Canoe Passage State Marine Park

Canoe Passage State Marine Park is situated on Hawkins Island, just west of Cordova. This extremely narrow and protected waterway cuts deeply into the island, providing a highly sheltered haven for shallow-draft vessels, kayakers, and waterfowl hunters.

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⚓ The One-Way Navigational Constraint

Operating inside Canoe Passage requires strict awareness of its unique geographical limitations:

• North Entrance Only: Vessels can navigate and enter the passage only from the north end. The southern half of the passage suffers from extreme siltation and shoaling, becoming completely unnavigable even for small skiffs at lower tides.
• Shallow Sills: The passage has a typical depth range of 6–15 feet at mid-tide. Deep-draft, keeled sailboats and heavy cruisers must completely avoid this passage to prevent hard groundings on the rocky/sandy sills.
• Tidal Current Surges: Due to the constriction of the channel, tidal shifts generate swift, rushing currents through the narrows. Time your transit to coincide with slack water or high tide to ensure safe, controlled steerage.
• Mud and Silt Holding: Once inside the northern basin, the bottom consists of soft mud and sand, providing excellent, highly reliable anchor holding. Wind exposure is minimal, making it an absolute shelter from open Orca Bay storms.

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🦆 Wildlife & Recreation

The marshy, shallow sloughs surrounding Canoe Passage represent critical habitats:

• Waterfowl Hotspot: The passage is a major staging area for migratory waterfowl in spring and fall, making it a prominent destination for local birdwatchers and regulated waterfowl hunters.
• Sea Otter Foraging: High densities of sea otters forage in the shallow kelp beds at the entrance. Maintain the federally mandated 100-yard buffer zone under the MMPA.
• Leave No Trace Camping: Extremely low-angle gravel beaches allow easy kayak landings. Camp only on established gravel margins to protect the fragile coastal salt marshes.

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📋 Critical Mariner Checklist

• Enter from the North: Never attempt to enter or exit through the shallow, silted southern half of Hawkins Island.
• Verify Draft Clearance: Only shallow-draft skiffs, jet boats, or kayaks should attempt moorage inside.
• Time the Currents: Avoid transiting the narrow sills during peak ebb or flood tide flows when currents run at 3–4 knots.
• MMPA Proximity Alert: Keep a sharp lookout for resting sea otters in the entry channels.