Let's paddle from Enatai Beach in Bellevue south to lunch at Ivar's Fish and Chips at Coulon Park in Renton, then back to Enatai Beach. Then, optional, back at Enatai Beach, let's do cold-water capsize and recovery/rescue practice (... then find a pub with a fireplace? :)-.
Sign-up Requirements:
This is a 9 nautical-mile spring paddle in cold water (Lake Washington top-water is currently 46 F; Elliott Bay top-water is currently 47 F) and the paddle may be subject to wind waves.
To sign up for this paddle, you need to be an intermediate or beyond paddler, with re-entry, and rescue training, skills and practice, and you must be able to paddle at a 2.5 knots pace. The required kayaking experience and skills need to be documented in your meetup-profile information and your answers to the sign-up questions. RSVP's without answers to the sign-up questions will be deleted.
Schedule and Itinerary:
9:00 a.m. - arrive, off-load and park at Enatai Beach in South Bellevue.
9:45 a.m. - launch and paddle south to Coulon Park in Renton.
~ 11:30 a.m. - arrive at Coulon Park, secure our kayaks, and have lunch at Ivar's.
~ 12:30 p.m. - paddle north from Coulon Park.
~ 2:30 p.m. - arrive back at Enatai Beach and (optional) practice capsize recovery/rescue techniques at the beach (... and let's hope for strong afternoon south wind and waves; all the better for the northward return paddle and for realistic practice! :).
~ 3:30 p.m. - pack-up and (optional) go find a pub with a fireplace? :)-
Conditions and Contingency:
This paddle is contingent upon reasonably safe wind and weather conditions. We can do the skills practice in any conditions (... the windier the better! :)-.
Equipment Requirements:
Kayak, paddle, pfd, paddlefloat, pump, sprayskirt, sunglasses, sunscreen, water and snacks, waterproof paddle jacket and hat, VHF radio if you have one, immersion gear. Layered warm clothes, pogies and/or waterproof insulated paddle gloves, warm head and ears protection. Extra change of warm clothes in a dry-bag. If you have a bicycle lock-up cable and a padlock, bring them.
Immersion Gear:
Wearing immersion gear (drysuit or wetsuit, preferably drysuit) is mandatory for this paddle.
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Real good time, thanks all! The weather was fine, everyone was fun to paddle and lunch with, and the cold-water skills practice was easy and enjoyable. If we get a big south wind predicted any time this Spring, I'll immediately post up a rough-water skills practice.