The beginning of another crazy plan

Posted by Ken Campbell May 26, 2009 0 Comment 690 views
The Olympic Peninsula is an island. I wrote a post last year about the Black River and about how that particular little stream connects Puget Sound with the Chehalis River, effectively surrounding the “peninsula” with water. Making it an island, really.

Not that it matters. Other than being a semi-interesting factoid that can be brought out at a party every now and then, it’s fairly useless information. The world is full of trivia these days and the quasi-fact that the Olys are an island is crying out to be put in that category.
I do wonder though, what a trip along the periphery of the peninsula would be like. It’s been done (O.A.R. Northwest did it last summer in a two-man rowboat), but I bet it hasn’t been done very often. A quick look at a map shows me that I’ve already paddled most of the route at one time or another, either in a kayak or a canoe. There are a couple places I haven’t been- the swamp between Black Lake and the Black River, the Gray’s Harbor bar – but a trip around for me would, for the most part, be a return to familiar waters.
I should research the possibility of an Olympic circumnavigation. How many miles is it and when is the best time to go? Would it be worth trying to use a variety of watercraft: kayak, canoe and SUP? Would it be a solo trip or a group effort? Would anyone else even find the idea interesting? Hmm.

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