Kayaking through marshes in Seattle - Mercer Slough!

NOTE: I will have 19 extra kayaks, paddles, and life vests available to borrow. My kayaks have a weight limit of 250 lbs per person including gear. Please comment below if interested.

NOTE: this meetup is cross-posted in the Seattle Sea Kayaking Meetup and Seattle Paddleboarding Club Meetup, neither of which have an age limit.

NOTE : I created a WhatsApp 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:

https://chat.whatsapp.com/KO03TWolPFi0RD6i2zVAso

Join us for a pleasant weekend paddle through wetlands and marshes of the Mercer Slough! Keep your eyes peeled for baby ducks!

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 6 miles, which is a medium-length trip and is still doable for beginners. It involves 2 to 3 hours of paddling. We will probably not stop to eat lunch, but be sure to bring snacks and water to consume before and after the paddle! Kayaking can be more draining than hiking, especially for beginners, and you will need energy!

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. Don't forget SUNGLASSES and SUNSCREEN either! For the rest of your outfit, I recommend SYNTHETIC or wool fabrics that will dry quickly. Swimsuits and polyester running shirts are great for warm weather. For colder or rainy weather, I recommend a fleece or wool sweater, a rainproof shell, and hardshell pants.

For those who are bringing their own paddlecraft, we'll meet at the Mercer Island Boat Launch at 10:15, and we'll try to be ready to paddle by 10:30. If you are borrowing a kayak from me and meeting me at the launch, please arrive a bit earlier at 9:45 instead since I need to take a headcount and I need more time than other paddlers to set up.

We'll paddle the entire loop of the slough. I estimate that we will get back to the launch spot at 1 PM, finish packing up by 1:45 PM, and be back in Seattle by 2 PM.

Here's the location of the launch:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/H7DFBAemRc7WpTWx6

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 9 AM and split into our carpools at around 9:15! Let us know before 9 AM 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/147wBhrRmLHdo6-0Nwfpyz7r0V6HKWKL4AAEQJYX0TBU/edit?usp=sharing

Please post if you can drive or if you need a ride!

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 hike is much easier.