:::YAKLOG:::the paddling adventures of rick doucette:::

6.03.08--PM	West Seattle - Seacrest Park to Alki Point	had to get in 1 more paddle!
6.30.08 (early!)	Mountain Lake - i just had to do a sunrise paddle while i was on my favorite lake... was on the water by 5:33AM!	covered the entire interior of the lake (while W. snoozed)
6.29.08 (night)	Mountain Lake - a brief night paddle after setting up camp	Walt's last paddle of the trip.
6.29.08 (afternoon)	West Sound (still Orcas) - we wanted to rent a double kayak at Deer Harbor & head out to Jones Island, but the lady at Shearwater veto'd it. guess they only do tours...	we covered the bulk of the west half of w.sound. pretty fun, but WAY too hot today.
6.28.08--PM	East Sound (also Orcas) - Walt wanted to try his hand at saltwater paddling. he did great, but the wind picked up so we turned back. when we got back to the north end of east sound, the wind had died down, so we kept...	...exploring around the north end. we visited the NW corner & saw where we ate lunch (Vern's Wayside Rest.)
6.28.08--AM	Cascade Lake on Orcas Island - my pal Walt joined me on a wknd of camping + kayaking. poor guy had to use my old sit-on-top kayak (it's really short & really slow).	this was Walt's first time kayaking ever. good times...
6.21.08	American Lake - down past Tacoma (was down there working on computery video stuff over the weekend)	saw several eagles, and way too many peeps fishing.
6.17.08	West Seattle - Alki Point to Seacrest Park	post-work paddle action, yo.
6.15.08	Lake Whatcom in Bellingham	.
6.14.08	Bellingham Bay - Marine Park up around Squalicum	.
6.8.08	Blake Island circumnavigation - start/end at Alki point	saw an eagle & a raccoon.
5.31.08	Maury Island circumnavigation - rode the ferry from Fauntleroy to Vashon Island... stopped for a quick lunch at Bishops, then launched from the north-ish side of the portage. it rained for the first 1.5-2 hours, but after that the weather was purty...	...saw a hawk. and a bunch of peeps climbing the bluffy rock wall before rounding Pt. Robinson & the lighthouse. back was really ache-y tho'
5.25.08	Semiahmoo Park - inside the spit up to the marina, then across the border along White Rock, BC. went out to the point you can see easily from Semiahmoo... came back along the outside of Semi. Spit, and had a long carry along the tide flats. made for a fun trip tho'...	saw about a dozen bald eagles around the point... one of the "teen" eagles actually caught a cormorant, but it couldn't hold on to it.
5.18.08	Odlin Park to Upright Head on Lopez... over to Shaw, then up along the north side of Shaw... then up to Bell Island, thru Pole Pass & up to Deer Harbor. bought some water & snacks at the Deer Harbor resort shop--even grabbed myself a tasty 3-piece fish & chips >:O) left Deer Harbor via the other side of Crane Island & got a nice look at all the other Wasp Islands... & continued my circumnavigation of Shaw Island... crossed back to Lopez at Canoe Island (to the nearest point), then back to Odlin Park	so far i'd say this was my best, longest, not-well-planned 'yak trip EVER! it was a whole lotta fun, and the weather was beautiful... but if the wind had gotten nasty, i would've been hosed. as it was, the tidal rippage around some points was making me antsy.
5.17.08	Mackaye Harbor along the southwest shore of Lopez to Davis Point... played in the tidal rippage for a few minutes, then returned via Charles Island (was going to paddle out a little further to Long Island, but was too tired)	saw lots of harbor seals on one of the "Mummy Rocks" - one escorted me all the way back to Mackaye Harbor
5.17.08	random note: spent lots of time this morning driving around Lopez Island, checking out boat launch options, etc. also visited the Shark Reef recreation area--walked along the trails & wandered around a bit on the rocks	got myself a cup of chowder & a HUGE halibut taco at The Galley restaraunt at Fisherman Bay
5.16.08	Spencer Spit (on Lopez Island) to James Island via the north side of Decatur... stopped for a snack & a brief walk, then made my way back to Lopez via the south end of Decatur & Center Island.	made the mistake of using my old paddle for this trip, and gave myself a nice blister on my right hand (D'OH!)
5.11.08	Lake Whatcom - Bloedel Donovan to Rabbit Island	.
5.3.08	Poulsbo - Liberty Bay (with Nevin & Jenni)	.
5.2.08	Hood Head - from Salisbury Point County Park along the Hood Canal Bridge, up in the lagoon behind HH, portaged over the spit & around HH*, back across the water to the old sawmill at Port Gamble, then back to...	...the county park. *admired the crazy Trogdor-esque trees on the north end of Hood Head while i was there...
4.27.08	Chuckanut Bay--from Marine Park in Bellingham	water taxi starts up today!
4.26.08	Wildcat Cove (Larabee State Park) south in Samish Bay	i [heart] eagles.
4.20.08	Harbor Island circumnavigation--started from Seacrest	hit the east waterway of the Duwamish first this time.
4.13.08	Don Armeni down around the Harbor Island marina	sun didn't stick around long...
4.12.08	West Seattle--Richey Viewpoint to Lincoln Park	crazy sunny today...
3.22.08	Don Armeni up around Alki Point	saw some eagles
3.16.08	Semiahmoo Park--from the interior around to the outside of the spit & halfway down--then back into Drayton Harbor--up to Dakota Creek & up it about a half-mile, then back across Drayton Harbor to Semiahmoo Park.	i had never gone outside of Drayton Harbor here. it hooks you up with a nice view of White Rock, BC, eh?
3.9.08	Golden Gardens to West Point (Discovery Park)	saw some heron, etc.
3.2.08	Don Armeni to Kellogg Island (West Seattle into the ...	Duwamish waterway)
2.24.08	Alki Point to Blake Island - was pretty windy, so i got pretty tired - more peeps were on the island this time tho'	saw 2 eagles flying around the northeast corner of the island
2.18.08	Bellingham Bay - Cornwall beach up - took a couple of detours towards Whatcom Creek & GP - around the breakwater - then along the interior of Squalicum Harbor	saw an eagle sitting on a post just outside of the breakwater, and a coupla heron by GP
2.17.08	Samish Bay - Wildcat cove at Larabee State Park south to Pigeon Point - played "fun with quicksand" by walking in the mud for a while by P.Point (actually had a blast!)	saw 2 eagles, an otter, plenty of birds... even some nude sunbathers (in February?!?)
2.10.08	Ballard ship canal - 14th St. ramp to Lake Union south on the lake until i ran out of shelter from the wind...	only saw one other kayaker out today (gnarly weather)
2.3.08	Bainbridge Island - Fay Bainbridge State Park down around Port Madison - saw a sea otter and...	...at least 5 eagles, a heron, lots of ducks & birdies.
1.27.08	West Seattle - Don Armeni to Alki Point	saw 2 bald eagles - woot!
1.20.08	Lake Samish - below some snow-covered hills [purty!]	saw 2 bald eagles, some blue birds, and lots of ducks.
1.13.08	West Seattle to Blake Island - too outta shape for this...	this time o' year [yawn].
1.12.08	north Lake Union to the Ballard locks & back	.
1.1.08	walked around Discovery Park for a while.	.