Kayaking trips 2012
2012 Sep 3Lake Whatcom - South End: September 3
10.2 miles, tandem Map
Beautiful day. Put in at southwest point. Wind and chop (with some white caps) from north. (Not disconcerting - we must be getting more comfortable.) Enjoyed the undeveloped shoreline.
Lake Washington - North End: August 22
16.9 miles, tandem Map
Perfect weather: sun, calm with light breeze, clear water. On vacation, so unhurried trip. Fish & chips lunch stop in Juanita. So many big houses! :-) Bald eagle, osprey.
Concord River - NY: August 4
5.3 miles, tandem Map
Rented Kayaks at Concord. Paddled with our friends David & Mary. The Sudbury river becomes the Concord. Very gentle river, warm sunny day, big trees on bank for shade. Under the historic Old North Bridge. To the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Got out to see the Lotus flowers. Returned.
Lake Washington - Renton: June 30
9.9 miles, tandem Map
Rain squall came up just after we left. Hardest rain yet while out in the kayak. Very pleasant. Up the Cedar river between Boeing and the runway until it suddenly was too shallow. Melanie grew up here and was surprised by the changes to the parks on the lake. Expensive houses as usual by the water, but more eclectic. Herons, several Kingfishers. Watched a heron fly down to snatch a fish.
Everett Waterfront: June 2
8 miles, tandem Map
Went around Jetty Island. (The island is a bird sanctuary at its ends.) North to look at the sunken ships. (Such big timbers they used when they made wooden ships more than a hundred years ago!) On the west side of the island is an enclosed calm water area. Many, many birds to watch: bald eagles, herons, sand pipers, starlings, etc. Ospreys, terns and others were fishing: they would hover at 30 feet then dive straight down into the water. Wow! (Again,) Best paddle yet. :-)
At the island's south end is the Navy base, and I had intended for us to tour near the ships. However, a rip caused the water to be quite rough for our boat and we didn't stay. We did OK, but it was scary for Melanie and intense for me. Calm again at the island breakwater.
On the way to stop off at the island, an osprey dive-bombed, caught a fish and carried it to its nest. The wind had picked up off-shore. Many kite-surfers were out.
Lake Washington - Union Bay: May 26
4.3 miles, tandem Map
Paddled together with Andrew and Bethany (canoeing) around same route of Union Bay as on April 29. (Route recording started late.) Greatly increased water lilies. Blooming yellow wild irises in the wetlands. Many herons. Lots of boat traffic in Montlake canal when crossing to the Arboretum. Ate lunch on Foster Island. Such a great time with A&B!
Spada Lake: May 12
13.7 miles, tandem Map and blog
Water level high but not full. Calm until evening. Beautiful snow on mountains. Went roughly all around the lake. Saw a deer, a bear, and a scruffy coyote. The water from the east-end river is transparent, cold and delicious. Paddled into wind and mild breakers on the return.
Lake Washington - Medina: May 6
8.4 miles, tandem Map
Toured the Medina waterfront of Lake Washington. Lovely sunny day. Many exceptional lake-front properties.
Lake Washington - Union Bay: April 29
6.3 miles, tandem Map
It was unusually quiet in the Washington Park Arboretum waterway because the 520 bridge was closed for construction. Airplanes were the biggest noise. Saw and heard an exceptional number of birds. More than a dozen herons. Saw crows chasing redwing blackbirds; redwing blackbirds chasing crows. Four beaver lodges and one beaver that slapped the water and dove away from us. Turtles swimming underwater and also sleeping on logs. Visited one of the freeway sculptures and visited the bridge mid-span. A very pleasant paddle.
Lake Cavanaugh: April 21
7.8 miles, tandem Map
Initially we had planned Spada Lake, but that was closed for another month. Glass-smooth water, incredible mountain views to the east. Beautiful sunny day! When the boys were younger, we had visited the larger island with our Sea-Doo jet boat as a guest of the owner. Eclectic mixture of tiny cabins with large new houses.
N. Lake Sammamish: April 14
8 miles, tandem Map
Started from Idlywood Park. Went a little way down the Sammamish river, but not so far as to repeat last year's adventure. ;-) Fun to watch the off-leash dogs playing at the water-access areas. Looped around the N side of the lake by all the wetlands area adjacent to Marymoor Park. Down the E side, then across. Houses with elevator trolley cars because they are at lake level, but the road is ~100 feet above. Relaxing outing in the sunshine.
Nisqually Wildlife Refuge: April 7
8.6 miles, tandem Map and blog
Started at the end of a negative tide. The whole of the river delta area was exposed mud flats. We had to go out into the bay to circle around them to the Nisqually River mouth. The tide flood advancing toward the delta could be seen as a sharp line of darker clear blue water. It was visibly and audibly rippling as it came in - just like a babbling brook all around us. There were many birds! Heron, ducks (many varieties), geese, and eagles (bald and golden). We went up the river until the current became too fast. When we came back down, the flats were covered in water, so we could cross them directly. Even though it appeared that we were out in the Puget Sound again, for a long time the water was fresh. It was only slightly salty as we neared our exit.
Sammamish River: April 1
10.7 miles, tandem Map and blog
Windy day with chop on Lake Washington, so we went up the Slough. Two weeks ago the Lake was 1.5 ft low, now it is right full; the river is fast and swollen. Shallow water was impassible near Woodinville on Feb 20. Deep enough this time, but very fast. At the most difficult place, we were in an all-out sustained sprint to crawl up-river. When we paddled down through that section we hit 8.6 mph/hr! Saw a muskrat.
Lake Union: Mar 24
4 miles, tandem Map
A short trip to re-start kayaking habits after some other things prevented it. Always interesting to see the houseboats and stuff here. First time to go all the way to the south end of the lake. An overwhelming quantity of moored boats, including monster yachts. Had purchased new spray skirts (they worked well), and a new PFD (personal flotation device: too tight; couldn't breathe well!!). First warm spring day. A little wind and chop. Enough sun to notice our faces were reddened afterwards.
Sammamish River: Feb 20
10.4 miles, tandem Map
Upstream on the Sammamish River from Kenmore. Lake Washington water level continues to be low. Working against the current would ensure a return that could be relaxed. Saw lots of birds: seagulls, Canada geese, Mallard, Merganser, Buffleheads and other ducks, Coots, Kingfishers, Cormorants, Red-wing Blackbirds, a Blue Heron, and Bald Eagles (20 ft above us in a tree). Just before Woodinville, the river became very shallow and fast, so we turned around. Peak speed of 7 mi/hr there.
Lake Washington - Magnuson Park: Feb 5
8.9 miles, tandem Map
Started late for a winter day. The air warm and calm, but the water was cold. When we turned around at the 5 mi mark, the wind had picked up. Chop big enough to slop over the boat at times and leak in on us. Both of us were cold, but the exertion helped. Heading into the wind all the way back, pulling hard. Beautiful sunset over Seattle at 7 mi mark, but that meant the light was fading. Pulled up to lighted dock at dark.