Nisqually to Point Defiance

This is a great full-day sea kayak sailing route. Although it can be done in around 4-5 hours, the shuttle adds a fair amount of time. On this day, Friday evening rush hour after a stormy day made for a two-hour shuttle back to the launch.

Gray, overcast, virtually no rain. Wind speeds were in the 12mph range with gusts as high as 30mph in the afternoon. It was a warm day for December, high of 56 degrees, nice to not have to wear heavy clothes and gloves to keep warm.

This was the third time I’ve done this route this season. GPS showed a max speed of 9.1kt with many spikes to 6kt. Despite being peak kayaking season, we did not see another personal watercraft.

We planned to stop in Steilacoom and at Titlow Beach for breaks, but the conditions were so good and our trepidation about the building 2.5kt flood lead us to keep sailing past Titlow, stopping at Tacoma Narrows Point Evans instead.

The best conditions were to the west of Ketron Island and in the fetch north of Steilacoom as the flood began to peak. We surfed through the Narrows against a 2.5kt flood. It was slow going, but the number of waves in the 3ft range made it worth it.

Sea lions of the tip of Point Defiance. Seals on shore spooked by our sudden appearance. Wind rotors can be violent on the north side. Good reasons to go wide as you round the point.