My friend Jeff and I recently did a quick overnight kayak camping trip to Blake Island. Paddling across from Illahee State Park, I met Jeff -- who left from Bainbridge Island. Interstingly enough, we both read the tide tables incorrectly and bucked the current through Rich Passage. It wasn't too bad though, about 6.5 miles out to the island. Blake is an interesting spot in that it it's kayak camping within full view of Seattle. We camped in one of three sites reserved for paddle-in campers only (part of the Cascadia Marine Trail -- a network of over 50 similar campsites that range from Olympia to the Canadian border) and met a couple of representatives from Washington Water Trails, an organization dedicated to the development of water trails like the Cascadia Marine Trail.
Jeff and I hiked the Island, shared a couple bottles of wine and had smoke salmon with pasta primavera for dinner. Not exactly roughing it, eh?
I got to try out my new tent (father's day gift) and my new backpacker guitar.
After a beautiful night under a clear sky, we packed up and paddled home.
