(BYO) 4th of July Fireworks Paddle on Lake Union!!!

NOTE: I will be out of town and will be unable to host this event. If one or a combination of several regular attendees would be willing to step in and corral everyone and keep an eye on the safety of the rest of the group, I would appreciate it! I will also not be able to loan any of my kayaks or paddleboards to anyone.

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 Kayaking Club Meetup.

WARNING: There are a few important safety considerations with this particular trip since it is at night:

• Vision is limited at night, so it is even more essential to wear a brightly-colored life vest so that you can be found and rescued if you fall in. It is also essential to paddle close together as a group. To enable this, we will be paddling slower than usual.
• All paddled vessels must be equipped with a set of marine navigation lights. You are required to bring your own set of functioning marine navigation lights.
• There will be hundreds of large boats crammed into Lake Union before, during, and after this event. It is common for them to engage in negligent behavior, like traveling at excessive speeds, not keeping an eye out for paddlers, and failing to yield right of way to paddlers. Many boaters will be intoxicated. This is another reason why it's important to paddle as a group; the large, tight group will be more visible to boaters than lone paddlers. Nonetheless, it is essential that you maintain situational awareness (even while conversating with other paddlers) and stay out of the way of boats, preferably paddling close to shore. In order to stay sharp, I recommend that you either completely avoid consuming alcohol or drink in extreme moderation. I feel obliged to mention that you can be charged with a BUI (boating under the influence) even while kayaking or paddleboarding (although I am doubtful that this would actually be prosecuted or hold up in court, since bicyclists can't be charged with DUIs and that is obviously a far greater public safety risk).
• Paddling at night makes it hard to see certain hazards such as rocks. Similarly, entering a kayak or climbing onto a paddleboard from a dock or rocky shore can also be more dangerous.
• Darkness (and fireworks) can 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:

https://tinyurl.com/ms76tkmc

Join us for a unique and exciting paddling experience! We'll beat the crowds and get "front row seats" for the 4th of July fireworks on Lake Union! The views are truly incredible! You can get a completely unobstructed view of the reflection of the fireworks on the lake!

No prior experience is required, however, as mentioned earlier, there are unique risks associated with this event. I would strongly recommend having prior experience paddling and entering/exiting your paddled vessel in daylight before attempting this paddle, especially since I will not be present to supervise or instruct you on how to do this safely in the dark.

This event is at night and it will be cold. The paddle is a fairly short distance (1.3 miles each way), but the event will run a bit long since it will involve arriving early and sitting before and during the show. Be sure to bring snacks, water, and warm clothing!

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. This will be 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. if you have a sit-inside kayak, legs are less important since they will tend to stay warmer. AVOID COTTON in all layers.

Fireworks start promptly at 10:20 PM. The plan is to paddle over to Lake Union, approximately behind Olympic Hot Tub / Nautical Landing, arriving between 9:45 and 10 PM, with time to get settled in a nice spot and socialize before the show begins. It will be dark and hard to find and recognize people, so I recommend meeting at the launch location rather than the viewing location. Car traffic around Lake Union will be bad before and after the show, so I chose a launch location which is still a short paddle but hopefully far enough away to avoid traffic issues. Please meet at the 6th Ave W Shoreline Street End at 8:30 PM, and try to be ready to paddle by 8:45 PM.

Here's the location of the launch:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/aTamufueBH8LvfdE8

There is ample parking along Nickerson. The parking spots directly surrounding the launch area are mostly private spots for Old Stove Brewing or other businesses.

If you are running late (or don't want to paddle as far), you may choose to launch at any spot along the canal further southeast of 6th Ave, but please keep in mind that it will be less safe than our designated launch spot. There is a 2 ft cement ledge lining the entire wall of the canal. I highly recommend that you step down from the ledge ONTO the rocks rather than trying to directly step onto your paddleboard or kayak from the ledge. Keep in mind that the rocks are very slippery and you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK. I also recommend that you choose a spot with a plant-free, clear-cut access to the canal.

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.