Alki Beach to Discovery Park

Rating: SKIII

Distance: 13.5 NM

Date: Sept. 25, 1999

Leader: Pete Schwab                            Participants: 12

Launch: 08:30                           Return: 3:30

Weather: Light breezes, ~70F, Clear, wind waves on return crossing 1-1 ½ feet.

Description: Launched at 08:30 to allow plenty of time for the trip. From Alki Beach we headed into Elliot Bay and toured along the edge of the Port facilities. We headed straight for the new baseball park (Safeco Field) and then paddled along the docks, avoiding the ferrys as they left for Brainbridge and Bremerton. What a beautiful view of the city! After clearing the docks we headed along the shore for Smith Cove. We never were really sure which cove was ‘Smith’ but concluded the following: After you pass the grain elevators and all the docks beyond that, and just before you get to the marina, there’s a cove to the right with a sandy beach and probably bathrooms. We continued on past the marina and turned in just at the end (and sort of behind) the marina. There’s a beach there. Some of us climbed up the rocky wall to use the private bathrooms nearby or the public bathrooms at the far end of the parking lot. After a nice break we continued on to Discovery Park. We rounded West Point and beached just around the north side of the point. Real nice beach here, a great place for lunch. Bathrooms, however, require a fairly long walk up into Discovery Park itself. After lunch we headed back the way we came but well before reaching the marina we turned South and crossed directly to Alki Beach. This is a 2 ½ mile crossing (hence the SKIII rating). Waves out in the center were mostly 1 – 1 ½ feet and provided a little fun. One 3 footer was spawned by a passing tugboat. It was the giant ‘rogue wave’ of the day. Completed the crossing and landed on Alki Beach at around 3:30.

Tides/Currents Our trip went out on the ebb and returned on the flood but tides and currents in Elliot Bay are for the most part, light and variable. Nevertheless, we did seem to get a nice boost when we left Discovery on the return to Alki.

Charts:

Waterproof Chart #30 – Puget Sound – International Sailing Supply.

Puget Sound Current Guide – Island Canoe, Inc.

Chart #18440 - Puget Sound

Chart #18445 – Puget Sound – Possession Sound to Olympia, Pages A.

Notes:

  1. Bathrooms were a problem on this trip. An auto excursion to check out these things might have been warranted.
  2. Keep the group close together if you do the crossing from Magnolia to Alki. Ferry and other traffic must be closely monitored.

Directions to Launch Site: Takes about 40 minutes from I-5 @ Hwy 16..

  1. From I5 @ Hwy 16 in Tacoma follow I-5 north for 29 miles and take Exit 163 (West Seattle Bridge).
  2. Cross the bridge and turn (bare) off to the right on Admiral Way just before the end of the bridge.
  3. Follow Admiral Way up and over the ridge. At about 3 miles, turn right on 59th.
  4. Take 59th down to Alki Ave. at the beach. Turn right and drive to the end of 55th street. You’ll see a sign indicating the launch point. Parking here is perpendicular to the street and works well.

Facilities

  1. Alki Beach has bathrooms along the sidewalk. Kinda dirty places, though. Parking is available near the launch area but is almost full even at 08:00. We had to park at different spots along Alki Avenue.
  2. There’s probably a bathroom at Smith Cove, but we did not verify it.
  3. Bathrooms are available up from the beach at the marina. There are private ones nearby and public restrooms at the far end of the parking lot.
  4. Discovery Park bathrooms are up into the park. There are none close by at the beach where we stopped for lunch.

Sample Magazine Submittal: Alki Beach to Discovery Park (SKIII). 13.5 NM RT. See the big city! See the big boats! With good tides, and hopefully good weather, this trip should be a lot easier than the mileage indicates. Start early for a moderate pace.

References:

Bailey, Jo, and Carl Nyberg. Gunkholing in South Puget Sound. Seattle: San Juan Enterprises, Inc. 1997. Pp. 77-86.

Scott, James W., and Melly A. Reuling. Washington Public Shore Guide. Seattle: University of Washington Press. 1986. pp. 162-167.

Washburne, Randel. Kayaking Puget Sound, the San Juans, and Gulf Islands. Seattle: The Mountaineers. 1996. pp. 88-90.