Kayak loop I-90 and 520

Yesterday it was a nice rainy day so I went out kayaking on Lake Washington. I put in at Enatai Beach Park underneath I-90. The water seemed surprisingly warm already for the year.

There was a family on the beach with a dog in the water and a tennis ball. They also had a very happy little girl (about 1st grade age) swimming near the dog. She was wearing all her clothes, her rain jacket and her boots!

I paddled over to talk with them. When I asked the girl if she was having fun, the answer was an enthusiastic “Yes”. The mom then asked (with good humor), did I want to take her? (Take the girl on a boat ride or off her hands? Not sure. Obviously the girl was a real character and sometimes a challenge! :-)

I followed the shoreline north looking at all the Uber-wealthy houses of Bellevue and Medina. The trees are noticeably larger on this section of shore. The security guards didn’t show as I passed by the docks of the Gates house. I stopped to look at the T-rex house.

That is a full-sized real skeleton inside there! Quite the decor.

Combined, the boats on the lake and the people outside were probably less than a dozen. However, I saw quite a bit of wildlife: bald eagles, interesting ducks, herons, a raccoon, a swimming muskrat, and other less exotics. On the way back a rainbow bridged between Bellevue downtown and Mercer Island.

Most of the time, raindrop splashes were the only texture on the water. - I didn't wear a hat, so the rain cooled my head. - A couple of times I stopped to soak in the quietness and the gentle motion of the water.

A great trip.