Sound Tourist Outing to Blake Island
This was the first ever outing of the Sound Tourists. Hurray for us!
I took my son Max with me to the Don Armeni Boat Launch in West Seattle early Saturday morning for the scheduled 9 AM departure. There we met Vadim and Donald in the parking lot. They were double checking the water conditions, trying to decide if the moderately strong northerly winds and waves were within their abilities for safe travel via kayak.
Having chosen the Escapade for this trip I was very confident about Max and I being able to safely make the trip. Vadim and Donald said that the current conditions were acceptable, but if it got worse then they would probably have a tough time.
Terrie arrived shortly afterwards with her kayak. She was of like mind with Vadim and Donald.
Everyone prepared for departure. Max helped me launch the Escapade, holding onto the bow line as I backed the trailer into the water. The boat ramp was fairly shallow so I ended up having to pull the Escapade off the trailer and into the water. After tying it to a cleat on the dock I went to help Vadim get his kayak ready.
Meanwhile, Max had finished his breakfast and was collecting shells and shell fragments from along the shoreline.
Vadim and I took his kayak down to the southernmost ramp. It had collected quite a bit of sand over winter and the upper part was blocked by a log. Combined with the breakwater effects of the other floating docks this made it a perfect place to launch a kayak.
After a few minutes everyone was ready to depart. Max and I climbed into the Escapade and pedaled away from the ramp into open water.
Vadim was there and we cruised around slowly waiting for Donald and Terrie. The waves were in the 1 foot range, and I managed to get a couple of shots of Vadim's hull catching a little air.
With the arrival of Donald and Terrie and a VHF radio check we set off to Blake Island!
Max was wearing a child's PFD under his down ski jacket. He also had on a warm hat. He was sitting on the rear seat bundled up under a comforter, and was generally keeping nice and warm. Once in a while, however, he was surprised by a bit of spray from a wave splashing the side of the boat.
"Dad! I just got hit by water!"
"I'll try to keep that from happening, Max" I said, "but there is no guarantee that it won't happen again!".
Meanwhile, I was getting a bit warm pedaling. I was wearing some long nylon pants over bike shorts, a long sleeved t-shirt, long sleeved nylon shirt, sweater, nylon jacket and a "foreign legion" style of baseball cap to keep the sun off. Opening up the jacket and sweater was enough to let the cool breeze cool me off.
We reached the NE point and headed west towards Alki Beach.
The water was a bit rougher here. With the high tide the area was perhaps 7 to 10 feet deep, so the wind driven waves were building up a bit on the bottom.
So far we were moving along at about 4 to 5 mph, keeping relatively close together. Donald and Terrie were in front with Vadim and me keeping more or less together behind.
Like the parking lot at Don Armeni the waters of Elliott Bay were pretty empty. I guess it was a bit rough for the general boating public, with winds from 10 to 15 knots and waves 2 or more feet.
When I asked everyone about the conditions and their sense of the conditions they all replied that it was OK for now, but if it got worse then they would want to turn around. Onward!
Ahead we saw a crescent shaped kite moving high over the water. Below it we could barely make out the sight of someone on a sort of surfboard traveling rapidly over the water. A kite surfer!
He was out there speeding over the water in big circles, going this way and that as we made our way past Alki Beach. It must be pretty cold!
We reached the Alki Beach House where the annual Sound Rowers Great Cross Sound Race starts and ends. I mentioned to Vadim that it was too bad we don't normally have conditions like this in August. It would be much more fun!
Max was starting to get uncomfortable with the rocking of the boat. I suggested he try looking at the horizon rather than the inside of the boat, but that did not seem to help. He was starting to get seasick.
To the north we saw a great fleet of sailboats. They all had their colorful spinnakers deployed, filled with wind and heading our way. It was a beautiful sight!
By this time I was getting pretty warm so I stopped and took off the nylon pants. Ahh - much better!
Just as we passed the Alki Point Lighthouse Max couldn't hold it any longer. After losing his breakfast over the side - "Sorry Dad. I got some on the side of the boat" - I stopped and held conference with Vadim. I told Vadim that with Max being seasick there would be no way Max would be able to put up with going over to Blake Island and back. If Vadim wanted to continue on with Donald and Terrie that would be OK.
Vadim said that he would rather return to the start.
As Donald and Terrie were several hundred yards ahead and partly into the channel between the mainland and Blake Island I called them on the VHF. After a few tries we made contact and I told them the situation. The both of them decided it would be better to stay together and return to the start with us.
The nearly noontime sun was feeling pretty strong, so I put on some sunscreen. I hoped it was soon enough!
Heading back was quite a bit slower than heading out. We were going no faster than about 3 mph with beam seas. It was fun to see the waves obscure the kayaks so that only the heads and upper torsos of their occupants could be seen above the water, though this somehow didn't impress Max. He decided he would rather lay in the bottom of the boat curled up under the blanket. Poor guy!
As we finally neared the NE point again we saw a number of small Coast Guard patrol boats leaving the boat launch. Apparently one of the sailboats had capsized and these guys were heading out to rescue them. I guess we missed the excitement!
The kayaks beached and I tied up the boat at the dock. Max felt better almost immediately upon reaching dry land - yay!
After loading up the kayaks and putting the boat back on the trailer we carpooled over to Alki Beach for lunch. So, instead of salmon at Tillicum Village we had halibut and prawns at Alki.
Everyone agreed that it was a challenging but fun day!
More photos can be found here.
I took my son Max with me to the Don Armeni Boat Launch in West Seattle early Saturday morning for the scheduled 9 AM departure. There we met Vadim and Donald in the parking lot. They were double checking the water conditions, trying to decide if the moderately strong northerly winds and waves were within their abilities for safe travel via kayak.
Having chosen the Escapade for this trip I was very confident about Max and I being able to safely make the trip. Vadim and Donald said that the current conditions were acceptable, but if it got worse then they would probably have a tough time.
Terrie arrived shortly afterwards with her kayak. She was of like mind with Vadim and Donald.
Everyone prepared for departure. Max helped me launch the Escapade, holding onto the bow line as I backed the trailer into the water. The boat ramp was fairly shallow so I ended up having to pull the Escapade off the trailer and into the water. After tying it to a cleat on the dock I went to help Vadim get his kayak ready.
Meanwhile, Max had finished his breakfast and was collecting shells and shell fragments from along the shoreline.
Vadim and I took his kayak down to the southernmost ramp. It had collected quite a bit of sand over winter and the upper part was blocked by a log. Combined with the breakwater effects of the other floating docks this made it a perfect place to launch a kayak.
After a few minutes everyone was ready to depart. Max and I climbed into the Escapade and pedaled away from the ramp into open water.
Vadim was there and we cruised around slowly waiting for Donald and Terrie. The waves were in the 1 foot range, and I managed to get a couple of shots of Vadim's hull catching a little air.
With the arrival of Donald and Terrie and a VHF radio check we set off to Blake Island!
Max was wearing a child's PFD under his down ski jacket. He also had on a warm hat. He was sitting on the rear seat bundled up under a comforter, and was generally keeping nice and warm. Once in a while, however, he was surprised by a bit of spray from a wave splashing the side of the boat.
"Dad! I just got hit by water!"
"I'll try to keep that from happening, Max" I said, "but there is no guarantee that it won't happen again!".
Meanwhile, I was getting a bit warm pedaling. I was wearing some long nylon pants over bike shorts, a long sleeved t-shirt, long sleeved nylon shirt, sweater, nylon jacket and a "foreign legion" style of baseball cap to keep the sun off. Opening up the jacket and sweater was enough to let the cool breeze cool me off.
We reached the NE point and headed west towards Alki Beach.
The water was a bit rougher here. With the high tide the area was perhaps 7 to 10 feet deep, so the wind driven waves were building up a bit on the bottom.
So far we were moving along at about 4 to 5 mph, keeping relatively close together. Donald and Terrie were in front with Vadim and me keeping more or less together behind.
Like the parking lot at Don Armeni the waters of Elliott Bay were pretty empty. I guess it was a bit rough for the general boating public, with winds from 10 to 15 knots and waves 2 or more feet.
When I asked everyone about the conditions and their sense of the conditions they all replied that it was OK for now, but if it got worse then they would want to turn around. Onward!
Ahead we saw a crescent shaped kite moving high over the water. Below it we could barely make out the sight of someone on a sort of surfboard traveling rapidly over the water. A kite surfer!
He was out there speeding over the water in big circles, going this way and that as we made our way past Alki Beach. It must be pretty cold!
We reached the Alki Beach House where the annual Sound Rowers Great Cross Sound Race starts and ends. I mentioned to Vadim that it was too bad we don't normally have conditions like this in August. It would be much more fun!
Max was starting to get uncomfortable with the rocking of the boat. I suggested he try looking at the horizon rather than the inside of the boat, but that did not seem to help. He was starting to get seasick.
To the north we saw a great fleet of sailboats. They all had their colorful spinnakers deployed, filled with wind and heading our way. It was a beautiful sight!
By this time I was getting pretty warm so I stopped and took off the nylon pants. Ahh - much better!
Just as we passed the Alki Point Lighthouse Max couldn't hold it any longer. After losing his breakfast over the side - "Sorry Dad. I got some on the side of the boat" - I stopped and held conference with Vadim. I told Vadim that with Max being seasick there would be no way Max would be able to put up with going over to Blake Island and back. If Vadim wanted to continue on with Donald and Terrie that would be OK.
Vadim said that he would rather return to the start.
As Donald and Terrie were several hundred yards ahead and partly into the channel between the mainland and Blake Island I called them on the VHF. After a few tries we made contact and I told them the situation. The both of them decided it would be better to stay together and return to the start with us.
The nearly noontime sun was feeling pretty strong, so I put on some sunscreen. I hoped it was soon enough!
Heading back was quite a bit slower than heading out. We were going no faster than about 3 mph with beam seas. It was fun to see the waves obscure the kayaks so that only the heads and upper torsos of their occupants could be seen above the water, though this somehow didn't impress Max. He decided he would rather lay in the bottom of the boat curled up under the blanket. Poor guy!
As we finally neared the NE point again we saw a number of small Coast Guard patrol boats leaving the boat launch. Apparently one of the sailboats had capsized and these guys were heading out to rescue them. I guess we missed the excitement!
The kayaks beached and I tied up the boat at the dock. Max felt better almost immediately upon reaching dry land - yay!
After loading up the kayaks and putting the boat back on the trailer we carpooled over to Alki Beach for lunch. So, instead of salmon at Tillicum Village we had halibut and prawns at Alki.
Everyone agreed that it was a challenging but fun day!
More photos can be found here.
posted by Michael Lampi @ 3:57 PM
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