TRIP REPORT: Sea Kayaking San Juan Islands, WA. July 8-12, 2009

I had the opportunity to take four clients to the San Juan Islands in Northern Washington this past week with my fellow guide Shawn Altman. We left Portland on Wednesday, July 8th and drove to Anacortes, where we camped on the watefront at Washington Park.

We woke early, around 5:30, broke down camp and caught the first ferry to Guemes Island. The sun rise was so beautiful and the water so calm, Shawn could not resist taking a quick paddle in his new boat, a NDK Greenlander Pro, before our clients arrived at the launch site.




One by one our clients arrived. We sorted through an amazing amount of food, water, pots & pans, fuel, camping gear, and dry bags. Amazingly enough, it all fits every time. We even managed a few full sized camp chairs, a large skillet, and a double burner stove. After suiting up for the 55 degree water, we hauled our 200 pound boats to the water with four people carrying each kayak, and began the journey to Cypress Island, where we would establish base camp at Pelican Beach.






Beautiful blue skies, light winds, and seventy degree temperatures made the paddle over to Cypress smooth and enjoyable. After setting up camp and eating lunch, the group went on a hike around the island. Upon their return and completion of dinner, we watched the sunset while sitting around the camp fire. Sounds of Outward Bound groups singing camp fire songs and waves lapping on the cobble beach made it easy for us all to drift off to sleep. The following day would be a big one for this group; We would circumnavigate the Island.

Another sunny and mild day greeted us as we launched from Pelican Beach Friday morning. Although the weather was mild, the currents were ripping. The plan was to paddle around the North tip of Cypress and down the West side to Strawberry Island, riding the ebbing current the whole way to our destination.



Our four clients had varying kayaking experience, some were stronger than others. As a result, the group covered distance a bit slower than we had planned for. After navigating through the fishing fleet, we landed on a rocky gulch on Strawberry Island and had lunch.




After a brief discussion with the group concerning our slow progress, and the changing currents, they decided to go ahead with the circumnavigation. We paddled South towards the end of the Island, where we found the current and wave action to be increasing.


As we neared the South tip of the Island, one of our clients wanted to pull out and stretch his legs; It seemed he was a bit tight in his kayak. I offered him my NDK Explorer HV because it has a bit more leg room; Little did I know that would be the last time I paddled my boat on the entire trip. From that moment on I was in a Wilderness Systems Tempest 165. The Tempest 165 is a great boat for someone 5'7 and 135 pounds, but a bit sprightly for me at 6ft 170.

The time we took to eat lunch and then pull out to change boats delayed our rounding of the Southern tip enough that when we approached, we found large boils 150 ft across in front of a rip of 7 or 8 nauts and two foot rapids pushing straight out into the channel. I had gone ahead of the group to probe the best route. After paddling over the boils and approaching the rip, we decided the group would approach the rip and then turn their bows out with the flow when about 50 ft away from the tidal rapids and ride it all the way back to camp.

Shawn took the group out with the flow, but I could not resist playing on the water feature. I pointed my bow into the flow and ferried into the rip. When I entered the fast moving tidal rapids, the Tempest 165 submarined completely underwater, then resurfaced as I crossed the rip and turned into the flow. I kept a keen eye on the group as they rode the swift current North towards camp; I knew this would be an experience they would not forget. I rejoined the group after riding the flow for about two miles, and we enjoyed magnificent views of the North Cascades and Cone Islands.




We completed the circumnavigation of Cyprus, and huddled around the camp fire as we devoured dinner and watched an amazing sunset.


Saturday we set the bar a little lower. Everyone was tired from the previous days adventure, so we decided to make it an instructional day and take it easy. We paddled to Eagle Harbor where we worked on kayak skills and relaxed. I managed to test out my new hand line for a few minutes while Shawn was working with the group. I hooked something small, probably a rockfish, but lost him after a few seconds of play. I found the hand line incredibly hard to get a proper hook set while jigging, but also quite compact and simple to use on trips like this.

I also took a few underwater photos. I have been wanting to do this since my first trip to the San Juan's; The water is extremely clear.








That night after the group had gone to bed, Shawn and I executed our usual routine of walking down the beach to the North tip of the Island and listening to the weather report, consulting the current atlas, and planning the trip for the next day. As we were listening to the radio, we watched nickel-sized jellyfish-like bioluminescent creatures flash in the water lapping at the cobble for an hour in pure amazement as a thunderstorm moved into our area.

Sunday we awoke to cooler temperatures, 20 mph wind gusts, and 2-4 ft wind waves. This combined with the strong currents to make the return to Guemes quite interesting.






There were a few close calls during our paddle back to Guemes, but everyone made it back through the challenging conditions without capsizing. We landed back at the park where we had launched four days prior, where we sorted out gear and packed up to catch the ferry back to Anacortes. After a brief stop at the Bowling Alley Restaurant in Anacortes for their "World Famous Fish & Chips", we drove back to Portland, haggard, exhausted, and happy; Another "once in a life time" trip under our belts.

Until next time,

Jason