• Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews
EVERYONE'S TRAVEL CLUB
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews

Exploring Saltwater State Park, Des Moines WA

7/30/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
   Every time we drive south from Seattle we always pass by (and don't stop at) Saltwater State Park. We finally stopped to check it out! Lucky for us it was low tide and we got to explore some cool tide pools.
Picture
   The park has parking close to the beach, camping, & a nice little saltwater cafe that opens seasonally. Chill with a picnic at one of the many tables throughout the park or explore nearby beach and woods.
Picture
   Despite being a touch rocky at low tide, not a bad place to launch a kayak to head straight across the Sound to Point Robinson Lighthouse on Vashon Island (Maury). We also heard that it's a great diving spot.
    All & all, not a bad little park…that we finally stopped to check out. You should too!
   ~Paul & Amber   ETC

View Larger Map
0 Comments

Kayaking Kopachuck State Park, WA

7/6/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
   Just a short drive from Gig Harbor exists Kopachuck State Park - a forested park on Henderson Bay with plenty of water access and some pretty cool nearby bays & islands to explore. There's lots of parking (Discover Pass required) but it's not that close to the water. If you've got hardshell kayaks, you'll have a little hike down the hill to the beach (I'd look at a map before you go). Luckily for us, our inflatable packs up nice and we made the short trip down the trail to the water.
   While hiking down to the beach we stumbled upon a marine trail campsite. It was cool to see in person since we recently joined the Washington Water Trails Association. It's a pretty sweet deal - a minimal annual membership for discounted, members only aquatic campsites up and down the Puget Sound allowing paddlers a place to camp (that way you could complete some super long paddling trips).
Picture
   We eventually made it down to the water and started paddling south towards Horsehead Bay. It's popular to go the other way towards nearby Cutts Island State Park (some of the locals call it Deadman's Island!) or Raft Island, but we've been there done that. Also, it was a busy summer weekend day and several power boats were WAHHHH-ING!!! around the islands (we only like power boats WAHHHH-ING when we're actually in them:).
Picture
Picture
   Paddling into Horsehead takes you past a tempting sand spit…tempting because it seems to be private property…otherwise it would be a great place to stop for a snack. We paddled in and out, pretend shopping for our favorite beach house, and eventually drifted back to our launch site at the park.
   Kopachuck is a nice day trip and it was cool to finally see a WWTA campsite. If you haven't paddled around here before it's definitely worth a visit. A circumnavigation of Raft Island (private/residential) is totally doable and exploring Cutts Island (beach and hike around) is fun too. You could do it all in one day pretty easily. If that day is a warm summer one you may not be alone! 
   There's lots of parking but not a whole lot of beach space - I'd choose a different beach if you planned to spend the day tanning (or, as tanning as Northwestern-ly possible:). However, word on the street is that at low tide a sandy beach appears…maybe there's tanning to do after all!
   ~Paul & Amber   ETC
0 Comments

Exploring the Mt. Constitution lookout in Moran State Park - Orcas Island, Washington

6/25/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
   Our exploration of the San Juan Islands continues with a little trek to the tallest point on the islands - Mount Constitution. Located on Orcas Island (Orcas is the mountain-y one), Mount Constitution sits in Moran State Park, a 5,000 acre or so state park with lakes, mountains, waterfalls, lots of hiking trails, camping & day use areas.
Picture
   Mt. Constitution sports an awesome stone lookout tower (built in 1936). The views are excellent, you can actually go inside and up in the tower (as opposed to it being locked up like some sites in the NW), and there are bathrooms in the parking lot. 
   Although you can park lower on the mountain and hike up (the popular trail is about 7 miles with a 1500 ft elevation gain), you can also just drive and park on the very top. Just know you'll need a Washington State Discover Pass ($10 a day or $30 a year) to park a vehicle at the park. We usually purchase ours each year at REI in Seattle and keep it in the glove box. 
   Also, if you are hiking up, know that sometimes there isn't portable drinking water at the top so plan ahead! We highly recommend heading to the top and checking out the view - it's amazing!
   ~Paul & Amber   ETC

Links: 
Nice map of Moran State Park
Check here at the State Park website for current info
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Exploring & Kayaking in Beaufort North Carolina (Taylor Creek)

3/9/2013

0 Comments

 
   We thought we'd take one more little paddle on our quick-trip to the coast North Carolina last Fall- a visit to the quaint little town of Beaufort. First of all, this ain't no South Carolinian town of Beaufort (bew-fert)…this here is Beaufort (boh-fert - soft -t  at the end there). Glad we cleared that up.
   Beaufort is a scenic, quiet, & friendly seaport village near the southern section of the Outer Banks. From our point of view it is perfect - cute small town with nice restaurants and places to explore on foot, cool history, and some great paddling nearby. The town's Front street is just across a skinny waterway (Taylor Creek) with the Rachel Carson Coastal Reserve on the other side - an awesome sanctuary to explore by kayak (wild ponies anyone?).   
  Added bonus: the town was once upon a time a hangout for some special guests…pirates. Blackbeard had been to the town and although he wasn't that impressed back in the 18th century, his beloved ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge,  grounded & eventually sank near Beaufort. They recently found her & the Maritime Museum in Beaufort gets first dibs on all of the artifacts being resurrected from the sea. Arrr.
Picture
   You get a taste of the history of this place when you check out the Beaufort Historic Site. Located right in the middle of the historic part of town, the site has several historic buildings/houses to explore. Gorgeous stuff.
   There's lots of other places to check out in town - we stopped by the Beaufort Coffee Shop (Cru Bar & Coffee Shop) for a cup of Joe. When you're on the road in the South and you hear the sound of a real espresso machine you go there...we're from Seattle after all! We also strolled the General Store & Taylor's Creek Antiques.
Picture
Picture
   While walking along the waterfront in town you'll notice signs for the Rachel Carson Reserve - just across the Creek.
Picture

View Larger Map
Picture
   After exploring town we finally drove down a few minutes to a nice boat launch. We launched from the Beaufort boating access ramp on Lennoxville Road. There was a parking lot and it turned out to be a great place to set off. We paddled against the current eastward (which felt like northward), out past the end of Carrot Island. The current was pretty swift here. Without too much planning, we always paddle against the current first - that way it's an easy ride back (you don't want to try it the other way around!).
  As you paddle, there are great beach houses and nice boats to check out on the mainland side, and  pretty wildlife scenes from the reserve on the other. A reserve boardwalk, pictured below, is right across the creek from the boat launch. Taking it gives you views of the other side of the island.
Picture
   The put-in is also right next to The Boathouse & Front Street Village - a future residential area with boat storage, marina, boat fuel, groceries, and more. There is a lot planned for this area, check out more here. For us, it was a great place to grab a snack after our paddle & check out the old fishing net wheel, left over from when this was once part of Beaufort Fisheries.
   Do we recommend a visit to Beaufort? For sure. Great paddling and a quaint, historic town…perfect! Just don't call it Bew-fert.
   ~Paul & Amber   ETC
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Follow us on Twitter and receive updates when we post (click the birdie).
    Picture


    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011


    Categories

    All
    Alki Beach
    Arboretum
    Attractions
    Bahamas
    Ballard
    Boat Shows
    Carkeek
    Cascades
    Dungeness Spit
    Edmonds
    Everett
    Florida
    Golden Gardens
    Hiking
    Hood Canal
    Kayak
    Kingston Wa
    Kiteboarding
    La Conner
    Lake Chelan
    Lakes
    Lake Sammamish
    Lake Union
    Lake Washington
    Lemurs
    Leschi
    Less Aquatic Travels
    Lighthouses
    Live Aboard
    Mercer Island
    Nisqually
    North Carolina
    Oregon
    Outside The PNW
    Parks
    Pike Place Market
    Port Ludlow
    Port Townsend
    Poulsbo Wa
    Puget Sound
    Quilcene Bay
    Richmond Beach
    Rivers
    Road Trip Month
    Sail
    Samish Island
    Sand Point
    San Juans
    Sea Serpent
    Seattle
    Shilshole
    Ship Canal
    Skagit
    State Parks
    Sunken Ship
    The Pacific Coast
    Up & Over
    Virgin Islands
    Volcano
    Whales
    Wildlife



    Videos on Vimeo

    We hope you've enjoyed the time you've spent on our site. All images, text and designs are copyright Everyone's Travel Club and may not be used without written permission from ETC.
Picture

Connect:

Contact:

everyonestravelclub@gmail.com

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews