Hummingbirds and Wild Roses Paddle

May 16-19, 2007

Rob and I launched from North Beach on Orcas Island, WA for the 9 mile paddle to Clark Island State Park. We planned on a four day trip spending Friday and Saturday on Clark then jumping on the flood Sunday morning for the trip to Succia Island. We followed the shoreline on Orcas taking full advantage of the back eddy that runs close to the shoreline during the flood. This is a full moon weekend so the currents were nice and strong. We arrived at Clark in early afternoon and set up our camp, as you can see by the attached picture some of the local residents turned their backs on us. The weather is absolutely beautiful with blue skies and 75 degrees. My formerly white skin is a now a nice reddish color as I forgot to apply sunscreen before jumping on the water. Due to the late spring and very cool weather the wild roses are not in bloom yet ( darn) but there as still a lot of hummingbirds buzzing around. If you do this paddle when the wild roses are in bloom you will see hundreds and hundreds of hummingbirds on this small island.

We spent two days here in the sun, visiting with boaters and fellow kayakers who were enjoying our areas first taste of summer. I did bring my fishing gear along and managed to catch ( and release) several beautiful rock fish.

Sunday we jumped on the flood at 12:30 for the 10.5 mile paddle arriving on Succia Island at 3:00ish. Along the way we were twice surrounded by large pods of hunting porpoises.. very cool... When we arrived at Fox Cove on Succia we were the only two campers. A few sailboats were spending the night in the next bay but we had peace and quiet except for the crows, seagulls, eagles, cormorants, blue herons and many varieties of song birds that call the island home. Sunday evening a group of eight paddlers arrived, they were a group of friends who paddle over from North Beach just to have dinner ( wine and cheese ) then paddled back home. After all was quiet we saw a river otter which is now the third year in a row we have seen that family, they seem to be doing well.

Monday we were up at 5:30 to the call of the pesty crows, this day dawns cloudy with a few intermittent rain sprinkles. A beautiful rainbow has formed over the Canadian mountains to our west, very nice. After coffee and oatmeal the boats are packed and we are headed back to the 'real' world arriving back at North Beach at 8:15am and we have plenty of time to pack the car and catch the 10:20 ferry back to Anacortes.

Go visit the San Juan Island before or after the busy the summer months, you will enjoy...

Magnuson Park Paddle 4-20-2008

Nice (?) spring day in the Puget Sound ! It's snowing again today, when will we ever see the sun again ? Paddled today from Holmes Pt Park across Lake Washington to Seattle Raft & Kayak then north along Sand Point and Magnuson Park. Took some pictures of the nuclear sub fins which are now part of a peace park. If you get a chance visit the park it's pretty cool. The local raccoons seem to enjoy the park..

Mercer Is WA. 4-18-2008

We planned to paddle on the Sound today but 25K + winds and heavy rain mixed with snow changed our minds. Rob, Dave and I paddled from Lincoln Landing on Mercer east to the I-90 bridge and back. This is APRIL and it snowing in the mountains, even have 1-3 inches on the ground at sea-level, crazy! Turned out to be a beautiful day to paddle, as they all are. Saw a couple of immature eagles patrolling the water which is always a pleasant sight to see. Post paddle discussion continued at the Roanoke tavern over fish & chips and a pitcher of Fat Tire.

Lake Sammamish WA 4/11/08

Feels like spring is finally making it to our great state of Washington. Paddled today with my mentor and good friend Rob R. on Lake Sammamish. Rob has turned into a Harley ridding snowbird for the winter months so today's paddle was a slow easy paddled followed by a couple of Dead Man's and a cheeseburger at the Issaquah Brew House. Took a couple of pictures which would indicate the local beaver population appears to be recovering quite well which I suspect is much to the dismay of some of the local landowners. Was a beautiful sunny 55 degree day. Another indication of spring is the Great Blue Huron rookery on the southern shore of the lake which was very active with expectant parents working on their nests.

April 12 WKC Paddle

Two weeks ago I lead a WKC (Washington Kayak Club)trip ( see 3/29 post) and it snowed, rained, hailed and even had sun breaks on the group of nine paddlers. On today's paddle most of the same paddlers showed up and we were greeted with 75 degrees and bright sunshine. We paddled into a 10-12K breeze as we headed north after launching at Seahurst SP in Burien WA. Our goal was to paddle north to Anderson Park in Seattle which is right next to the Fauntleroy ferry dock. All went smooth until we attempted to paddle under the ferry dock at which time the local Homeland Security enforcer threatened us, so we had to paddle out and around the dock. We had the opportunity to watch a peregrine falcon work the shoreline in search of lunch, always a very cool spectacle. At Anderson Park a lone bald eagle was perched high in a dead tree along the shoreline keeping an eye on all the happenings below and of course dodging the pesty blackbirds that was dive bombing it.
With the breeze and current aiding our trip back to Seahurst this leg of the trip only took an hour and twenty minutes.

March 29 WKC Paddle

This was first WKC (Washington Kayak Club) paddle which I lead this 2008 season. Last night we had wind and snow in the lowlands plus the usual ton'o'snow in the mountains. I was kind of surprised Saturday morning that there where 8 out of the 10 paddlers who signed up for the trip present and accounted for, hardy souls! The forecast was for diminishings winds (10k max), a stray rain/snow shower or two and conditions improving over the next 2-3 days. Launching at Salt Water SP @ 10:00 am for a paddle west along the shoreline down to Redondo. With the sun shinning brightly across the water on Maury Islands Pt. Robinson we paddled thru some bright sunhine followed by a stray rain/hail shower before stopping for a lunch break. The wind and current aided our 45 minute trip back to Salt Water. We were greeted by a pair of eagles, one adult and a juvenile eagle searching for a salmon lunch on our return trip. We got off the water just as a another rain squal passed over us. A good spring Puget Sound paddle, rain, sun, hail, wind and calm.

Mercer Island Circumnavigation 3/8/08

Jumped on the water at Lincoln Landing which is located on the north end of Mercer Island, WA. The day is overcast, it's 48 degrees and the time is 11:45am. A great Puget Sound winter day to paddle around the island. Headed south down the west side of the lake then back north along the east side. They keep building bigger and bigger houses along the waterfront, guess the recession hasn't got this crowd. Rounding the south end of the lake it looked like the Boeing plant was busy cranking out 737's there where four of them in the their bright green skin setting on the run way. The Seahawks new training facility on the Renton side of the lake is a very large addition to the shoreline, can't say it adds any aesthetic beauty.. Sun pops out as I near the I-90 bridge to make the last few miles an opportunity to soak up some vitamin D.. I don't see many wintering birds today. Note the cormorants are on guard duty perched on the 'No Wake' buoys that dot the shoreline. The bright yellow daffodils and the redbuds along the shoreline are blooming, the flowering plum and crab apple trees are not far behind. Yep, looks like spring is on her way. That reminds me I have to spring the clocks forward today too! It took me 2 hours and 35 minutes to paddle the 12 1/2 miles today, not bad for a spring tune up paddle.............