URBAN KAYAKING

Ice was on and in the kayak saturday morning.  Cold and clear, we thought twice about going through with the days mini-adventure.

We had planned a one way trip from Montlake back to the boat with Kelsey, a friend from work.  The plan involved some logistics (3 cars) but after I picked up Kelsey and her kayak and brought her back to the boat, Jodi suggested a round trip starting at the boat.

I had been planning this thing for a week, had everything all worked out, but it took less than a second to realize her plan was better than mine.  Great, let’s go!

The 3 of us shoved off and headed for the locks.

While it was cold, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the sun still retained some authority.  We were warm, bordering on too warm.

Locking through is fun and relatively easy.  Get in, grab a bollard, and enjoy the lift.

Bow graphics on a fishing boat

Kayaking through Salmon bay and the ship canal is interesting.  The fishing fleet is in for the winter, there are interesting boats, lots of commercial marine enterprises, and the occasional guy dressed up in a rooster suit doing handstands on his paddle board.

No, I don’t know why, so don’t ask.  After years of hearing ‘why did the chicken cross the road’ jokes, I’ve stopped questioning the motivations of chickens.

We pressed on through the ship canal into Lake Union.  Kelsey improved on Jodi’s plan by adding a lunch destination (why didn’t I think of that?) so we ended up at Westward, some 4.6 nautical miles from the boat.

Killer pickled vegetables, a wonderful oyster roll and a beer and a quarter later, the three of us launched into the return trip, trying to beat the fast setting sun.

On a house boat.  Likely started enjoying the view many years ago and simply stayed.

As we paddled by Gas works park, I was looking at the Seattle skyline above South Lake Union, then glanced to my right and saw a couple at the end of the bulkhead on the park.  The fellow was on one knee, looking up holding her hands in the unmistakable pose of a proposal.  The warm embrace that followed signaled the outcome.

Right after the proposal

Waiting for the locks at the end of the day

The only discomfort was waiting for the locks after sunset and the cumulative effect of sitting in a kayak paddling for 9 miles.  The last paddle to the boat was cold, but the scenery made up for it.  The jagged Olympics were clear on the horizon, outlined by a sun that had set some time ago.  The sun gave us its last gift of the day by highlighting great mountains.

It turned out to be a glorious day on the water.  We were back on the boat, warm, and enjoyed some conversation and some wine.

I seem to end many blog updates with this sentiment, but we are so fortunate to live in the Northwest.  We had a great mini adventure on the water — and in the dying minutes of the day there was discussion about hiking and climbing the outlined mountains on the horizon.  Perhaps in the spring…….

Note: Several pictures supplied by Kelsey