Sea Kayak - Tacoma Narrows

Trip Report

SIGHTED: EAGLE, GREAT BLUE HERON, CORMORANT, COOT, SEAL, SEA LION

 

There was a backup on 18 westbound and I called Terence and Tim en route to let them know to take the exit for 19^th Street and arrive as soon as they could.  Tim was already at the Point Defiance Marina boat launch immediately east of the Vashon Ferry dock. Terence would arrive soon after I did.  In spite of the delays we launched only 15 minutes late at 1445 with our parking paid for (credit card $7.50) and vehicles parked conveniently close to the boat ramp.  The ferry obligingly left just as we were launching so we didn’t lose any time waiting for it.  I did our pre-trip huddle en route once clear of the ferry dock.

 

Terence had done this trip with me a few years ago.  Tim had never been through the Tacoma Narrows at all but has 30 years of paddling experience including some coastal so I correctly figured he wouldn’t have any issues.

 

We had a nice strong push towards the rocks at Point Defiance which died almost as soon as we turned the corner. 

The tide was very high up so most of the beaches had disappeared. All the way we were pleasantly accompanied by many curious seals.

Point Defiance is a not surprisingly a very dynamic area and the wildlife viewing is some of the best.  We saw an eagle perched in a tree high above us. 

Once at the point the sea lions became more numerous. 

We still had some of the fast dwindling flood behind us but it was already reversing by the time we reached the bridge. 

Photo: Timothy Wright

Photo: Timothy Wright

It was barely 1630 so I proposed a trip down the east side of Day Island through the marina.  Normally I see it with its exposed rock and limited range on the ebb.  This is only the second time in many years that I have been able to make it all the way to the back, proof positive that while Day might have been an island once it is not now.  Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of the back end.  I did get one of the bridge to the island and we all remarked on how skimpy the legs of it were, particularly when compared to the Narrows Bridge we had just passed.

Of course, this bridge doesn’t have any where near the demands on it that the other one does!  At times the Tacoma Narrows Bridge looked very close as we approached the little bridge from the south; it was a rather odd perspective.

We could stick our paddles down and feel the large submerged rock that now barely provided a perch for some GBHs who surprisingly didn’t budge when we went by.

 

It was 9 miles and 1700 when we pulled up on the beach at Titlow.  Even though the carry was very short it was made difficult by those of us with short legs trying to get over the eroded bits.  A very kind and obliging gentleman appeared out of nowhere and insisted on taking my end over on both of the boats I carried; Terence and Tim got mine. All were deposited on the grassy area closest to the railroad track. I changed my shoes while Terence and Tim also removed their drysuits. 

 

The Beach pub was very crowded as there was a baseball game in progress; we had to wait briefly for a table to clear before we could sit down.  Fortunately the service was slow; we had time to kill before we could launch.  I had also brought some apple cake to share at the end of the meal. It was almost 7 PM when I got went to the bathroom to put on an extra layer before going back to the boats.  It was 1915 when we launched in the rapidly fading light.  We did a radio check, left the radios on and headed straight across the channel for about 10 minutes before making a hard right towards the center of the bridge.  Things got slightly bumpy as usual directly underneath the bridge but the many lights off of it made the viewing easy.  Things got dark again as soon as the bridge was behind us but even though the almost full moon was playing peek a boo behind the clouds we had no trouble seeing the water moving towards us.  By now the north breeze had risen creating and opposing wind/current situation that just provided some bouncy fun now and then with some satisfying smacks of water interacting on my bow. Judging from the distant lights on the shores and hills I figured we were going at least six knots with little effort.

 

The water coming out of the Narrows splits with the west side heading up Colvos Passage and Gig Harbor.  The east side will go on around the point but these actions, the water flowing out of Commencement Bay and the bathymetrics create a very large whirlpool in the channel between the Point Defiance and south Vashon Island shorelines.  It wasn’t long before I knew we had to get out of the central current and so we took a hard ferry to head east towards the street lights coming down the hill towards the Salmon Beach Waterfront neighborhood. Most of the homes were well lit and it was easy to distinguish them and the absolutely black area that is Point Tacoma Park to the north.  By now it was easy to see the flashing white nav aid at the point.  When the light was blocked we headed  north parallel to the dark shoreline.  I could hear the faint chuff and snorting of a sea lion close by and could soon make out at least two very close by going the other way past us.

 

We were still making fast time—at least five knots—as we passed the marker and entered the confused waters around the point.  No chattering this year although I did get my stern jerked sharply at one point. Soon we were clear of the point and into the smoother waters along the shore.  I had been looking for seals on the rocks at the point where they usually are but saw none.  Unfortunately they were lying on the now exposed beaches.  Their splashing as they entered the water to our right was confusing at first; there were no boat wakes or wind waves.  It was only then I could make out their grey lumps.  We all felt bad for disturbing them and in future will stay farther away from the shore, at least for the first quarter mile or so on the north side of the point. 

 

We could easily see the flashing white light of Brown’s Point but were puzzled at the pulsing red light to the north of it and finally decided it was a fire engine or something on the a street. It didn’t take very long before we were reaching the lights of the marina and an extremely bright steady white light that turned out to be a hand held one by a woman standing on the dock.  We arrived at the adjacent boat launch a few minutes before 2100. 

 

It was a surprisingly warm night with no wind so it made it an easy time to get the boats and bags up the slippery lower ramp and stashed in and on our cars.  No complaints were made and thanks exchanged and on the road within 45 minutes.  While the currents were not as fast as other years or the moon as bright we were satisfied with what we got--Tim clocked us at 7.61 knots with an average of 4.26 on the way back!  Both paddlers performed well with excellent group dynamics. 

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