Blake Island Circumnavigation/Summit ... day-paddle and hike

Let's circumnavigate Blake Island and hike to the island's high point. We will paddle over from Fauntleroy, then kayak-roll onto the Vashon Ferry to return to Fauntleroy.

Paddle Description and Sign-up Requirements: This will be an 8 nautical mile paddle, in cold water with likely wind and waves. To sign up for this trip, you must be an intermediate (or advanced beginner, see RSVP notes below) or beyond paddler, with wet exit, re-entry, and rescues training and practice, and you must be able to paddle a sustained 2.5 knots paddling pace.

RSVP: The required kayaking experience and skills need to be documented in your meetup profile information and especially in your answers to the sign-up questions.

RSVP's without responses to the sign-up questions will not be moved from the waitlist to going. If you do not get the sign-up questions from the meetup app, send a meetup message with responses: (1) Describe your immersion gear. (2) Describe your kayak. (3) Describe your two longest recent paddles. (4) Do you have wet exit/re-entry/rescues training and practice? (5) Did you read the entire posting? If the predicted wind and wave conditions are moderate, this is an okay paddle for advanced beginners. Advanced beginners can sign onto the waitlist, with their movement to "going" status determined a few days before the paddle, depending upon the predicted conditions.

Hike Description: 3 miles round trip with 250 feet vertical gain, mostly on trail, but will include some bushwacking.

Equipment Requirements: Sea-kayak, paddle, pfd, paddlefloat, pump, sprayskirt, immersion gear, warm hat and waterproof hat, sunscreen, water, snacks, picnic lunch, VHF radio if you have one, kayak boots, extra warm clothing in a dry-bag. Kayak wheels. Hiking gear, boots and clothing; hiking clothing and boots should be appropriate for bushwacking through brambles.

Immersion Gear: Wearing immersion gear (a kayaking 3 mm wetsuit or a dry-suit over insulating clothing) is mandatory on this paddle. It is getting chilly enough that a dry-suit is recommended, or a waterproof paddle jacket over a wetsuit.

Parking, Conditions, Contingency and Covid-19: No parking pass is required. This paddle is contingent upon wind and weather conditions that are acceptable for this paddle. We will social distance on shore, and we will bring face-coverings and use them on shore as needed and as required by State law.

Waiver and Indemnification: This is not a guided paddle nor a kayaking skills lesson. In signing up for this event, each sign-up-ee certifies that he/she has the required kayaking, experience described in the Sign-up Requirements. Kayaking and hiking have inherent risk and each sign-up-ee acknowledges that these activities have risk of injury or even death, and signs up and participates entirely and exclusively at his/her own risk.