Having gone through most every pass in the area many times by sailboat and kayak I have to say they are one of my favorite things about our area. So dynamic, and powerful. Then again, I'm one of those people who goes to South Beach here on San Juan Island during our biggest storms just to experience the beauty. My family loves to
anchor near a powerful pass and watch it at peak flow.
All the bases have been covered here, so nothing substantive to add. Just a note to second the recent comment about Deception Pass being a whopper. Along with all the others, it is especially bad when the current is against the wind. Unlike most, it directly faces the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the full fury of Western winds. Let me say, under no circumstances do you want to be exiting Deception Pass with an ebb, while there is more than 25 knots of wind from the West. Especially when there is more than 40 knots...gulp, been there.
Favorite tides/currents book by far is Ports and Passes.