By Doug Webber

Editor's note: Because not everyone can find the time for a two-week expedition, most paddling trips are relatively brief; a weekend excursion or an afternoon's escape is more the norm. To reflect the realities of our readers' lifestyles, Canoe & Kayak is introducing a new addition to its Destination section: Day Trips. It will focus on revealing the paddling opportunities close to major metropolitan areas across the United States and Canada and, we hope, give our readers even more reasons to get out there and enjoy all that paddlesports has to offer. We welcome reader suggestions for cities to explore in upcoming issues; just send an e-mail to editor@canoekayak.com.

Puget Sound is an area with multiple personalities. It is shrouded in clouds and moisture for much of the year, yet the summers are beautiful and warm, with hardly a drop of rain between July and October. Seattle is bordered by salt water on the west and by the rugged Cascade mountain range on the east. Jimi Hendrix was born and raised here, Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam made it a "scene," but Kenny G now calls it home. Variety abounds throughout the sound, and that applies to paddling, too. Year-round whitewater, beautiful urban lakes, and stunning ocean waterways present many options to paddlers around Puget Sound. So if you happen to be one of the lucky ones who call Seattle home, or just happen to be passing through, pick up your paddle and get out there!

Why not start in the heart of Seattle? Less than five minutes from downtown is Lake Union, which sits between, and is connected to, Lake Washington and Puget Sound, the two large bodies of water that form the eastern and western perimeters of Seattle. Although you may be tempted to head right out to bigger water, the views and quirkiness of Lake Union make it a destination in its own right.

Paddle around and soak up the magnificent views of downtown Seattle, or poke in and around the many coves populated by moored ships and houseboats. If you need to rent a boat, stop in the Northwest Outdoor Center (a.k.a. NWOC) and say hi to Herbie and John Meyer, two pioneers of Seattle paddling. They've rented boats to and taught thousands of paddlers, including a certain mariner by the name of Jimmy Buffett. There are some great Lake Union paddle-up restaurants, including Ivar's and Agua Verde, where you can satiate your hunger or get something to slake your thirst. If you're paddling your own boat, you can put in on the south end of the lake behind Burger King, or on the north end east of Gas Works Park.

If you feel like spending a few more hours on the water, paddle north out of Lake Union through Portage Bay and the Montlake Cut, and explore the west side of Lake Washington and the Washington Park Arboretum. The Arboretum is an extraordinary urban paddling destination, with narrow waterways that wind through wetlands teeming with wildlife. After you have explored the Arboretum by boat, get out and stretch your legs by taking a stroll through the interior. You'll find an array of exotic trees and plantings and also a formal Japanese garden. The round trip to the Arboretum from Lake Union is about six miles. Canoes can be rented at the nearby University of Washington Waterfront Activities Center.

Another option from Lake Union is to paddle west through the Ballard Locks into Shilshole Bay, on Puget Sound. After passing through the locks, be sure to stop and watch how they work and check out the Lake Washington Fish Ladder. The fish ladder is made up of 21 "steps" that allow salmon and trout to enter the lake from the sound. There are aquarium-style windows that enable visitors to watch the fish climb to their origins and final destinations. Once through the locks and in the bay, you can head north to Golden Gardens Park or south around West Point into Elliott Bay and the heart of Seattle's busy waterfront.

Elliott Bay offers postcard views of Seattle's skyline, and on a clear day you can look back over your shoulder at the rugged Olympic Mountains. An Elliott Bay paddle provides a unique view of a working port, but keep in mind that a working port means large ships, barges, and ferries. Add that ship traffic to the ocean currents and prevailing winds, and you have a situation that requires intermediate to advanced paddling skills. The Lake Union/Elliott Bay round trip takes the better portion of a day, so factor that in when planning your trip. There are several good put-ins in West Seattle that can make it a much shorter trip. Viewing a summer sunset over the Olympics while paddling around Elliott Bay or off the shore of Golden Gardens Park makes Seattle's rainy season tolerable.

About an hour's drive south of downtown Seattle is the Nisqually River Delta, one of the last large undeveloped Puget Sound estuaries. The Nisqually Delta's marshes and tidal waterways sprawl out under the watchful eye of Mount Rainier and provide perfect habitat for watershed wildlife, especially birds. The delta lies less than a mile from busy Interstate 5 and is surrounded by sprawl and continuing development, but it provides an important and unspoiled educational and recreational outlet for the Puget Sound region. Paddle north through the delta waters and explore the inlets and bays as you make your way to the mouth of the Nisqually River. Or just poke around the marshy west shore of the delta, keeping an eye out for great blue herons, bald eagles, and migratory waterfowl. The delta is an important stop-over point and link in the Pacific Flyway, the migratory route that starts in Central America and ends in Alaska. When paddling in the Nisqually Delta, it is important to consult a tide chart and plan your paddle for the hours surrounding high tide. Otherwise, you might find yourself beached on unstable ground waiting out the low tide. Try to drag your boat across the mud and you may be in serious trouble; being stuck thigh-deep in muck while watching the tide rise isn't a fun way to end a paddle. To get to the delta, take exit 114 off Interstate 5, following signs to the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, and inquire locally about put-ins.

While many Puget Sound citizens look out their windows and curse the rain, there is a fanatical group that looks out and thinks, "Awwww, yeah!" Whitewater boaters love the Seattle area, and for good reason. Great paddling is just a short drive away, and the flows are almost year-round. Within an hour of Seattle are opportunities for every level of whitewater paddler.

Let's start with the Powerhouse run on the Snoqualmie River. The Powerhouse is only one mile long and barely pushes Class III, but you'll find every level of paddler running the small ledges, chutes, and boulder gardens. Decent surf waves can be found at every water level, and the regulated flow of the Snoqualmie makes Powerhouse dependable year-round. Powerhouse is a perfect spot for fine-tuning whitewater skills and is only half an hour from Seattle off Interstate 90. The put-in and take-out are just below Snoqualmie Falls near the town of Fall City. One favorite après-paddle spot is the Last Frontier Tavern in Fall City. What's better than planning your next paddle over burgers and beer?

Just 30 miles from Seattle along Interstate 90 near the town of North Bend is the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie and the Class III-IV Middle Middle run. Middle Middle is made up of numerous boulder gardens, ledges, and swift chutes and culminates in several difficult rapids, including House Rocks, the most challenging section. House Rocks is just that, house-sized granite boulders that interrupt the flow of the main chute and call for some advanced paddling skills and maneuvering. The Middle Middle section runs through a tunnel of trees, with spectacular peaks looming around every bend. If not for the occasional cabin, you might think you were on a wilderness run. If you have some time to spare before or after your paddle, take the Twin Peaks tour of North Bend. David Lynch's eerie TV series was filmed here, so get a tour map and maybe you can figure out who killed Laura Palmer.

If you're craving more adrenalized water, drive up U.S. Highway 2 and paddle the Skykomish. Although there are sections of water on the "Sky" suitable for every level of paddler, the most infamous and probably the most popular section is a seven-mile stretch near the small town of Index. Mount Index stands sentinel as the frigid aquamarine river rambles through Class III-IV rapids and eventually leads to Boulder Drop (Class IV-V), the rite-of-passage rapid for Puget Sound whitewater paddlers. The drop has to be run in different ways at different flows, so consult locally or go with an experienced boater.

Thirty miles southeast of Seattle flows the Green River. The Green offers something for every skill level, from Class I flows near the town of Kent to the Class III-IV Green River Gorge run. The Gorge Run is another classic Washington paddle. The Green twists and turns through a 150- to 300-foot-deep canyon that is nothing short of spectacular. While floating through slack water awaiting the next rapid, you can gaze upward at the old-growth evergreens curtaining dripping grottoes and trickling waterfalls. The Gorge is best at levels of 1,000 to 2,300 cfs, usually seen during the rainy season. Put-ins can be found at Kanaskat-Palmer State Park, and the take-out is at Flaming Geyser State Park.

So there you have it. Seattle's local paddling spots are as diverse and interesting as the cultural and geographic anomalies that make it a world-class city. If you find yourself in the Puget Sound region and are craving to get on the water, grab your boat and paddle and get out there.

Fact file
For links to water flows, tide charts, and other information, visit the Washington Kayak Club's Web site, http://www.wakayakclub.com/.

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