Part of the Inside Passage between the lower forty-eight and Alaska contains some perilous transits due to strong currents which are subject to the Venturi effect. The Seymour Narrows, roughly 3 miles long which lay just north of Vancouver, British Columbia, and part of the Discovery Channel, is one such hazard. Prior to 1958 not only were tides can reach 15 knots or so, but there was also a mountain to contend with for ships.
Ripple Rock is so named for the constant wave it creates in the current along with whirlpools. This underwater mountain contained two peaks, the closest about 10 feet below the surface at lower tide. This shallow obstacle claimed a number of ships, more than 100, and the same amount of souls.
So on April 5, 1958, the mountain peaks were blown up with over 1000 tons of explosives. The locals from miles around were evacuated for fear of a tidal wave. Add the fact such an impact could have triggered an earthquake along the fault lines of the west coast.
But it was basically a non-event as most of Canada watched on television. Now the peak rests some 40 to 50 feet below the surface. But Cruise ships that take the whole Inside Passage still time their transit through the Seymour Narrows to avoid the stronger currents.
Photos can be found at the Campbell River Museum
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