Lake Union

Rating: SKII

Distance:  5 NM

Date:  December 15, 2001

Leader: Pete Schwab                        Participants:  4

Launch:   0900                                    Return:  1400

Weather:  Overcast, raining off and on, ~40F, light breezes but building from SE and SW after lunch.

Description: Here's a trip you can take in just about any kind of weather and still have a great time.  It was cold, rainy and breezy but a good time was had by all.

We launched from the public ramp on the north side of the lake about a half mile east of Gasworks Park and paddled across to the east side of the lake in an area populated with houseboats.  Houseboats?  Maybe we need some new language here.  Mansionboats would be closer to the truth.  Looks like a really pleasant lifestyle.  Fireplaces pumping out the heat...kayaks out on the deck.  Ah, to be wealthy!  It's also a great place to practice your maneuvering skills.  There are lots of narrow passages and low hanging docks to paddle around and under.  We followed that lead as we paddled south towards the city.  Traveling south we passed some huge ocean going tugs, fishing boats and finally the Fisherman's Terminal.  At the extreme southwest end of the lake there's actually a small piece of land with nothing built on it.  Just a couple of trees sticking out of the water.....home to a somewhat domesticated Blue Heron.

On a cold rainy day you've got the place to yourself

From there we paddled north touring all the docks and marinas we could find and crossed over to Gasworks Park where we headed west, passing under the I-5 bridge and on to the Agua Verde Mexican Restaurant and Paddle Club where we stopped for lunch.  Foods good.  Prices moderate.  There weren't any tie-down cleats on the docks so we pulled our boats out of the water and onto the docks while we lunched.

The weather was really getting nasty after lunch so we elected to wimp out and just head back to the launch site, stopping only for a short paddle tour around the Kalakala, an ancient ferry recently returned from an almost watery grave up in Alaska.

Lot of nooks and crannies, houseboats, and docks to check out

Tides/Currents:  There aren't any.  Makes trip planning a breeze.

Charts:

Chart #18447 - Lake Washington Ship Canal and Lake Washington, Side A.

Directions to Launch Site: From I-5 at Highway 16 in Tacoma it takes about 45 minutes to get to the launch site in good traffic conditions (~30 miles).  Follow I-5 north to Seattle crossing the bridge towards the "U" district and take Exit 169 (45th Street).  Stay to the left and go left on 45th.  Go about 8 blocks until you see Sunnyside Ave N and turn left following it all the way down the hill to Pacific.  Turn right on Pacific and then take the first left that leads down across the tracks to Northlake Way.  Turn left on Northlake and drive a short distance till you see the Seattle Marina sign and the launch ramp.

Facilities:
1.  The launch site has a port-o-let and it's large enough to change clothes in.  Pretty clean.
2.  There's plenty of parking along the street across from the launch ramp.

Sample Magazine Submittal:  Lake Union (SKII). 5NM.  Explore Lake Union and it's marinas, fishing vessels, and urban splendor.  We'll lunch at the Agua Verde Mexican Restaurant and Paddle Club over in the "U" district, and follow our instincts for the afternoon. Call Pete Schwab 253-735-9402.

References: 

Bailey, Jo, and Carl Nyberg. Gunkholing in South Puget Sound. Seattle: San Juan Enterprises, Inc.
1997. Pp.16-53.