Yes, the "Tunnel" as you call it, can really punish, especially westbound. Happy to hear you went for it. Nice account of your experience.

In our experience, the combination of Canadian/US customs restrictions and the long distance between safe anchorages make that stretch of water a big challenge. One trip, we started in Port Angeles with a plan to tuck in for the night behind Pillar Point. One of the local cruising writers recommended it. We had a typical strong westerly in the Straits and the seas just wrapped right around the point and put us on a very lumpy lee shore. We might have gotten out of the chop by letting out more scope, but then we'd have been nearly on the beach in 15' of water. Not a place to be if conditions worsened! So we decided we might put in to Thrasher Cove in Port San Juan on Vancouver Island. We phoned the NEXUS pass number and were advised by someone in Ottawa(?) that we could just check in at Nanaimo. Clueless. We were also told that we would be in big trouble even thinking of anchoring on the Canadian side. So we tacked over and finished a very long day in Neah Bay. A layday at the Makah museum the next day was enlightening and refreshing. Yes we did pound against it under power for much of the day too.

The NORPAC regatta is going on in Barkley Sound right now. I noticed "GALE" planted on a weather chart off the entrance today, though a text forecast called for 15-25 knots. If they follow the usual schedule, I think today would have been a lay day tucked in somewhere in the Broken Group. I'll be interested to hear how it went for them. It is a big deal venturing there, especially the first time. I still respect the Straits of Georgia, but those waters at the West Entrance don't give you nearly as many options.

It has been a long time since we met at Shilshole. Are you still moored there? We're on D dock. I'll be getting to some boat projects this next week. Maybe I'll see you down there.