Lake Union & Ballard Locks

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Lake Union and Ballard Locks

2/26/07
Report from Kari

We joked about the classic Seattle paddling day we were about to have as we drove North from Tacoma listening to the radio weather man promise a day’s worth of rain. Our put-in at South Lake Union Park was an easy boat carry to a low dock…a launch designed for the mud-wary (but well-balanced) kayaker! For once in my paddling career, the wind was at our backs, rolling down onto the lake from the looming Seattle skyline. As the wind jostled my boat, we hovered for a photo opportunity of one of my favorite classic shots: a kayaker with the Seattle Space Needle above.

Cruising past the quirky house boats and unimaginably expensive yachts, we picked out which ones we wouldn’t mind owning if we had to and guessing price tags. Noah and I remarked on the contrast of bright green grass and mammoth, rusty industrial structures of Gasworks Park appearing strikingly beautiful against the gray-blue lake. We moved at a brisk pace from the wind-chopped lake to the glassy ship canal. Freed from the commotion of the open water, we took a moment to slow our paddling tempo and silently admire the inaccuracy of the weather report thus far. Puffy clouds dotted the sky and well-fed Canada Geese cautiously admired our matching cherry red boats.

Salmon Bay offered enormous and humbling fishing vessels, tugs pushing around football-field sized barges, and more wind-whipped water. In stark contrast to a warm summer Saturday afternoon, we were the only boats waiting to go through the locks. We paddled into the lock, holding onto the wall as the water mystically lowered us twenty-six feet down to sea level. Navigating through the dynamic current produced by tidal water meeting the lock, we made our way to the south side of the waterway underneath the train trestle to a sandy beach. We nestled the boats up on the beach and cruised to the fish ladder viewing room which presented a fantastic view of seaweeds and bubbles, but no fish.

I searched my kayak several times, finally admitting that the left-over pizza I'd planned for lunch was hiding somewhere in my truck. Luckily, Noah was willing to share a granola bar and a bottle of watered down Gatorade to sustain us for the hour-and-a-half paddle back. We practiced paddle strokes as we waited in the holding area for our turn to head back through the locks. Our journey back was pushed along by the darkening clouds and the promise of sushi and Sapporo. A beautiful urban paddle, serving to remind me how very fortunate we are here in the Puget Sound with a plethora of unique paddling opportunities right out our back door!!