All Posts Written by "ken"

Bowron Lakes report is up

Finally. I know, I know. Jackie Brown’s account of this summer’s Flag Expedition is up on the Azimuth Expeditions web site. It’s a good read about a classic trip. Thanks to all who went and to JB for sharing the adventure with us. I wish I could have gone.

Win some, lose some (part II)

A month or so ago I mentioned that the Strawberry Island campsite in the San Juans was closed. I’ve been there since the closure and although the island is still there, still beautiful and perfect, the camp sites have been erased. Fire rings and picnic tables have been removed, as have the two outhouse buildings. […]

Work

If it were possible to go entirely without sleep, I’m not sure, even then, that I would have enough time to get everything done. Packing for the Oregon Coast this weekend, getting gear ready for the last San Juan trip of the year (next week), and a full schedule at the shop. What I don’t […]

Headin’ for a hoedown

The third annual Hobuck Hoedown is scheduled to take place on October 3-4. It is a kayak surfing contest and paddlers gathering that happens at Hobuck Beach on the Makah reservation, just six miles south of Cape Flattery. Dave King, from Olympic Raft and Kayak, is one of the organizers, and info on registration and […]

A Happy dilemma

How am I supposed to decide between one paddleboard – responsive, dependable, quick and beautiful – and another that is simply perfect? I want this one, but I want that one too. I had a similar discussion with the boy this week regarding the choice between cheesecake and a popsicle. He had picked the popsicle […]

More graffiti

I have heard that, if you know where to look, you can still spot some of the blazes cut by the Press Party as they made their way through the Olympics a century ago. Apparently they are quite high off the ground, due to the deep snow cover when they were cut, thus difficult to […]

A Good day at Westport

My friend Chris and I went driving yesterday. A recon trip, scouting possible surf spots down in the Tokeland area. Conditions on the water weren’t great – strong currents, gusty onshore winds flattening the waves and crashing the sets. We walked into a couple different spots but nothing moved us enough to take the boards […]

Testimonial time

I do not do many gear reviews. I am not nearly savvy enough about most high-end stuff to understand all of the things any one piece of equipment can do. I’m better with paddle gear but, quite honestly, there is a certain implied superiority in any review that makes me uncomfortable. I don’t think, in […]

Bowron Lakes report

The latest Azimuth Expeditions Flag Expedition is back and I’ve seen the pictures. Jackie Brown led a group of Tacoma area paddlers on a great trip to one of the planet’s finest paddling destinations and she’s brought back some wonderful shots and a passel of stories. There’s word that she’ll be doing a slide presentation […]

Summer is not over, but I can see the end from here. Maybe it’s just the past few days of drizzle and cooler temperatures after weeks of sun and afternoons in the 80’s. The weather is supposed to turn warmer again this weekend but it doesn’t matter… with the evenings coming earlier and the implied […]