To spend a few hours kayaking on the Duwamish Waterway, sandwiched between West Seattle and Seattle’s industrial area, is to voyage into a world where commerce is king, and where the powerful hand of industry has remade the natural world in its own image.
So little remains of what was originally here that it is tempting for paddlers to write this area off entirely, and never visit these waters at all. But, like a captivating book whose cover has been torn and soiled, the Duwamish is worth a second look.
Wildlife can be surprisingly plentiful, with heron wading in the shallows and sea lions cruising the open stretches of water during times of healthy salmon returns. The primary traffic in this area is, however, human. Tugs and other assorted craft make it a wiser choice for kayakers to stay near the shoreline most of the time, and keep an eye out here as well. One good thing is that, within the confines of the Duwamish, anyway, boat traffic is moving fairly slowly and thus isn’t too difficult to avoid.
The key to enjoying a paddle in the Duwamish is to look past the obvious and see through the veneer of industrial America to what is hidden behind it. Admittedly, it is a thick veneer in places, but this only makes the experience more rewarding in the long run. Rough little beaches, where long-legged shorebirds skitter over the landwash, are tucked away behind many a concrete facade. Kellogg Island is prime blackberry picking ground in season, and it’s likely that your only competition if you’re trying to fill a bucket here will be the birds.
Although the current that runs through the area gets as strong as one knot (or just over a mile) on an ebb tide, the real hazards here are man-made. Everything from small powerboats to gigantic freighters ply these waters regularly, and it is wise to consistently keep at least one eye out for what’s coming around the corner. In addition, this is an area that is best paddled when the tide is up, primarily because of the put-in options. At low water, many of the launch sites are muddy and difficult to use.
There have been serious concerted efforts on the part of local citizens and environmental groups to clean up the lower Duwamish, and the best way to ensure that these efforts have not been in vain is to go, to paddle, and to see the area for yourself. It is not overly important which part of the Duwamish you choose to paddle, whether you pick the busy areas surrounding Harbor Island or the slightly greener spots further upstream.
What is important though, is that you appreciate the area for what it is, enjoy the splash of the water against your bow and the feel of the wind against your face.
Access to the Duwamish Waterway
There are a half-dozen spots that have been established as shoreline access areas for use by the public at various points along the Duwamish. All of these areas are welcome swatches of green in the hard-scrabble jungle of the surrounding area, but there are a couple that is better suited to launching a small boat than others. The distance you’ll paddle will vary significantly, depending on the launch site chosen and the route. A passage from the Diagonal Street access site down to Elliott Bay and back totals about four miles.
Diagonal Avenue South
This is the best place to put in for a trip to Kellogg Island, which lies a short distance across the waterway. If you’re traveling southbound on Highway 99, you’ll want to take a right turn at the lights onto Diagonal Avenue, across from terminal 106, about a quarter-mile past the Spokane Street overpass. At the end of Diagonal Avenue, there is a parking area, a grassy lawn ringed with trees and bushes, and picnic tables. The boat launching area is well signed but small, situated very close to parking at the upstream end of the site.
Terminal 105 Viewpoint
Situated just south of the West Seattle Bridge interchange, and connected by a winding driveway to West Marginal Way SW, this access point can be difficult to find on your first try. If you’re headed south on West Marginal Way SW, and you pass Southwest Dakota Street, you’ve gone just a little bit too far. Turn around, look for the sign framed in blue metal pipe that identifies this as the “Duwamish Public Access,” and make the turn onto the narrow gravel drive that ends in a small parking area. There is a portable toilet here, as well as a nice picnic area. Signs will direct you to the launch area in a little inlet at the southern end of the site.
Ken Campbell is the author pf several paddling books about the Puget Sound and is a frequent contributor to Outdoors NW.
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