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Before you Go, Read
A GUIDE TO SAFE PADDLING
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| Sea Kayaking Notes: | Judy Berghuis, Editor |
| RELEASE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT | Paddlers Clearing House | Wa. Fish & Wildlife Access Stewardship Decal | Shoreline Access Plan |
(Good Checklist if planning to lead a trip) |
Vessel Traffic System |
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Liability Release Forms
After completion of a trip or class, please send the original signed "Release from Liability and Indemnity
Agreement" forms for all participants
to Recreation Records at M/S 4H-58. Anyone with forms from past trips or
classes should do the same. If you have any questions call Kevin Held at
253-931-2842, or send him a note at M/S 5A-AX.
If you are interested in having your contact information shared with other paddlers, please submit it to the Trip Historian Rob Robinson using the following example format:
| Name: | |
| Live: (ie, Everett) | |
| Work: (ie, Renton) | |
| E-mail: (home/work) | |
| Phone: (w) | |
| Phone: (h) | |
| Phone: (other, c, p,?) | |
| Availability: | |
| Max Difficulty: | |
| Preferred Paddling location: (north, south, etc) |
In response a copy of the list will be returned to you. No commercial requests for a copy of the list will be honored.
Initially this will not be on-line, send your inquiries, comments/suggestions for improvement as well.
The current Trip Historian is: Rob Robinson 360-886-1691
Washington Fish & Wildlife Access Stewardship Decal
As noted earlier, the Fish & Wildlife Service is selling decals to allow access to the water at various sites (I believe the Luhr Beach site at the Nisqually River is one). The decals cost $10, but one comes as part of a hunting or fishing license for no additional charge. An extra decal (for another vehicle) costs $5. Decals can be purchased anywhere fishing licenses are sold. Proceeds are earmarked for use in maintaining the access sites (Porta-Potties, launch ramps, parking, etc.).
With the support of community organizations, the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation has developed a proposal that would result in the designation of approved launching or landing sites for small boats along public shoreline areas within park boundaries. A total of 34 sites are identified for newly approved use or revision of current use, several of which would be (are!) very useful for sea Kayakers. According to Kathy Whitman of the Seattle Parks Dept., the park board and the superintendent have now approved the sites as proposed, excluding Pritchard Island Beach. The formal notice to the City Clerk has probably been completed by now, and signs should have gone up in late July. Also, a letter was sent to those who commented on the proposal. YAY!!
A list of the Seattle Parks launch sites follows:
Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation BOATING ACCESS LOCATIONS
General Restrictions (unless otherwise posted): Parks are open from 4:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Maximum tie-up or landing time is 2 hours Maximum tie-up time at a public boat ramp is 15 minutes
Reference the Park Code 18.12 or Harbor Code for additional information **Access at some sites is restricted to boats arriving by water only.
A small specific portion of the shoreline is designated for each location; look for signage. The locations that are permitted for hand-carried non-motorized boats are as follows
The locations that are permitted for use by non-trailer motorized boats
with less than 10 hp motors:
Locations that are permitted for power and non-motorized boats:
The U.S. Coast Guard offers a free Recreational Boater's Informational Guide on the Vessel Traffic System in Puget Sound. Call (206)217-6040.
Vessel Traffic Lanes
We have all seen the wisdom of crossing the traffic separation scheme lanes at a right angle to minimize the time of exposure to large vessel traffic. It is worth noting that, according to regulations (72COLREGS Rule 10), "A vessel less than 20 meters in length, or a sailing vessel shall not impede the safe passage of a power driven vessel following a traffic lane". "Shall not impede" means that a vessel must not navigate in such a way as to force a vessel following the lanes to maneuver in order to avoid another vessel. Another point, for those using a VHF radio, you may not be able to contact a ship on Channel 16 because they are exempted from monitoring Channel 16 while being directed by the Vessel Traffic Service (probably on Channel 14 or Channel 5A). The VTS will, however, provide you with the names of relevant ships, upon request, and you may contact the ship directly on the bridge-to-bridge Channel 13.
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