Seattle Waterfront Kayak Trip

The weather forecast last Saturday, was brilliant, and gave me an excuse to load kayak and gear and head to the Seattle waterfront. I had errands to run in the big smoke, and with sunny skies, I just HAD to slip in some paddle time. Very few cities give you the opportunity to paddle amongst ferry boats, Coast Guard cutters, cruise ships, tankers, and have stunning views of the Olympic mountain range still cloaked in snow to the west. A bustling city landscape, and international shipping port complete with ballpark and adjacent football stadium, are all squeezed in along the waterfront, with the Space Needle as backdrop.

Adjacent to the Coast Guard station is the Jack Perry Memorial Public Access Park - basically a dead end road and ideal small public hand-carry kayak put-in managed by Seattle Parks. I was the only sole there except for a Seattle Paramedic Ambulance, throwing around a Frisbee in between calls. It’s a gem of a spot, that puts you right at the entrance to the Duwamish waterway, and within easy reach of the Seattle waterfront, and better yet no crowds!

I entered the water between two deteriorating piers, and immediately encountered a Coast Guard Patrol Boat. We surprised each other and peering thru my binoculars I saw the helmsman steering right back at me with his super binos! God bless the Patriot Act! I guess they judged me a non threat, and left me be. The pier next to the park is the Coasties base, and guarding the harbor is their mighty Cutter with a huge gun on its bow. This pier is also home to their free museum, which alas is closed on weekends. Behind the cutter an icebreaker is moored and many small heavily armed rigid zodiacs, are sitting ready for action.

Do you suffer from vertigo? Then I wouldn’t suggest paddling directly below the huge industrial cranes that stick out over the Port Docks and look up. They are truly massive. The rest of the day was spent dodging, ferries, cruise ships, tankers, and harbor pilot vessels. This is one place where you can get up really close to these big ships, and they wont slow down, so it’s a great spot to surf their wakes, and practice maneuvering and judging their speeds, and distances.

The harbor pilot vessel was very active, and after its third run past me sensed what I was up to so he really gunned his motors so I had a fantastic three set surf break tailored just for me – thanks guys I owe you a beer for giving me 30 seconds of surfing fun. The captains are all seasoned vets, and many times the cruise ships sounded a warning whistle before they reversed their engines and left the docks.

Another exciting activity is to paddle directly under the piers, between the miles of pilings. There are several spots of public piers that pedestrians utilize, and one can kayak under these into a world seldom seen by many. The Seattle fire boats; sea gulls feeding frenzy at Ivars; aquarium; and busy waterfront make this a great place to paddle. My only complaint is I couldn’t find a spot/dock to leave my kayak and grab some fish and chips up on the pier. There are a few rusty ladders that one could tie off to but being alone I didn’t chance it. If anyone knows of a place to haul out I’d like to hear from you. There is the ports public mooring way down the end but it’s a bit of a haul. If you want to tag along on this trip shoot us a reply and we can guide you into the heart of the Seattle waterfront with lots to see. A lot of condos and apartment buildings have been built on the piers so its getting harder to see the city from the waterline. With more time to spare one could paddle south back past Jack Perry Memorial Park and explore the Duwamish river but that’s another adventure awaiting.