Hood Canal

The Hood Canal is located in the U.S. state of Washington, west of the large city of Seattle and is a fjord -like branch of the Puget Sound, which separates the Kitsap Peninsula from the Olympic Peninsula.

Geography

The Hood Canal is proportionately in Kitsap County, Mason County and Jefferson County. It starts at Port Gamble between Foul Weather Bluff and Tala Point. The 112 km long Hood Canal is an average of only 2.4 km wide and 53.8 m deep. It has a 342 km long shoreline, a water surface of 385 sq km and along its banks over 42 km ² Watt country. He has several bays - the largest of which is the Dabob Bay in the northern part of the Hood Canal, which is separated by the Toandos Peninsula from him. The Hood Canal runs south-west to Union over 80 km, where it bends sharply to the northeast section called the " Great Bend ". The Hood Canal extends a further 24 km to Belfair, where it terminates in a flat, Lynch Cove area called Watts. The tidal range in the Hood Canal is up to 5.5 meters. From the Olympic Peninsula of the Skokomish River, Hamma Hamma River of, the Duckabush River, Dosewallips River and the Big Quilcene River only smaller rivers such as the Union River, Tahuya River and flow into the Hood Canal, Kitsap Peninsula from the Dewatto River.

History

The Hood Canal was built as the Puget Sound before about 13,000 years ago during the last ice age. The Twana called him Twana 's Saltwater. It received its current name on 13 May 1792 by George Vancouver in honor of British Admiral Samuel Hood. Already Vancouver also used the name Hood Channel, to the United States Board of Geographic Names in 1932 stipulated the name of Hood Canal as the official name.

Installations and structures

The transport infrastructure in the hinterland on Hood Canal was initially on the waterway. Along the west bank operates 101 along a central access road of U.S. Highway. On the east bank is located at Bangor Naval Base Kitsap Naval Base.

Hood Canal Bridge

At the northern end crossing the Hood Canal Bridge, the third longest floating bridge with 1988 m length in the world, the fjord and connects the Kitsap with the Olympic Peninsula. The official name of the bridge opened in 1961 William A. Bugge Bridge, named after William A. Bugge, Director of the Department of Highways was when the bridge was built. However, the bridge is generally only called Hood Canal Bridge. The Washington State Road 104 crosses the bridge, which is provided with a constructed as a thrust bridge opening to allow ships access to the Naval Base Kitsap. During the construction, the construction has been criticized as a floating bridge. On February 13, 1979 sank during a storm with wind gusts up to 193 km / h western half of the float. Because the bridge was closed because of the storm, there were no fatalities or injuries. The missing part was rebuilt October 25, 1982 renewed the bridge was reopened. The eastern half of the bridge was replaced in 2009.

Parks and Protected Areas

Along the Hood Canals are the state parks Belfair, Twanoh, Potlatch, Triton Cove, Scenic Beach, Dosewallips, Kitsap Memorial, and Shine Tidelands.