Paddling the Salish Sea 80 Trips: wwta

Showing posts with label wwta. 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

12/15/16

Gunkholing the Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands - The Book Series

My favorite guides for exploring Puget Sound and the San Juans (aside from my own) are the out of print Gunkholing series by Jo Bailey and Carl Nyberg. And I have to admit, Gunkholing is my favorite words aside from clapotis.

Each have detailed info on everything you'll see while cruising (or paddling) in each of those areas, from navigational info, charts, hazards, interesting locals, natural history, marine life, city/towns to interesting sights. Much of the info doesn't date, so the books remain timeless as your travelling guide.

What is Gunkholing? "Cruising in sheltered waters and anchoring every night." (from the books)

The book series includes - Gunkholing in.. South Puget Sound, the San Juans, the Gulf Islands and an older version I came across says.. the Salish Sea. You'll come across several versions as most looks like were self published.

The guides can be found on Amazon, at Powell's Books in Portland and SeaOcean Books in Seattle. Amazon has a few for $99 while the SeaOcean copies were pretty beat up and cheap (last time I was there). I usually pick up a few when I find them as they're great gifts for paddling and mariners alike.

My next favorite but also out of print guides are Marge and Ted Mueller's Afoot and Afloot series by Mountaineers Books. There's several of these still on book store shelves as new.

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

2/25/15

Public Access for Paddlers on Lake WA in Seattle

Eric Nordstrom, a SUP paddler in Seattle posted the following note on his FB page:
Seattle neighbors fight uphill battle to maintain public Lake Washington access

On a beautiful sunny winter afternoon, a small crowd has gathered on Seattle's Burke-Gilman trail overlooking a tiny beach leading to Lake Washington.

But after decades of wandering onto the beach or into the water in the Cedar Park Neighborhood of northeast Seattle at 130th St., now they can't go any farther. Newly erected no trespassing signs stand in their way.

"Watching people's reactions to these signs is anger and shock," says longtime resident Sue Pope as she walks her dog along the trail.

The signs that appeared Monday are just the latest move by the owners of the two homes bordering the popular beach access to take over the property and keep the public out.

Read article

2/6/14

Paddling Burrows Island by Anacortes, WA - Trip #29

Trip #29 is Burrows Island. One of my favorite paddles in north Puget Sound. I teach at Deception Pass so much I never have time to go elsewhere but Burrows allows me to do a quick trip after some classes to decompress.

Exploring the rugged shorelines of Burrows Island

From the Skyline Marina in Anacortes, the crossing to Burrows is about ten minutes, sometimes less. Currents do rip in Burrows Pass separates the island from Fidalgo Island (Anacortes). Note that the flood goes east in Burrows Pass and is stronger than the ebb. I've seen it rip with whitewater mostly on NE tip of the island. There's big eddies to the west of the island, so if you get pushed around there's room for error. Standing waves are possible as well off the point. Watch out for fast speed boats heading to the marina many of which kick off big (waist high?) waves which get bigger in opposing current.

Once across, I tend to paddle along the east shore through thick kelp beds to Alice Bight. The Cascadia Marine Trail has a great campsite in the Bight. Views of the island at this point looks like SE Alaska but looking east you see the developed neighborhoods of Anacortes. The outhouse at the campsite is one of the more luxurious ones in the region, reminding me of the solar composting outhouses in BC.

Total circumnavigation of the island can take over an hour if you don't stop using the numerous eddies for protection from current of wind. There's hiking on the island which has a great lighthouse on the west side.

This view from just north of Alice Bight. Park west of Skyline Marina along the road or in the pay dirt lot.

WA Park (top), Burrows (middle), Allan Island (bottom)

Tide Rip off Burrow's NE corner across from marina.

2/14/13

Campsite Update Cypress Head, San Juan Islands - 2/13 for Trip #42

Here's a mid winter campsite update for Cypress Head on Cypress Island.

"My crew and I were out there from the January 10th- 17th, reconstructing the 7 campsites located on the tide island above the tombolo. So far, we have constructed several hundred feet of split-rail fence along the eroding bluff on the site's north and northeast sides, and constructed 7 brand new tent pads at most of the former "unofficial" camping spaces. The tent pads are 10'x10', and will fit any large family tent, and possibly two 2 person tents. Obviously, our hopes are that campers will use only these camping spaces when on the upper campground. The two sites on the tombolo's west side remain unchanged, besides being slated for new fire rings. All sites will be receiving new fire rings, and improvements to the picnic tables will also occur before the May opening. A new access trail to the tide island's south side will also be constructed before then, as the old trail takes hikers along parts of the eroding bluff. Several of the social trails around the campground were also decommissioned upon our visit, and a number of hazard trees were removed in the process. As to our code of ethics and general awareness, several bags of trash (mostly plastics) were removed from the beach."

Submitted 2/13 to the WWTA by:
Kristian Tollefson
WCC Crew Supervisor; Skagit DNR

1/17/13

Cypress Head - one of my favorites. Trip 42

I first visited Cypress Head (Trip #42) during a Kayak Academy course with George Gronseth about a decade ago. The swift currents took it's toll on a few of the students while learning to paddle in tidal rapids off the point below the campground. The campground overlooks Bellingham Channel with distant views of Lummi Island and a feeling of being much further away than you are.

Current rips through the channel, so either time for slack tides or a minimal tidal exchange, or if you have solid skills in tidal rapids, use a flood to get in from Anacortes - ebb to return.

Due to DNR budget issues, the campground at Cypress Head and Pelican Beach to the north are now closed Labor Day through Memorial Day weekend.

6/15/12

60 Trips Book Launch Party, 6/27/12 Noble Fir / Ballard

60 Trips Book Launch Party! June 27th (2012)
& WWTA Pub Night at The Noble Fir / Ballard / Seattle

WWTA friends and supporters at The Noble Fir in a benefit for Washington Water Trails Association on Wednesday, June 27, when $1 from each tap pour (pint of beer or cider) goes to WWTA throughout the night!

When: Wednesday, June 27, from 6:30pm until midnight
Where: The Noble Fir, 5316 Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98119 http://thenoblefir.com/events.html