- Hood Canal (wa100.dnr.wa.gov)
Hood Canal is a long, narrow, glacially carved fjord located where the Puget Lowland meets the Olympic Mountains in western Washington. It’s a beautiful area, rich in great seafood and recreational opportunities, with abundant wild marine life. Shellfish farming provides oysters ready to eat from the local farmers or you can find your own on public beaches that allow harvesting. The waters are also known for scuba diving, boating, kayaking, fishing, crabbing, and shrimping. Hiking opportunities in the eastern foothills of the Olympic Mountains provide great panoramic views of the canal and the Puget Lowland. Hiking or driving up Mount Walker, near Quilcene, or hiking near Lake Cushman or up the Hamma Hamma River, provides stunning views and communion with nature in this tranquil part of Washington.
- Strait (Wikipedia)
A strait is a landform connecting two seas or two water basins. While the landform generally constricts the flow, the surface water still flows, for the most part, at the same elevation on both sides and through the strait in both directions. In some straits there may be a dominant directional current through the strait. Most commonly, it is a narrowing channel that lies between two land masses. Some straits are not navigable, for example because they are either too narrow or too shallow, or because of an unnavigable reef or archipelago. Straits are also known to be loci for sediment accumulation. Usually, sand-size deposits occur on both the two opposite strait exits, forming subaqueous fans or deltas.