Watersports Guide
Get on the water for a true PNW experience
By RICHARD PORTER
Photos by Richard Porter
IN THE BEGINNING
Not so long ago, the waterways of Snohomish County were like highways. Coast Salish tribes traversed mountains, valleys, and shorelines in dugout canoes.
If an orca approached a tribal canoe, Tulalip passengers would greet it by saying, “Killer whale, killer whale, your ancestors were also my ancestors.” Such was local respect for the watery realms and its animal inhabitants.
There’s nothing quite like spending time on the sea or lazily floating down a river on a July afternoon. You may even be greeted by a pod of orcas while out kayaking.
WHERE TO GO?
Good news! There’s absolutely no shortage of water to explore in this scenic region. Let’s start big and work our way down to your more granular options. From gear to location, I’m sharing some of my favorites to guide you on your journey across our waterways.
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PUGET SOUND/SALISH SEA
Our county offers access to Port Susan, Possession Sound, Jetty, Hat, and Camano Islands, plus 74 miles of coastline. Lining the shore are madrone trees, a lighthouse, and county parks.
Coastal areas can be enjoyed by canoe, SUP, sea kayak, motorized boat, or rowboat. Another option available to specialists is kiteboarding off the coast of Jetty Island in Everett.
One other option that I absolutely love is the foldable kayak. I invested in one about five years ago and don’t regret it. I’m afraid that this ninja-mobile approach is going to be very popular soon. You don’t need car access or a boat launch to put in, allowing you to pop up at a local beach and unfold your watercraft.
Make sure you’re confident in your skills before putting out to sea. Currents and fluctuating waves can make for inconvenient, even dangerous conditions.
ESTUARIES
Ah, estuaries. The most underrated of local ecosystems.
To be sure, these are also fragile biospheres, and one must travel lightly. But, if you’re a skilled rower and don’t mind currents and a little mud, the estuaries of the Snohomish and Stillaguamish Rivers offer fantastic beauty and a bountiful variety of wildlife.
During my tidal peregrinations I’ve witnessed deer (on Deer Island of all places — who would’ve thought?), harbor seals, herons, river otters, osprey, bald eagles, and a variety of sandpiper.
Your best bets to put in for estuary travel are the Marysville Boat Launch, or the boat launch at Langus Park in Everett. I think you’ll return from your trip with a new appreciation for the flora and fauna of our region.
SNOHOMISH, SKYKOMISH, SULTAN, AND STILLAGUAMISH RIVERS
Yes, our county is crisscrossed with rivers that start with the letter S. The Stillaguamish, Snohomish, Sauk and Suiattle rivers, among others, are named for the Native American tribes of the region.
River travel often comes in the form of kayaking or a lazy summer inner tubing trip. Again, let’s stress the importance of safety on local rivers.
- Currents can be extreme and can catch you off guard.
- Water play and booze do not mix well.
- Beware of “snags” in rivers. You can easily become pinned to a root ball or a submerged tree by the force of the current.
If you’d like to master the basics of kayaking, I recommend visiting the Outdoor Adventure Center in Index (outdooradventurecenter.com), where you can receive personalized, professional instruction in both river and sea kayaking.
River floating can bring some of the best of summer times to your year.
LAKES
Lakes offer the perfect place to dip your toes (literally!) into watersports. And there are so many options in this glacially-carved landscape of ours!
Flowing Lake, Lake Cassidy, Martha Lake, Silver Lake, Lake Stevens, and Lake Tye are all easy, placid, low-risk places to practice your watersports basics.
Build up your skills on relatively tranquil waters before tackling surf and tides.
A LAND OF WATERWAYS
These are only my suggestions of places to recreate. The beauty of our county is finding new, previously unthought of places to explore by watercraft. I’ve seen folks backpacking an inflatable SUP board up to an alpine lake. I’ve seen boogie boarders off the shore of Mukilteo. I’ve unfolded a kayak and paddled into the waters of Howarth Park.
There’s so much to explore: now go test the waters for yourself!
Types of watercraft
Rent kayaks or SUP on the Everett Waterfrontat KayakShare (kayakshare.com). You can also access motorized watercraft and sailboats on the Everett waterfront, courtesy of Freedom Boat Club (freedomboatclub.com).
There are so many options for the would be watercrafter. Buy an inflatable SUP board, score a raft off Facebook Marketplace, invest in a motorized boat. Go big with your tax return and load up on kiteboarding gear.
Another piece of water-related equipment to consider is the crab pot. Once properly licensed, you can help yourself to the bounty of the sea by simply rowing out offshore several hundred feet and dropping a baited trap.
