Bill Brackin led a group of 8 NSSKers 118 miles down the Green River through Canyonlands National Park. We paddled and drifted for 11 days, first through Labyrinth Canyon, then through a more open landscape resembling Monument Valley, and then through Stillwater Canyon where we reached the confluence with the Colorado River and the end of our journey. Our NSSKA group plus four of Bill's friends who happened to be paddling the same route and accompanied us on the trip. March 30-31 These were driving days from our homes to Moab, where we stayed two nights to acclimate and do last-minute prep. April 1 We stretched our legs in Arches National Park, wandered around Moab, and met for dinner before heading to our hotel rooms for a good night's rest. April 2 We woke early to get to Tex's Outfitters, where we loaded our gear onto their trucks and trailers, and drove to our put-in site at Ruby Ranch. Launching before noon, we paddled ab...
Five paddlers were met with rain and calm winds for an adventure leaving Washington Park in Anacortes with a plan to take a clockwise route around Burrows and Allen islands. After a brief safety discussion including an anonymous risk assessment, we headed out promptly at 9 a.m. Departing on the first hour of a flood tide with a moderate exchange, we encountered a small current as we headed east through Burrows Pass. As we crossed the channel, we met no other boat traffic. Coming around the NE corner of Burrows is where you will encounter the most current as water converges into the small channel. This can be a challenging area with a strong current. We made a brief stop to checkout the campground on the east side of the island then continued on to Allen Island. Our Burrows and Allen island adventure was pleasant, not sunny! As our group neared the island, some construction activity on the dock caught our eye and we decided to take a closer look. It appears th...
Eight paddlers headed out on what was forecast to be a rainy Sunday to explore Chuckanut Bay south of Bellingham. To the delight of all, the forecast proved to be off a little, and the group meandered through gentle swells, admiring the geology and wildlife that is so striking in this area. A stop on Chuckanut Island for lunch, then north around the inner shore, exploring the coves and bays as they came up, it was a pokey, relaxed paddle that finished on placid waters, roofed with blue skies filled with bulging cumulus clouds, impotent but beautiful, with the San Juans beckoning to the west. A most excellent way to open a summer season of paddling on our Salish Sea, with many more opportunities to come! Pictures? Oh yeah, we have heaps of pictures here ! Thank you Harry marx and James Rose! Curious about the route we took? Check out Chuckanut Bay Paddle route! (kmz file, requires Google Earth.)
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