Papa's Day Paddle - Ship Canal bridges tour Register

Date and Time:
Sun, Jun 15, 2025; 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM  (Pacific)

Organized By: Washington State Chapter

Location: 24th Ave Public Dock, 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107, USA

Map | Directions

Event Organizers:
Wes Stewart
   wes.stewart@sierraclub.org
   (805) 268-1179

Inviting all Papa's and people with papa's for a ~10.5 mile (9 nautical mile) paddle through the Lake Washington Ship Canal exploring Seattle's famous bridges!

We'll start at 24th Ave Public Dock in Ballard near the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Salmon Bay, followed by the Fremont Cut, Lake Union, Portage Bay and Union Bay on the east side of the Montlake Cut. After a quick photo, we'll return to Portage Bay finding Ivar's Salmon House and docking there for lunch!

More than 6 miles of this paddle will be in the first half, with another 4-miles on the journey from Ivar's back to Ballard. Note, there are many stopping opportunities along the way, but, to the best of our knowledge, the only convenient restrooms are at Gas Works Park and the restaurant - there are no restrooms at the 24th Ave Public Dock. Please plan your hydration accordingly.  

You'll be hard pressed to find another paddle with such a great variety of experiences.  From a built environment standpoint, we'll pass under four drawbridges, the Ship Canal Bridge (that carries I-5) and the George Washington Memorial Bridge (that carries HWY 99), dodge hot tub boats (maybe) and float planes (certainly), while paddling past houseboats, and viewing the iconic Seattle skyline from Lake Union.
From a natural environment point of view we may see bald eagles, great blue herons, wetlands, beaver lodges and a host of waterfowl.

There are no crossings on this route and it is mostly protected from wind.  However, there can be strong 'currents' near the locks and significant waves/chop (up to 3 ft) can be experienced in the narrow Montlake Cut.  This is a busy waterway so we will need to paddle in tight groups to minimize our interactions with other traffic.


 

Logistics:

Paddlers will rendezvous at 7:30 am at the 24th Ave Public Dock in Ballard.   Here you can park, unload boats, pack your gear, and get acquainted with your paddle-mates for the day. We will aim to be in the water by 8 am, paddling away no later than 8:15 am.

The first half of the journey will consist of ~3hrs and 6ish miles out to Lake Washington (Union Bay). During our 1-hour lunch break, folks are invited to be picked-up at Waterway 15 just west of the restaurant.

For all those returning to the start, we'll quickly finish up the remaining 4 miles to Ballard and conclude our Papa's Day Paddle!

Level: Moderate(Sea Kayak Class I ; 10.5mi)

Cost: FREE

Bring: Required Equipment: 1. Functional single or tandem kayak 2. U.S. Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) 3. Paddle 4. Spray skirt (optional) 5. Bilge pump with floatation 6. Self-rescue paddle float 7. Waterproof whistle 8. Appropriate clothing for the conditions; additional layers for unanticipated changes in weather

Signup Restrictions: Please do not bring children under the age of 12. Children 12-18 should have kayaking experience and must be accompanied by an adult guardian. We're limiting RSVPs to a group of 8 (including the leader)

Cancellation Policy: Steady rain cancels