The Emerald City is renowned as a kayaker's paradise with endless
possibilities. Paddling
Lake Union is a must, with its houseboat
communities and views of
Seattle's skyline. (Leave the water
briefly to climb to the top of Gas Works Park, at the north end of
Lake Union, for a terrific view of Seattle's skyline.) Paddle
through the Ship Canal (connecting Lake Union to Lake Washington
and Puget Sound), and you'll enjoy an intimate view of the funky
architecture of the
Fremont neighborhood. Continue on through the
canal and poke around Fisherman's Terminal - the center for
Seattle's fishing industry. Portage Bay, which sits between Lake
Union and Lake
Washington, is also a great place to explore - an
eclectic mix of houseboats (million-dollar mansions and barely
floating burgs) line the south shore. Cross through the famed
Montlake Cut and into Union Bay, lined with wetlands that offer
superb birding (especially in spring and fall when birds are
migrating). If you'd like to make a night of it, camp on Blake
Island, with the Space Needle before you and deer rustling in the
woods behind.
Outfitters: Northwest Outdoor Center, (800) 683-0637,
www.nwoc.com; Agua Verde Cafe and
Paddle Club, (206) 545-8570, www.aguaverde.com
SAN FRANCISCO
For experienced kayakers, Crissy Field offers a prime launch
location into the heart of the City by the Bay (complete with free
parking if you get there early enough). But the bay's currents can
be unpredictable and strong, so for newcomers an outfitter is the
best way to go. Either way, paddling the bay is like seeing a
famous postcard from the water - the Golden Gate and Bay bridges,
the Embarcadero, the Transamerica Pyramid,
Lombard Street, Coit
Tower, Alcatraz and Treasure islands, the mob of barking blubber
(sea lions) on Pier 39 near Fisherman's Wharf. San Franciscans
thrill to the water. Local kayak outfitters feel the same way -
they offer everything from sunset to full-moon paddles; City Kayaks
even offers outings to Giants games (bobbing in McCovey Cove,
kayakers listen to the game on shower radios and anticipate
home-run balls).