Encountering orca in the Puget Sound is a numbers game. The odds are improved by paddling often in areas they are known to frequent. This trip I hit the jackpot!

My kayaking buddy was still looking for a coastal kayaking weather window. It seemed this week could be good, but again it was not to be. Since I had already taken vacation and prepped myself for kayak camping, instead I decided to do a solo trip in the San Juans. (Interestingly it was almost exactly a year from my previous trip there.)

This was the float plan. (Red is on the ferry.)

I got up early, drove to Anacortes and walked on to the WA State Ferry, towing my kayak on wheels.

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My recent kayak camping trip re-kindled interest in getting extended exercise in the boat. I like variety in kayaking, so I was looking for a new route. And since this weekend was going to be rainy, a kayak outing would be ideal. I have also been trying to alternate my saltwater and freshwater trips. This naturally halts invasive species, and it rinses salt from my equipment.

So, I planned a trip on the Green River to the Puget Sound at Seattle (12 mi), across Elliot Bay and to the Ballard Locks (10 mi), then into the Lake Union water system (5 mi). This one-way trip would require car support, which Melanie offered to do. We got lunch in Renton and then went to Fort Dent Park in Tukwila.

I put the kayak on wheels so I could walk it to the river. It was strange that there was no prepared access to the water even though the river borders three sides of the park! I did find a spot where people had bushwhacked to the water. At the edge it was a drop-off, so I was glad to be in the dry suit, sliding the muddy river bank to get into the boat.

Once in the water, I moved along with a good current of about 1.5 mi/hr. It started (and continued) raining.

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Last December I phoned a kayaking friend. Michael is very knowledgeable about camping equipment, and I was looking for some advice. This turned into a conversation that we should do a winter kayak camping trip.

His preference was to go to the Washington coast. It is rare, however, for ocean swells to be mild during the winter. It looked like there might be a calm window that would be perfect for both swells and weather, however, the situation changed so we went to a plan B.

Michael had never kayaked along the west side of Whidbey Island, so we planned a trip from Anacortes to Fort Casey. He invited a couple other guys, noting that anyone who would go camping in the winter is probably somebody you would like to spend the time with. This was during our recent cold snap, so it was not a surprise that in the end they declined.

So the two of us met for the ferry to Whidbey Island in the morning and drove straight on with no wait. The sun rose while we were on the ferry, painting the mountains in a lovely warm glow. The weather, however, remained very brisk.

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Janae was very good at collecting the funny sayings of Camden and Elias when they were young. They were often quite funny and I have posted the best of them.

The new stories tapered off as they got older, but still happened occasionally. This one is regarding me.

Jan 25, 2025
Camden told about meeting her friend’s grandfather:
Camden: And he was an ordinary grampa.
Janae: What is an ordinary grandpa? Is Grampie ordinary?
Camden: No, Grampie is not! He is a thirty year old stuck in a sixty year old body with the knowledge of a one hundred year old.

 

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Stewart, Orcas, and Jones Islands; April 24 - 27

Blog: Kayak Camping: Stewart, Orcas, Jones

• Day 1: 15 mi from Friday Harbor to Stewart Island

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