The Art of Kayaking in the Pacific Northwest

(Article originally published on Odyssey Online)

The first time I went kayaking, I was almost crushed by a 90,000 ton cargo ship.

Out in the middle of the Puget Sound, I was miles away from shore when a freighter bound for the Port of Tacoma cruised by less than a hundred yards in front of me. The massive swells from the ship's wake pummeled my tiny 10-foot kayak as I rode the waves up and down like an apocalyptic version of Splash Mountain. All the while, I was praying to God not to get thrown into the Sound where I would doggy paddle around until an orca mistook me for breakfast.

Flashbacks to Life of Pi June 2017 — Bellingham, WA

Four years later and with several hundred miles of paddling experience under my belt, I still have not been eaten by an orca (yet) and near-death experiences are just about a weekly occurrence for me and my kayak.

In spite of the near-constant grey skies and endless supply of soggy weather, the Pacific Northwest is an outdoor-lover's paradise and a paddling Mecca that every kayaker must visit. Here are a few of the reasons why I love these waters so much.

The Sunsets.

It’s no secret that the West Coast has the best sunsets in the US — seeing the sun disappear over the endless Pacific Ocean is a sight to behold. With hundreds of miles of coastline from British Columbia down to the Oregon Coast, there are plenty of beaches and bays where you can launch your kayak to catch the show. In my college town of Bellingham, Washington, few things compare to the sight of a sunset over the San Juan Islands out on the Salish Sea.

Larrabee State Park March 2016 — Bellingham, WA

Sunset on Bellingham Bay April 2017 — Bellingham, WA

Grapefruit sunsets, surprisingly common in these parts

April 2017 — Bellingham, WA

The Wildlife.

While I still have not had the pleasure of seeing the humpback whales or orcas that frequent these waters, curious seals and bald eagles are almost a daily sighting when out kayaking.

From my hometown of Tacoma, you can even see hundreds of California sea lions as they take in the awesome views of Mount Rainier after their long journey from thousands of miles to the south.

Harbor seal resting at the marinas June 2017 — Tacoma, WA

Bald eagle October 2013 — Tacoma, WA

Sea lions on Commencement Bay December 2014 — Tacoma, WA

Extracurricular Activities.

Sometimes the best part of kayaking is when you’re not even in a kayak. With thousands of islands in the Salish Sea and Puget Sound, island-hopping is a fun activity that pairs amazingly well with another local pastime: hammocking. This is the Pacific Northwest after all, good luck finding a place without trees.

Island-hopping with friends: a PNW pastime October 2015 — Wildcat Cove, Bellingham, WA

Hammocking in the middle of Diablo Lake April 2016 — North Cascades, WA

The Views.

This one kind of explains itself; after all, this entire article is full of photos that I’ve taken while out kayaking. Being out on a kayak gives you access to an unbelievable amount of scenes that you otherwise would not be able to witness.

Not only do sunsets always look better from on the water, wildlife are far less skittish around kayaks than they are around larger boats — allowing you to see a bald eagle perched up in a tree along the coastline or seals resting on a beach. In a kayak, rather than just witnessing nature, you become part of it.

Kayaking and photography aren’t always the best combination (I have 2 DSLRs and a few drowned cell phones that can attest to this), but with views like these, it’s hard to leave the camera (or drone) on shore.

The aptly-named 'Blue Hour' September 2015 — Bellingham, WA

Mmm.... glassy-water reflections April 2017 — Bellingham, WA

Again, did I mention that Bellingham sunsets are pretty awesome? October 2015 — Bellingham, WA

California sea lions enjoying the view of Mount Rainier January 2015 — Tacoma, WA

While the Pacific Northwest has thrown its fair share of both positive and negative experiences at me throughout my paddling career, you can bet that I will continue to kayak these waters until an orca pries the paddle from my cold, dead hands.

Kayaking along Marine Park (captured with DJI Phantom 3 drone) October 2017 — Bellingham, WA