Steaming Through Deception Pass
A rare account of the steamer Washington braving the treacherous currents of Deception Pass to maintain mail service.
The steamers Washington and Idaho, on this route, frequently come and go through Deception Pass when time is an object, but it was only recently that any of them have ventured against the swift current, which goes in or out with the tide. Recently the Washington was delayed, and the tide had set too strongly when the Pass was reached. Nothing daunted, she breasted the current, and although progress was slow, she passed through with comparative ease. We believe the Washington is the only passenger steamer that has attempted this feat, though an easy enough task for a tugboat. It was a thrilling occasion to observe the steamer buffet the whirling, seething, rushing tidal current, with the steep perpendicular bluffs on either side.
“It was quite a thrilling occasion to observe the steamer buffet the whirling, seething, rushing tidal current, with the steep perpendicular bluffs on either side.”
Deception Pass remains one of the most dangerous and visually dramatic waterways in the Pacific Northwest. While modern ferries and tugs handle the currents with high-tech navigation, the 'whirling, seething' water still serves as a reminder of the raw power of the Puget Sound tides that early mariners fought to master.
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