Paddle to Kinney Point on Marrowstone Island

Two years ago while training for the SEVENTY48 I joined fellow crazy paddlers, PT resident Bandon Davis and Seattle friend Sean Nordquist in paddling in PT Canal.

Launching from the boat ramp beach at Port Hadlock, we enjoyed flying down the canal using the ebb then paddled around the south end of Marrowstone Island to Kinney Point. Trip #34

It was low tide so aside from our fins hitting sand a few times we enjoyed the marine life 2-3' below our feet. I remember over dressing for the unusually warm early Spring day.

At Kinney Point (see pics) we landed and explored the WWTA Cascadia Marine Trail site up the hill. There was a bench on a forested medium bluff overlooking the beach and a few forested tent sites. Looked like a great off the beaten path spot.

We paddled back after a bit and found enough eddies for eddy hopping our way back up the ebb current. Brandon took the west side and we both found a good options.

In the pic, Brandon and I have his 14' stitch and glue SUPs with internal storage. He has since designed 18'x26" carbon SUPs with storage, I think available only by request. Brandon is available at Turn Point Design in PT.

The currents in PT canal are tricky and not a clear ebb and flood per other flows nearby. Make sure to check local current and cruising guides to time it right. The Portage isn't bad if you have to!

Rob Casey is author of Kayaking Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, 60 Trips and Stand Up Paddling Flat Water to Surf and Rivers, both by Mountaineers Books.  He owns Salmon Bay Paddle a SUP school in Seattle.  Get in touch: rob@salmonbaypaddle.com

Kayaking & SUP Circumnavigation of Indian & Marrowstone Islands

Trip Report from Laura Prendergast of Pygmy Kayaks: 

Mission accomplished! Griff and I paddled approximately 19.5 miles (according to google maps) in 6.5 hours around Marrowstone and Indian Island... a great way to spend Black Friday! No lines to buy things... just sea lions eating salmon, curious seals and porpoises surfacing.

Our route was mapped from Pygmy's HQ as I left from the Point Hudson Marina in Port Townsend. We experienced strong currents by the lighthouse on marrowstone. We followed the tide around perfectly, going clockwise with high tide at 12:30. 

The route could also be broken into a two day trip using the WWTA Kinney Point campsite on the south end of Marrowstone. www.wwta.org

We were both paddling Pygmy Murrelets 4PD: Greenland Style Touring Kayaks http://www.pygmyboats.com/boats/murrelet-4PD-kayak-kit.html

In the book, Trip 34 & 35.

Learn more about my book Kayaking Puget Sound and the San Juans, 60 Trips. I also offer SUP and Kayak lessons available throughout the year at Salmon Bay Paddle. Questions about paddling on the Salish Sea, give me a holler anytime at salmonbaypaddle@gmail.com or 206-465-7167

Support the Washington Water Trails Association and the Cascadia Marine Trail. The wwta works to create and protect access for paddlers on Puget Sound as well as provide an extensive network of over 60 paddle-in camping sites - www.wwta.org

Paddling Indian Island's Causeway by Marrostone Island - Trip 43

Looking north from causeway.

In the first two editions of this book, Trip #43 listed a causeway located under the roadway of the isthmus separating Indian and Marrowstone Island.  It was suggested that with enough water you could get a tidal push through the causeway to each side.

We researched the causeway last summer and found that due to years of barnacle build-up in the pipes, there is no way any paddler could make it through without scraping or bumping their heads while in a prone position.  In other words, I wouldn't recommend trying - sketchy!

Portaging over the causeway is the best bet.  Time the tides so they're high, otherwise you'll have 200-300 yards of sludging through thick mud on both sides.  While going over, watch for traffic, local residents drive through this stretch quickly to shorten their commutes from the mainland.

Looking from north to south.

Learn more about my book Kayaking Puget Sound and the San Juans, 60 Trips. I also offer SUP and Kayak lessons available throughout the year at Salmon Bay Paddle. Questions about paddling on the Salish Sea, give me a holler anytime at salmonbaypaddle@gmail.com or 206-465-7167

Support the Washington Water Trails Association and the Cascadia Marine Trail. The wwta works to create and protect access for paddlers on Puget Sound as well as provide an extensive network of over 60 paddle-in camping sites - www.wwta.org