What we’re about
Our meetup’s goal is to help kayakers meet each other and paddle together, because kayaking with friends is more fun and more safe! Also, many of our organizers and members have extra kayaks to lend during our activities, so a secondary goal is to give people a chance to explore the hobby in a more exciting setting than Lake Union! We look forward to exploring and enjoying the sublime beauty of Washington’s bays, lakes, and rivers with you!
People of all ages are welcome, and pets are usually welcome, too!
To be clear, we are not a meetup for whitewater kayaks. Some of our events go down rivers with gentle currents, but we use recreational kayaks and/or sea kayaks.
This group hosts events of a wide variety of lengths and difficulties, some which require no prior experience and any sort of watercraft like paddleboards or inflatables. However, some events require special training, wetsuits/drysuits, and sea kayaks. Our name used to be “Seattle Sea Kayaking Meetup”, so our events may still reflect that. Keep that in mind. Our events can range from short paddles on lakes to longer multi-day camping open-water paddles on the Puget Sound.
Attendees are required to complete the waiver before attending Meetups:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBr6y8g_WG6TBaHauUk--QOF9IIjyMz-sRFeKG3UodI7VRtQ/viewform
The waiver also contains safety information that may impact your preparation, so please complete the waiver BEFORE you depart for the activity. You only need to fill it out once.
Upcoming events (2)
See all- New Moon Bioluminescence Paddle - Teddy Bear Cove! (Bellingham)Starbucks - West Lake Union, Seattle, WA
NOTE: I will have 19 extra kayaks, paddles, and life vests available to borrow. The cost of borrowing one is the cost of the gas used towing the trailer divided by the number of attendees who borrow kayaks. This is usually between $3 and $10. My kayaks have a weight limit of 250 lbs per person including gear. Please comment below if interested.
NOTE: This meetup is cross-listed with the Seattle Millennials and Gen Z Meetup, but all ages are welcome. It is also cross-posted with the Seattle Paddleboard Club Meetup.
WARNING: There are a few important safety considerations with this particular trip since it is at night:
- we will be driving back to Seattle VERY LATE, from 1:30 AM to 3 AM, so drivers, please drink a coffee or something if you need to. If you feel tired, pull over and rest, no matter what! If you think that this trip will pose a serious safety issue for you, don't drive.
- Vision is limited at night, so it is even more essential that we paddle close together as a group. To enable us to do this, we will be paddling much slower than usual. This will also make us more visible to boats. It is especially important that you wear your life vest so that we can find you and save you if you fall in.
- We will equip all paddled vessels with a set of marine navigation lights. If you are bringing your own paddled vessel, you are required to bring your own set of functioning marine navigation lights.
- Paddling at night makes it hard to see certain hazards such as rocks. Paddling at night can make it difficult to gauge distances and cause people to get lost. Darkness can also trigger anxiety which can cloud judgment.
- We are making reasonable provisions for all of these risks, but there are nonetheless inherent risks to this activity that are difficult to fully prepare for or avoid. You are accepting these risks by completing the waiver. As with all trips, completing the waiver is required to attend. The link to the waiver is further down.
NOTE: I created a WhatzApp group / channel to facilitate communication between the three meetup groups for this specific event, since the meetup app doesn't always work well. You can join here:
Join us for a unique paddling experience! We'll be paddling at night during a new moon through (hopefully) ripples of blue bioluminescent light amidst a cute, sheltered cove on the Puget Sound!
Paddlers of all experience levels are welcome! No prior experience is required, even if you are bringing your own paddle board, oru kayak, or inflatable kayak.
We will be paddling a very short distance, but we'll plan to stay on the water for two hours in order to fully capture the bioluminescence in the deeper part of the night.
Paddling can be exhausting, so be sure to bring snacks and water to consume before, during, and after the paddle!
Please bring clothes and especially SHOES that can get wet! I recommend close-toed shoes like beach shoes or maybe crocs. Sandals or flip flops can leave your feet exposed to injuries from rocky terrain if we encounter it. I recommend SYNTHETIC or wool fabrics that will dry quickly. We will be paddling at night and it will be cold, so I recommend swimsuits and polyester running shirts as a base layer covered by a fleece or wool sweater and rainproof/hardshell or possibly softshell pants. Legs are less important since they will be inside the kayak which tends to stay warmer. AVOID COTTON in all layers.
For those who are bringing their own kayak or paddleboard, we'll meet at the Chuckanut Pocket Estuary at 10:30 PM, and we'll try to be ready to paddle by 10:45 PM. If you are borrowing a kayak from me and meeting me at the launch, please arrive a bit earlier at 10 PM instead since I need to take a headcount and I need more time than other paddlers to set up.
We'll keep it simple and just paddle around the bay. We will get back to the launch spot at 12:45 AM, finish packing up by 1:30 AM, and be back in Seattle by 3 AM. I have checked tidal charts and the tide will be transitioning from a very high tide to a very high low tide, so we should be able to get back to the boat launch fairly easily.
Here's the location of the launch:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/bRjpgCm8eiuhngQAA
Attendees are required to complete the waiver :
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBr6y8g_WG6TBaHauUk--QOF9IIjyMz-sRFeKG3UodI7VRtQ/viewform
The waiver also contains safety information that may impact your preparation, so please complete the waiver BEFORE you depart for the activity. You only need to fill it out once, ever.
Everything below relates to carpooling:
We'll meet at the Starbucks at 1200 Westlake Ave N at 8 PM and split into our carpools at around 8:15! Let us know before 8 PM if you are on your way. We generally wait 15 minutes for people to arrive. If you are arriving with your own car, be sure to park in a spot marked "ALL DAY" parking (in case you end up not driving)! Please coordinate carpools in the comments or better yet, the google doc!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fUNLYTSyyWG-7trcMVcAHAKpZiS94U55RBw9tC2iJ94/edit?usp=sharing
Please post if you can drive or if you need a ride!
Drivers and riders are expected to evenly split the approximate cost of gas, plus perhaps an additional reasonable fee paid to the driver for wear and tear.
If you are going to arrange your carpool to meet somewhere OTHER THAN the Starbucks on Lake Union, I suggest a park and ride such as Greenlake, Northgate, Eastgate, or Tukwila/SouthCenter. Passengers, please do not ask to be picked up at your home; drivers, please don't offer to do so. It usually creates problems and makes the timing and logistics much more complicated, since people often aren't ready on time, cancel last minute, or just plain don't show up. On the other hand, dropping people off at their home after the trip is much easier.
- New Moon Bioluminescence Paddle - Nisqually Reach! (Olympia)Starbucks - West Lake Union, Seattle, WA
NOTE: I will have 19 extra kayaks, paddles, and life vests available to borrow. The cost of borrowing one is the cost of the gas used towing the trailer divided by the number of attendees who borrow kayaks. This is usually between $3 and $10. My kayaks have a weight limit of 250 lbs per person including gear. Please comment below if interested.
NOTE: This meetup is cross-listed with the Seattle Millennials and Gen Z Meetup, but all ages are welcome. It is also cross-posted with the Seattle Paddleboard Club Meetup.
WARNING: There are a few important safety considerations with this particular trip since it is at night:
- we will be driving back to Seattle VERY LATE, from 1:30 AM to 2:30 AM, so drivers, please drink a coffee or something if you need to. If you feel tired, pull over and rest, no matter what! If you think that this trip will pose a serious safety issue for you, don't drive.
- Vision is limited at night, so it is even more essential that we paddle close together as a group. To enable us to do this, we will be paddling much slower than usual. This will also make us more visible to boats. It is especially important that you wear your life vest so that we can find you and save you if you fall in.
- We will equip all paddled vessels with a set of marine navigation lights. If you are bringing your own paddled vessel, you are required to bring your own set of functioning marine navigation lights.
- Paddling at night makes it hard to see certain hazards such as rocks. Paddling at night can make it difficult to gauge distances and cause people to get lost. Darkness can also trigger anxiety which can cloud judgment.
- We are making reasonable provisions for all of these risks, but there are nonetheless inherent risks to this activity that are difficult to fully prepare for or avoid. You are accepting these risks by completing the waiver. As with all trips, completing the waiver is required to attend. The link to the waiver is further down.
NOTE: I created a WhatzApp group / channel to facilitate communication between the three meetup groups for this specific event, since the meetup app doesn't always work well. You can join here:
Join us for a unique paddling experience! We'll be paddling at night during a new moon through (hopefully) ripples of blue bioluminescent light amidst a cute, sheltered cove on the Puget Sound!
Paddlers of all experience levels are welcome! No prior experience is required, even if you are bringing your own paddle board, oru kayak, or inflatable kayak.
We will be paddling a very short distance, but we'll plan to stay on the water for two hours in order to fully capture the bioluminescence in the deeper part of the night.
Paddling can be exhausting, so be sure to bring snacks and water to consume before, during, and after the paddle!
Please bring clothes and especially SHOES that can get wet! I recommend close-toed shoes like beach shoes or maybe crocs. Sandals or flip flops can leave your feet exposed to injuries from rocky terrain if we encounter it. I recommend SYNTHETIC or wool fabrics that will dry quickly. We will be paddling at night and it will be cold, so I recommend swimsuits and polyester running shirts as a base layer covered by a fleece or wool sweater and rainproof/hardshell or possibly softshell pants. Legs are less important since they will be inside the kayak which tends to stay warmer. AVOID COTTON in all layers.
For those who are bringing their own kayak or paddleboard, we'll meet at the Luhr Beach Boat Launch at 10:30 PM, and we'll try to be ready to paddle by 10:45 PM. If you are borrowing a kayak from me and meeting me at the launch, please arrive a bit earlier at 10 PM instead since I need to take a headcount and I need more time than other paddlers to set up.
We'll keep it simple and just paddle around the bay. We will get back to the launch spot at 12:45 AM, finish packing up by 1:30 AM, and be back in Seattle by 2:30 AM. I have checked tidal charts and the tide will be transitioning from a very high tide to a very high low tide, so we should be able to get back to the boat launch fairly easily.
Here's the location of the launch:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/z9Cw9RKMkbjEingCA
Attendees are required to complete the waiver :
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBr6y8g_WG6TBaHauUk--QOF9IIjyMz-sRFeKG3UodI7VRtQ/viewform
The waiver also contains safety information that may impact your preparation, so please complete the waiver BEFORE you depart for the activity. You only need to fill it out once, ever.
Everything below relates to carpooling:
We'll meet at the Starbucks at 1200 Westlake Ave N at 8:30 PM and split into our carpools at around 8:45! Let us know before 8:30 PM if you are on your way. We generally wait 15 minutes for people to arrive. If you are arriving with your own car, be sure to park in a spot marked "ALL DAY" parking (in case you end up not driving)! Please coordinate carpools in the comments or better yet, the google doc!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12Mtfx0thVPDTNG4O0R8f2C7_h9GPK-NJdVLF98t7uxU/edit?usp=sharing
Please post if you can drive or if you need a ride!
Drivers and riders are expected to evenly split the approximate cost of gas, plus perhaps an additional reasonable fee paid to the driver for wear and tear.
If you are going to arrange your carpool to meet somewhere OTHER THAN the Starbucks on Lake Union, I suggest a park and ride such as Greenlake, Northgate, Eastgate, or Tukwila/SouthCenter. Passengers, please do not ask to be picked up at your home; drivers, please don't offer to do so. It usually creates problems and makes the timing and logistics much more complicated, since people often aren't ready on time, cancel last minute, or just plain don't show up. On the other hand, dropping people off at their home after the trip is much easier.
