Aerial Photography Sites for Planning Paddling Trips

Whenever I get an idea for a paddling trip, race or finding a new surf spot, I immediately think of the general location, then open Google Earth to start scouting routes, beaches, access points or in the case of racing, figuring out mileage for the race course.

Dept of Ecology - WA Coast

Before Google Earth, I used a Dept of Ecology site called Washington State Coastal Atlas. The site covers all shorelines, saltwater or fresh in the state. With this site, you bring up state image then click on the red dot of the area of interest, then zoom in.  You scroll left to right or vice versa to explore the shoreline. There's four choices of which years of footage you want to view which is great for comparing shoreline change. The years are 1970's, 1990's, 2001 and 2006.  Click here to check it out.

In recent years, I've mostly switched to Google Earth which breaks out of the left right scrolling to pulling or scrolling anywhere you want to go. Google has 'street views' which is seeing the image 1-1 vs from the air.  The only downside is when you zoom all the way in, a forest begins to look fake or photoshopped. Same issue with some street views. Perhaps that's the result of the current technology with pixels being re-created to allow us to scroll any direction up or down, etc. Military locations are shadowed out and some areas which are not sensitive may look cloudy.

Google Earth 5 mile race course (Seattle)

Google Earth does allow you to save a jpg of a place and save that to your page as well. I use the Ruler a lot to determine distance in miles, nautical miles, km, etc. That's all I use it for, I'm sure you can take advantage of more of it's features if needed. When I have a race, I'll save the race course (ruler path showing course route) then open it in Photoshop to lighten it and/or add arrows, text and other directional items.

Sometimes I use both Google Earth and the Dept of Ecology sites. Then checking web cams and local weather stations (NOAA) to get a history of weather in a specific area

Here's a few examples of how I use Google Earth and the Ecology site...

Google Earth with Photoshop directions

Dept of Ecology - WA Coast

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

Paddling Hope and Skagit Islands on Saratoga Passage / Puget Sound - Trip #27

Ala Spit WWTA Campsite View South

Only 1.5 hours north of Seattle, Hope (North) and Skagit Islands provide easy paddling access and the feeling of being much further away.  Both of the undeveloped islands are small, uncrowded, and have multiple access points from 6 different launches.  The Cascadia Marine Trail has a cozy campsite on Skagit's northeast side overlooking tiny Kiket Island.  During strong tidal exchanges a small tidal rapid rips between both islands which at night can be a pleasant sound. The site is on top of a ancient shell midden, one of few still left in the region.  Note: There are two Hope Islands on Puget Sound - Hope Island (south) is near Olympia, Trip #5.

Looking north from Ala Spit to Hope Island.

Currents also rush in between Hope Island and Ala Spit on Whidbey Island.  Friends have experienced waves there from the wind opposing the swift current.  Time your travel with the currents, and you can have a fun ride through each of these rapids.

Launches:
- Deception Pass State Park - Bowman Bay.
- Deception Pass State Park - Cornet Bay.
- Ala Spit, NE Whidbey Island. (Cascadia Marine Trail campsite)
- Snee-oosh Beach (west of La Connor).
- La Connor.
- Blake's Skagit Resort and Marina (Rawlins Road south of La Connor).

Packing on Skagit Is looking East to Kliket Island.

You'll experience the most current approaching from Deception Pass or Cornet Bay.  Time the currents for the flood and flow through the Pass or east of Cornet for a free ride nearly to the islands.  Ala Spit is the easiest access to Hope, with only a few hundred yard crossing to the island.  There's a Cascadia Marine Trail campsite (pictured) on Ala Spit.

Tide & Current Info: 
Current Chart
Tide Chart

Get more info from the Washington Water Trails Association's Cascadia Marine Water Trail.

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