Commencement Bay

June 13, 2015: This was an urban paddle; we launched from the Foss Marina floating dock in Tacoma and proceeded up the Thea Foss Waterway. We had some headwinds while traveling west which subsided once we were out into Commencement Bay. Traveling up the Thea Foss we passed the Museum of Glass, several sail and motor boats in the Marina. We passed two docked Naval Ships, a grain elevator complex that used rail and container ships for transport of grain. We stopped at the Reconciliation Park for a short walk and had lunch at Dickman Mill Park. We paddled along Rustin Way and restaurant row. We moved in and out of pilings practicing boat control. We practiced our wet exits, assisted rescues and returned back to the launch site at the floating dock. At the dock we had access to a hose that was hooked up to fresh water to rinse our kayaks and gear before loading them. There was a variety of boat traffic; sailboats, motor boats, police boat, parasailing, fishing boats, all kinds of activity to share the water with and to practice safety awareness. Our student successfully completed the requirements for graduating from the Tacoma Basic Sea Kayaking Class 2015. No incidents to report. It was a good paddle.