
Trip
Sea Kayak - Cape Flattery
Likely the best day-paddle in Washington.
- Mon, Sep 15, 2025
- Tacoma Branch Sea Kayaking Program
- Sea Kayaking
- Adults
- Sea Kayak V
- Challenging
- Mileage: 11.0 nm
- Maximum Wind: 13 kts
- Maximum Waves: 4 ft
- Maximum Currents: 4 kts
- Pace: moderate to strenuous
- FULL, 3 on waitlist (16 capacity)
- FULL (8 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
This trip is part of our 3-day coastal event.
This is likely the best day paddle in Washington. Yes, it's that good. We'll travel past towering sea stacks, thread our way around and through boomer fields, and venture into sea caves...conditions permitting. We might extend out to paddle around Tatoosh Island (it's a tribal "no-land" zone) that has a puffin colony and a beautiful "green room", which is an open-top cave allowing sunlight to shine down shear walls covered with plants, into the calm waters within. It's magical!
Prerequisites; Participants must have taken a surf zone clinic, a rock gardening clinic, an eddies and currents clinic, and an incident management clinic to participate on this paddle. Cape Flattery is extremely remote. There are no "outs" along the way. You can't walk out. This is one of the most challenging paddles I lead, and if conditions aren't to my liking I'll need to cancel it (I've cancelled based on surf height and wind conditions several times in the past).
You've learned "All currents flow towards points of land". So, we'll be going against the current on the way back, and it can be a slog. Then, when we get back, we need to traverse the surf zone while already tired, in day-loaded boats.
Location TBD. Hobuck beach campground. Ready to paddle at 9 AM.
I'm listing this as one large group, but as the registration numbers settle, it is likely we'll split this large group into two "pods" going to the same location.
Hobuck Beach & Neah Bay
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Custom Correct North Olympic Coast
Green Trails Cape Flattery No. 98S
MapTech Cape Flattery to Whidbey Island No. 103
Sea Trails Strait of Juan de Fuca & Crescent Lake WA301
Sea Trails Roadless Coast, Neah Bay to Ruby Beach WA302
NOAA Cape Flattery No. 18485
Green Trails Olympic Coast Beaches No. 99S - See full route/place details.
Required Equipment
This is an advanced paddle, and preparations should be made for it out of an abundance of caution.
You should bring everything you normally bring for a long day paddle, plus some. You don't need a chart and compass, or fire starter.
You should have spare food and water, spare dry clothes, a first aid kit for yourself, and a boat repair kit for yourself. Bring an emergency shelter for yourself (like a blue plastic tarp or bivy sack) in case we need to bivouac overnight. We've never needed to before, but this is THAT REMOTE!
Dry-suits, helmets, and a vhf marine radio are mandatory.
I highly recommend a spare paddle (with a deck mounted paddle holder such as Northwater paddle britches).
2025 Makah recreation permit is required, and is available at the gas station in town and the office at Hobuck campground.
Some people like to bring waterproof flashlights for use in the caves.
A camera is something most will want to capture the scenery.