Sea Kayak - Commencement Bay

Trip Report

SIGHTED:  SEAL, SEA LION

 

I left my house in South Tacoma in quiet conditions but as I drove down Pearl Street I saw the trees whipping around and flags flying through the rain spattering periodically across the windshield.  My phone rang with Terry reporting NO parking anywhere at or above Owens Beach due to a fun run so I asked him to go to the marina boat launch next to the Vashon ferry instead.  I drove down there to find no boating activity other than the ferry.  I called Whitaker and Spencer who had just arrived in the park and told them the change in plan.  (This is exactly one of the reasons why I share a phone list prior to a trip!) Terry arrived with them just a few minutes later.

 

The Vashon ferry was unloading and a stream of people who came hurrying by, most of them wearing red hats, were obviously participating in the holiday run. Once our group assembled sheltering the best we could by the parking machine kiosk I described the forecast but the ferry and its wake was blocking our view of a good look at the water outside the jetty.  They all gamely opted to pay the $7.50 kayak launching fee and go with my alternate plan to forego the paddle to Brown Point and instead stay on the more protected southern shore to avoid most of the wind.  We would head east first before turning around when we felt like it and possibly go west to Point Defiance before returning to the boat launch, eating our lunch somewhere along the way.  We quickly got our stuff unloaded, cars parked (we were the only ones in the ENTIRE parking lot!) and were on the water about 0915.

 

Spencer and Whitaker are enthusiastic and talented 2024 graduates of the Olympia BSKC and reported already nailing rolls on both sides and just bought their second generation boats.  Although they did a Tacoma Narrows trip with me earlier in the year this was their first experience with wind and waves.  Before leaving the protected marina area I demonstrated some strokes and “walking around” another boat in case they were not comfortable handling their boats on their own. 

 

We cleared the jetty and headed east with a few patches of blue sky here and there between bigger dark clouds.  While the forecasted wind was SSW it actually felt like it was coming from the SE into our faces.  Fortunately the wind waves were not high although visibility was obscured by sheets of rain to the north. 

 

We continued on making decent time for about 15 minutes but I got the report that Whitaker was tiring.  Keeping in mind the difference that new boats can make we carefully turned around and then began the ride back pushed along by the wind and little waves to Spencer’s excited appreciation. 

 

 

The sun broke out and we were treated to a partial rainbow over Vashon Island! 

The Vashon ferry had returned and we slid on around the corner into the semi quiet marina back to the boat launch where Spencer and Whitaker hauled out their boats.

 

 

 

 

Terry and I opted to cross the departing ferry wake and head west to Point Defiance and proceeded smoothly past some fishers on the nearby dock and the now numerous racers on the waterside promenade heading towards Owens Beach.  It was quite a buzz of activity there with numerous vehicles, a large tent, blaring megaphone and lots of people many of whom were wrapped up in reflecting blankets.  We exchanged hellos with about half a dozen people shivering in the water obviously doing the “Vegas Nerve” dunk which made me grateful for my expensive dry suit. It didn’t take long to leave the noise behind us and continue along the shrinking shoreline.  We didn’t go all the way to the rocky point but decided to turn around after reminding a beach walker of the encroaching king tide.  She assured us she was familiar with it so we left her there watching a sea lion. Curiously the wind seemed to be coming from the SW at this time so I could only reason that it was either shifting or just a southern force that was wrapping around and over the point.   In either case Terry and I didn’t have any problems with it and soon were approaching Owens Beach again to see a sea lion there too.  It may have been the same one and we joined her to see the seething humanity all over the park.  (Extra Honey Buckets had been brought!)  The way back wasn’t as challenging as I thought it was going to be and far more entertaining watching the determined runners straggling in. We saw one runner limping along wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and his shoes which explained a lot.  Although the temperature wasn’t too bad the occasional blasting wind was chilly and the intermittent rain colder. 

 

Terry had a brand spanking new drysuit but said he didn’t need to do a swim test—the continuing rain and boat launch had already seen to that.

 

Most of the fishers were gone when we came back by the dock again but the current was against us slightly and the wind trying to blow us against the dock as we approached the concrete boat ramp.  The wind was at times driving as we walked up to go get our cars.  Once back in the staging area at the top of the ramp I sat in my car and waited for the current squall to pass.  A flag being whipped by the wind off the top of the clubhouse looked like it was going to snap the pole and the trees were waving quite a bit.  My little Honda shook in spite of being in the lee of the nearby building by the kiosk. 

 

Once the conditions improved a bit Terry and I jumped out and got our gear stashed and took turns holding the boat on top of their car until the other tied it down. Then we proceeded on to my house for a nice hot dinner- turned- lunch in Tacoma!

 

While it turned into more of a challenge than expected it was still a great day to be on the water!  All paddlers performed to the best of their abilities with excellent communication and group dynamics.  Special kudos to the intrepid newbies Spencer and especially Whitaker who was confident enough to communicate her concerns quickly and accurately to the group.  This is invaluable to a trip leader and given in enough time that might have avoided an incident that could have made for an adventure of a very different kind on this blustery day! 

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