[kiprichard]

The passes you mentioned, and most others in your area, are full of rocks, kelp and other hazards. You're right, the current is usually less close to shore, if it's shallower there, and the turn will happen there first but if I was you I'd time my passage as close to the slack as you can get. I use plus or minus 3 knots as a safe window and plus or minus 2 is better. In those passes the slack doesn't always occur half way between the ebb and flood. I think "Ports & Passes" is the best investment you could make. The book is a lot easier to use than the gov't tide tables. For harbours it gives the flood & ebb info but for all the passes it gives the times of the slack & max. currents, which is really what you want to know. It's daylight saving time corrected and costs about $20. Wouldn't leave the dock without it.