A Paddler's Guide to the Salish Sea.: Vashon Island

Showing posts with label Vashon Island. Show all posts

2/6/17

Portage - A Vashon Shortcut - Trip #11

Portage from Maury Island, Seattle & Mt Rainier in backgroun

If you're paddling down Puget Sound from Seattle to Vashon Island, there's a long way around Maury Island, (SE Vashon) and a short way. The long way is over 8 miles from Tramp Harbor to the south tip of the island.

By portaging from Tramp Harbor over Portage, a narrow isthmus separating Vashon Island from Maury Island, the route through Quartermaster Harbor is only 4 miles in protected water.

Portage is approx 200 yards wide at high tide. Watch for speedy traffic. In Joel Roger's Water Trail book, a classic read, NW paddling guide Joel is seen crossing Portage during his epic paddle from Olympia to Pt Roberts following the Cascade Marine Trail.

The Shomamish People used Portage not only to shorten trips but to catch birds. By raising 300' wide nets, they would catch birds passing through the narrow gap.

Looking to rent a SUP on Vashon? Fat Cat Paddle Boarding operates during the summer on the south side of the point.

Joel Rogers crossing Portage

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

1/28/17

Point Robinson on Vashon Island - Trip #11

Point Robinson is a point on the SE section of Vashon Island that juts out into Puget Sound facing the beach front town of Des Moines. The Sound zig zags a bit here this forcing current traveling north and south quickly around the point. Some say freighter waves jack up here when opposing the current. The historic lighthouse was built in 1885 and automated in 1978. The lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

There's several routes for paddlers to access the lighthouse. Des Moines from the east is approx 2.6 miles which includes a crossing of that section of the Sound. Think about current when crossing, over compensating your route - go further north if the current is flooding. You can also access it from various put-ins on Vashon, the closest being Portage which separates Vashon and Maury Islands.

The lighthouse and surrounding grounds are run by the Vashon Parks District and the light keeper quarters are maintained by the Lighthouse Friends. You can rent the adjacent lighthouse keeper quarters for the night via VRBO. There's also a Cascadia Marine Trail campsite north of the point and up the hill.

Lodging & Visitor Info - Vashon Parks

Pt. Robinson Stewards have fully restored the two Keepers' Quarters on the property for use as rentals. All proceeds from these rentals goes back into the park's restoration and maintenance. For additional information about renting the Keepers' Quarters, contact Eric Wyatt, Lodging Manager, at 206-465-3180, ewyatt@vashonparks.org, or see VRBO.COM to learn about all of our vacation rentals.

Sunday tours of the Lighthouse are available mid-May through mid-September. During the off-season, tours can be scheduled by calling Captain Joe Wubbold at 206-463-6672.

The Ship's Store Gift Shop is open seasonally on Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 5:00 p.m. Call for additional information at 206-463-1323.

Address: 3705 SW Pt. Robinson Rd., Vashon, WA

LRob 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

2/11/12

Paddling Trip #9 / Gig Harbor to Olalla

Located on Colvos Passage and the Kitsap Peninsula, Olalla is halfway between Southworth and Gig Harbor. Once known for it's strawberry crop which ripened earlier than other regions on Puget Sound, the 'town' consists of one small convenience store (closed at time of writing). We passed through here on July 4th 2011 while updating this book and were excited to see the locals sunning on the low tide beaches, fishing, boating, etc. The little inlet which dries out at low tide is also the boat ramp.

Olalla is a little over 6 miles from Gig Harbor to the south, and the same for Southworth to the north. The Current in Colvos Passage runs mostly north, so think of that when planning a trip here.

1/10/12

Paddling to Vashon Island from Des Moines State Park - Trip #11

There's few places in Puget Sound where you can portage across an island. On Vashon Island, you have the opportunity to do this whether it's to escape rough waters for calm, access other parts of the island, or get to other destinations nearby without having to paddle all the way around the island.

Vashon's Portage seen from Maury Island.

Native peoples used Vashon's portage to save time in traveling throughout Puget Sound and by Captain Vancouver's accounts, used the narrow strip to funnel and catch birds using tall poles and nets. This view is from above the tiny town of Dockton on Maury Island, Vashon's southeastern extension.

Trip #11 originates from Saltwater State Park in Des Moines south of Seattle, and crosses Puget Sound to the Pt Robinson Lighthouse on Maury Island.

There are Cascadia Marine Trail campsites at both Saltwater State Park and Pt Robinson.

Use the Marine Traffic app to track boat traffic before your crossing. Currents run strong through the squeeze between Pt Robinson and Des Moines, a narrow section of the Sound.