East Passage, Puget Sound

Enjoy a moderate sea kayak trip along the eastern shore of Puget Sound's East Passage between Tacoma and Des Moines or cross to Vashon or Maury Island. Launch and landing points of interest include Saltwater State Park, Dash Point State Park, and Point Robinson.

launch points

on the water

Shoreline

Paddle along the shoreline from any of the launch points for a moderate day of sea kayaking and enjoy views of the Olympic Mountains. Expect some winds.

Crossings

For more challenging and exposed sea kayaking consider a crossing from the one of the launch points on the eastern shore to Vashon or Maury Island.

  • It is an exposed area with large fetch to the north and  south.
  • Crossings between the mainland and Maury  Island are at least 2 nm.
  • Kayakers should bring a marine VHF radio to coordinate crossing the  Puget Sound shipping lane with  Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) using Channel 14.

INFORMATION FOR LEADERS

SCHEDULING

This route allows multiple bookings. Please check scheduled trips listed below in the "Activities" tab to see if there is another group already booked on the same day. If so, please coordinate with them to ensure you are carpooling and heading to different locations at different areas. Please keep groups to two per launch point.

  • Difficulty: Sea Kayak II/III
  • Land Manager: Land Manager Varies
  • Parking Permit Required: see Land Manager
  • Recommended Party Size: 12
  • Maximum Party Size: 12
  • Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12
Map
  • Sea Trails Vashon Island, Tacoma Narrows to Elliot Bay WA203
  • MapTech Oak Bay to Commencement Bay No. 102
  • MapTech Puget Sound Chart No. 100
  • NOAA Puget Sound: Southern Part No. 18448
Activities

Upcoming Activities

Sea Kayak - East Passage

Sea Kayaking Trip
Southworth Ferry to Lincoln Park - across and back.
Difficulty: Sea Kayak III/IV
Sun, Apr 21, 2024
Prerequisites, Leader's Permission Required
3 participants on waitlist 0 leaders
Registration closes Apr 19
Seattle Branch
Sandra Relyea
Trip Reports
Titles

This is a list of titles that represent the variations of trips you can take at this route/place. This includes side trips, extensions and peak combinations. Not seeing a title that fits your trip? Log in and send us updates, images, or resources.

  • East Passage
  • Dash Point to Saltwater
  • Saltwater State Park to Dash Point State Park
  • Dash Point State Park to Saltwater State Park
  • Redondo Beach to Dash Point State Park
  • Point Robinson and the East Passage
Resources

There are no resources for this route/place. Log in and send us updates, images, or resources.