have the same shape and consistent nature.

I would not go all the way up there for anything under 10. 10 to 12 would still be a toss up for me but getting closer to 12 is where it becomes more reasonable. Plan on a lot of people out there too if the weather is good.

Posted By: jalmquist
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2014 at 12:50pm

Another Skook secret...

Tide height makes a difference on the wave formation. This is espeically true at lower current speeds. The lower the tide height at the start of the incoming tide, the more the wave forms and breaks at lower current speeds. In other words, the wave isn't always the same at a given speed, say 10 knots. Rather, it varies greatly depending on the height of the tide. The wave will form and break much sooner and more reliably at a given lower current speed (say 10 knots) if the incoming tide is starting from a "lower low" than it will if the incoming tide is starting from a "higher low". It's magic! Or simple hydraulics...

Posted By: James
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2014 at 1:32pm

If you think about it consider the process of water emptying out of the inlet and passing through the straight. On the beginning of the tidal change you are draining water from top 10 to 15 feet of the basin, and then after peak it is the lower portion of the water level. The lower down you get in elevations the further the walls and slopes angle down to meet the floor of the ocean. I think that this is the reason the first portion of the wave is more consistent because the lower the water drains the more obstructions and surging takes place as water exits around more variance in the contours of the walls. Just a guess but I did a bit of fishing up there and after looking at the sonar and contours of the floor and walls it was clear the lower the levels the more nooks and cranies are going to come into play.

I would echo jons statements that when you start from a lower low there is going to be less gravitational pull on the water which will in effect cause less of that surging as water moves past these variances in the contours.

Perhaps a bit to much tech talk, best go experience it.

Posted By: Ellingferd
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2014 at 2:18pm

Yeah, the wave will also be taller depending on the amount of water in the inlet when the flood starts. I never got enough into it to correlate what the wave is like at different flows/heights but I can say out of seven times up there at similar levels of 12 to 15 knots, there are times when the wave was at lets say 13, and then the next trip at 13 the wave was totally different. Typically it will just not be as tall, particularly the surfer left green shoulder which is sometimes really steep (i.e. good) or sometimes a bit mushier.

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Wave Sport

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