Vashon & Maury Island Circumnavigation
Rob Freelove and I departed from the marina in Des Moines at 9:45 a.m. on a 45 degree Friday morning February 16. Paddled the 2+ miles across the Sound to Pt. Robinson on the far eastern shore of Maury Island. Heading southeast along the shoreline we crossed Quartermaster Harbor before turning north into Colvos Passages. We arrived at our planned campsite, the Washington Water Trails Park at Lisabeula on Vashon Island at 2:00 p.m. Tents were up and everything made ready for the night just before the rain started falling. One of the locals st oped by and shared the very interesting history of how the park was transitioned from an artist colony to a state park. First days paddle was about 16 miles.
Saturday’s weather forecast was for a sunny and warm 60-degree morning. Conditions were predicted to change in the early afternoon as a storm front approached carrying with it 30 to 40 mph winds. Leaving Lisabuela at 9:00 a.m. in a light morning fog that almost obscures a brilliant sunrise. The water is perfectly flat as we paddle north. We arrive at the Vashon ferry dock at 10:45 a.m. for a break. The Mexican restaurant at the dock is closed so it will have to be another peanut butter sandwich lunch along the way. Turning south around Dolphin Point, Mt Rainer with two cap clouds hovering over it’s peak stands out brilliantly in the bright sunlight. Following a lunch break at Pt. Heyer, our next stop was at Pt. Robinson, which completed our planned circumnavigation. We arrived in perfectly calm sunny conditions back at the Des Moines Marina at 2:30 in the afternoon. The timing of the weather change was a couple of hours latter than the prediction. At 6:00 p.m. the weather bureau reported wind speeds of 45 knots between Vashon Island and Fauntleroy, was good to be off the water! Total paddle for the two days was approximately 32 miles.
Rob Freelove and I departed from the marina in Des Moines at 9:45 a.m. on a 45 degree Friday morning February 16. Paddled the 2+ miles across the Sound to Pt. Robinson on the far eastern shore of Maury Island. Heading southeast along the shoreline we crossed Quartermaster Harbor before turning north into Colvos Passages. We arrived at our planned campsite, the Washington Water Trails Park at Lisabeula on Vashon Island at 2:00 p.m. Tents were up and everything made ready for the night just before the rain started falling. One of the locals st oped by and shared the very interesting history of how the park was transitioned from an artist colony to a state park. First days paddle was about 16 miles.
Saturday’s weather forecast was for a sunny and warm 60-degree morning. Conditions were predicted to change in the early afternoon as a storm front approached carrying with it 30 to 40 mph winds. Leaving Lisabuela at 9:00 a.m. in a light morning fog that almost obscures a brilliant sunrise. The water is perfectly flat as we paddle north. We arrive at the Vashon ferry dock at 10:45 a.m. for a break. The Mexican restaurant at the dock is closed so it will have to be another peanut butter sandwich lunch along the way. Turning south around Dolphin Point, Mt Rainer with two cap clouds hovering over it’s peak stands out brilliantly in the bright sunlight. Following a lunch break at Pt. Heyer, our next stop was at Pt. Robinson, which completed our planned circumnavigation. We arrived in perfectly calm sunny conditions back at the Des Moines Marina at 2:30 in the afternoon. The timing of the weather change was a couple of hours latter than the prediction. At 6:00 p.m. the weather bureau reported wind speeds of 45 knots between Vashon Island and Fauntleroy, was good to be off the water! Total paddle for the two days was approximately 32 miles.
