San Juans - Columbia Kayak Adventures

TR, San Juan Islands, September 25-29, 2008
A group of 11 stayed at a rental house on the south
end of Lopez Island, paddling day-trips and spending
time improving paddling skills. Trip leaders were Pat
Welle and Tim Mattson; guests were: Gail, Greg,
Marissa, Andy, Edie, Pat, Helen, Jim, and Tommy.
Location: Lopez is a 45-minute ferry ride from
Anacortes, and the rental house was on the south
end of the island, facing Outer Bay, across a road
from a gravelly beach. There was plenty of room in
the yard for the many boats, and we usually carried
them down to the water and back with each trip. The
beach had good-sized logs and rocks on the upper
portion, making it necessary to use care in moving
the boats. The house was roomy, with four
bedrooms and a loft, plus spacious common areas.
Lopez Island, San Juans
House on Outer Bay
Weather was exceptional most days, with little to no wind, sunshine and temperatures in the lower 60s. Andy,
Greg and Gail had been on a similar trip last year to Stuart Island and commented the water seemed colder
this year, possibly due to being a more exposed location.
Thursday we met about noon, unloaded gear and food, reviewed logistics, safety issues and upcoming
paddling ideas, then headed to the water, launching about 2pm. We paddled west around a point into
MacKaye Harbor, looking at forward strokes, introducing some to side strokes, and generally exploring the
broken shoreline. The land here is rocky cliffs with underwater grasses and broken rock. We played DeadFish-Polo, a game of kayak maneuvering while trying to pass a fish-resembling sponge (using only the paddle)
- this became a regular event throughout the weekend - then had a back-band repair (required a beach
landing) and a little on-water boat-switching.
Thursday evening we planned Friday's paddle. A review of current conditions rejected the desired route up
the southwest side of San Juan Island to False Bay, as we would have spent most of the day paddling against
the current. Instead, we planned a paddle through San Juan Channel between San Juan and Lopez Islands.
By leaving a vehicle at Fisherman Bay we created a one-way of about 8 miles, or a 16-mile paddle for those
going both ways.
Friday morning was partly-sunny and calm; we drove a vehicle up to Fisherman Bay and looked at Otis
Perkins Park (off Bayshore Road) as a place to leave a vehicle. There were no restrooms here, though there
is a nice beach, so we chose to leave a car at the public landing on the northeast side of Fisherman Bay.
The group departed around 10 am from Outer Bay and headed west, staying north of Charles Island. We had
current with us and reached the channel between Lopez and San Juan Islands about 11am, well before the
maximum flood of 3.7 kt at 12:45. The flow was obviously stronger in the channel, but our early arrival offered
A draft line
headed toward
San Juan
Channel.
a chance to play near the entrance of the pass. We circled around Deadman Island, pushing through a
narrow channel and coming back south to catch the flood in the main channel a second time. Tim went farther
through the pass, catching some bouncy waves at the upper end, then came back around. Pat then took part
of the group out to the main body of moving water and let them catch as much of it as they were comfortable
with. The group met up again at the north end of the pass, then took a break on the beach north of Shark
Reef.
After the break, we paddled
along the west side of Lopez
Island up to Fisherman Bay,
landing about 2pm. Tim, Pat,
Gail, Greg, Marissa and Andy
chose to paddle back, while the
others returned to the house via
car. The paddling group
departed about 3pm, catching
an increasing ebb; returning to
the house about 5:30, and
finishing with a great game of Dead-Fish.
Floating through San Juan Channel
Saturday's paddle was a planned one-way up the east side of Lopez Island into Lopez Sound. Vehicles were
left at Hunter Bay Boat Ramp, a public dock on the point between Hunter and Mud Bays. We left the launch
about 10:30, relatively timed to go out with the change from ebb to flood and catch the flood up the west edge
of Rosario Straight.
One objective of Saturday's paddle was to explore the tide zone and we spent considerable time going around
Iceberg Point, looking at the numerous starfish, tidal grasses, seaweed and barnacles along the edges. This
was also a good chance to practice fine boat control, and Tim and Pat encouraged 'rock hopping' into the
narrow crevices along here. The area above water here is a public park with good hiking trails. We spotted
several people hiking and later had members of our group explore the area.
About noon Tim and Pat gathered
the group and asked to have them
locate us on the charts most of them
carried. Several had us already
heading north along the east side of
the island; Greg had pinpointed us
(correctly), directly south of Aleck
Bay. The major clue was the
navigational aide off Davidson Rock,
plus the traveled distance (looking
again at the chart) beyond Iceberg
Point. We encouraged the group to
push past Point Colville and took a
break on the beach just beyond this
point.
Gail & Edie exploring the tidal zone.
Starting out again about 1:30 we headed north around the outside of Boulder Island and up towards Cape St.
Mary. We were definitely within the north-flowing current and stayed offshore somewhat to gain more of the
effect of it. After rounding Cape St. Mary, the Shoal Bight became obvious. Greg again spotted the
navigational aide on the north side of Lopez Pass. Ideally we wanted to be through the Pass between the
peak flood at 12:40 and minimum before ebb (slack) at 4:40. We went through about 2:30pm; the water was
still noticeably moving into the Sound, and Tim and Pat spent a few minutes playing in the small chop outside.
The Sound is a beautifully
protected area of small islands
and rocky shoreline and the
current was heading south so
again paddling was fairly easy.
Several in the group were in the
midst of a water-fight as Tim and
Pat rejoined them. Andy broke
up the water fight when he
capsized. The group landed at
the boat ramp about 3pm.
Tim chose to try his 'roll-off-thedock' maneuver here as there
Approaching Lopez Channel
was a high dock. He's done this
many times off lower docks (perhaps up to 5 feet); this dock was 15-20 feet above the water's surface. He
checked water depth carefully and chose a portion of the dock that would minimize potential of hitting any of
the dock's piers. As he set up, Andy, Pat and Gail positioned themselves as safety boats below. Tim's boat
had to be placed on top of the dock's railing as it was too high to roll over. Greg and Tommy assisted with
that, then backed off so no one was touching the boat as Tim rolled. Video later showed Tim hitting the water
side-on, and after some hesitation, he rolled back up. The impact seemed significant to those in the safety
boats, and the delay in an immediate roll was startling, but the only injury was a bruised foot due to a foot peg
Everyone returned to the house and after a relaxed break, several chose to do a night paddle. Pat, Tim, Greg,
Gail, Andy and Marissa launched at about 7 pm with 2-3 glow-sticks per boat, and headed west out of Outer
Bay. We enjoyed the sunset and noted lights of Port Angeles and likely Victoria as we paddled the south side
of Charles Island. We grouped briefly as we observed a boat traveling south through the Channel. Currents
here were interesting; an ebb was pushing against us as we rounded the west side of the island, but swirled
amongst the rocks as well.
Turning back easterly the full dark brought out the dinoflagellates beautifully. Each paddle stroke created a
multitude of star patterns in the water and we all played with splashing, side strokes and speeds to change the
effect. We stayed fairly close as a group, occasionally counting off, but always visible by the glow-sticks. A
game of Dead-Fish was played using several glow-sticks stuck into the 'fish'. We finally gave into fatigue and
landed about 9pm.
Sunday was a much more relaxed day; the weather was again sunny and calm. The group that had been out
Saturday night convinced the remainder they needed to see the dinoflagellates, so another night paddle was
planned. Tim and Pat took Gail, Greg, Marissa, Andy, Helen and Jim out to work on skills; Jim spent the time
exploring the tidal zone along the north shore of Outer Bay, while Pat worked with Helen and Tim worked with
the others on more advanced strokes. We eventually regrouped and did some Dead-Fish 'catch', where the
object was more how accurately the
fish could be lobbed.
A few played a rougher version of
Dead-Fish, then Tim, Pat, Andy and
Marissa worked on Marissa's
balance brace - the technique of
laying on your back in the water with
the boat on its side. It was great to
see Marissa succeed at this. The
paddle ended with Tim rolling with
Pat laying on the back deck.
Marissa's successful Balance Brace
Sunday evening the group (all but Tim and Tommy), launched at 8pm. Three boats - Greg in the lead and
Andy and Marissa at the end - had yellow lights hanging from their stern and bow toggles (stern for Greg, bow
for the others). The remaining boats each had a glow-stick off their bow line; Pat and Gail stayed on either
side of the four others. With this formation, we paddled along the north shore of Outer Bay, then around the
point into MacKaye Harbor.
The paddle was great - the dinoflagellates became visible about half-way out of Outer Bay, and we had great
starlight to go with. In Mackaye Harbor we discovered pin-prick lights underwater; not as concentrated as the
dinoflagellates seen at the surface, but possibly due to the underwater grasses stirring the dinos into their light
reaction. It was more like looking at very clear stars a few inches beneath the water.
Greg occasionally had trouble discerning shadow from actual rock, and caught himself a couple of times just
short of hitting his boat against them. It was interesting to paddle so near to the rocks as that afforded a
darker view for the dinoflagellates, but it was somewhat disorientating.
The group returned at 9pm, and set up a 'chain gain' to get all the boats over the logs. This worked well to
minimize the amount of walking over the large logs and rocks of the beach in the dark.
The group dispersed Monday, with a few leaving to catch the 7:45am ferry, and the remaining traveling on the
11am ferry. Overall, it was a great trip; very successful in terms of activity, weather, and sights. The
differences between this and last years' trip included nicer accommodations, a little more interesting places to
paddle with more opportunity for differences in trip length (helped by having vehicles and places to shuttle to),
and somewhat nicer weather and conditions. The instruction portion of this year's trip was toned down, likely
due to interests, but also the easier conditions afforded by this location and weather.
Plans for next year's trip are underway.
"Laugh uncontrollably... it clears the mind." - from Andy's chocolate, and great trip quote.