Anderson Island
South Puget Sound, Washington
3–4 December 2024
Wintertime camping trips often have to be short, but there is no reason they can’t also be spectacular.
Point Wilson
Admiralty Inlet, Washington
15 November 2024
Southern resident killer whales pay a month-long visit to Puget Sound before exiting past Point Wilson.
Chuckanut Bay
North Puget Sound, Washington
27 September 2024
Not all petroglyphs are ancient, but even the modern ones can be obscure in their meaning.
Hood Canal
Hood Canal, Washington
10–12 September 2024
Wind and waves, bridges and bombs, and a few precious stretches where it is just me, the trees, and a sky full of clouds.
Hope Island
South Puget Sound, Washington
7–8 September 2024
Leon and I end up on the wrong island, but the deer are overjoyed to see us.
Wolfe Property
Hood Canal, Washington
31 August–1 September 2024
Spooky hands, unusual aquaculture, and a driftwood dragon.
Wingehaven
Central Puget Sound, Washington
13–14 July 2024
All we need for a perfect summer weekend are a grassy field, a few birds, and a parade of killer whales.
Lopez Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
1–3 July 2024
Circumnavigating the island in the summertime proves easier than trying it in the wintertime.
Posey Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
13–14 April 2024
Rachel and I spend a weekend with the kids on the smallest camping island in the San Juans.
Birch Bay
Strait of Georgia, Washington
9 and 10 December 2023
Strong winds force me to abandon my kayak on the beach after a failed search for a petroglyph.
Lummi Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
27 October and 10 November 2023
Mysteries and superstitions surround the largest face-motif petroglyph on the west coast of North America.
Turn Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
23–24 September 2023
Often overlooked in favor of flashier islands, Turn Island is the perfect place to close out the kids’ camping season.
Cypress Head
San Juan Islands, Washington
2–4 September 2023
Hundreds of porpoises welcome me, Grandpa John, and the kids to this, the kayaking backyard of Washington.
Blind Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
12–13 August 2023
It’s no great loss to sleep through the meteor shower when a family trip is as much fun as this.
Salmon Bank
San Juan Islands, Washington
20 July; and 1 and 5–6 August 2023
After eight months, more than a dozen kayak launches, and many long hours in the cockpit, I find my final species of whale.
Hope Island
South Puget Sound, Washington
22–23 July 2023
Voracious deer and aggressive raccoons are our neighbors here at the pearl of south Puget Sound.
Hein & Salmon Banks
Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington
8–10 July 2023
A search for whales leads to an unexpected overnight at the Dungeness Spit lighthouse.
Skagit River
Rockport to Sedro-Woolley, Washington
22–25 June 2023
Our family has so much fun kayaking the Skagit River we decide to make it an annual tradition.
Middle Point
Central Puget Sound, Washington
17–18 June 2023
James and Chelsea join me and the kids for a Father’s Day weekend at a decommissioned fort.
Possession Point
North Puget Sound, Washington
20–21 May 2023
The kids and I go camping alone together for the first time, only to be confronted by various forms of animal mischief.
Sand Island
Grays Harbor, Washington
7 May 2023
Rare migratory birds face fanboats, cannons, and rockets, all in the name of science.
Bush Point
Admiralty Inlet, Washington
19 April 2023
Southern resident killer whales from our local J-pod pass through Admiralty Inlet.
Possession Sound
North Puget Sound, Washington
4 April 2023
After a long chase, I finally catch my first whale of 2023, a gray whale on my favorite whaling grounds.
Baby Island
North Puget Sound, Washington
28 March 2023
Kayak-camping on a privately owned island? It sounds too good to be true, but the situation is ambiguous.
Wingehaven
Central Puget Sound, Washington
18 March 2023
Killer whales elude us at the last minute, so we head to a familiar park on Vashon Island.
Shi Shi Beach
Olympic Coast, Washington
28–29 January 2023
Far from the lights of the cities, out on the wild coast, an ancient, green comet is visible in the night sky.
Ocean Shores Canals
Grays Harbor, Washington
3 December 2022
Ducks and kayakers are the primary beneficiaries of a failed real estate development scheme from the 1960s.
Elliott Bay
Seattle, Washington
12 November 2022
Some of the last vestiges of the old Seattle waterfront are still barely hanging on.
Cypress Head
San Juan Islands, Washington
17–18 September 2022
Strong winds and rare birds await us and our friends on a long-promised visit to Cypress Island.
Anderson Island
South Puget Sound, Washington
3–5 September 2022
The kids romp around the island, finding their own adventures.
Blake Island
Central Puget Sound, Washington
20–21 August 2022
An entire weekend of kayak-camping, just me and Leon, age two.
Hein & Salmon Banks
Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington
6–7 August 2022
Flocks of California gulls guide me to the minke whales.
James Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
30–31 July 2022
It’s no mirage—James Island makes for a perfect family getaway.
Whidbey Island
North Puget Sound, Washington
1–4 July 2022
Circumnavigating what might be, if you look at it from just the right angle, America’s longest island.
Sucia Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
11–12 June 2022
Rachel joins me and the kids on a kayak-camping trip to one of the most beautiful islands in the state.
Jones Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
14–15 May 2022
Forgotten food and a rainy night out can’t dampen our spirits.
Wingehaven
Central Puget Sound, Washington
30 April–1 May 2022
Leon’s first-ever kayak-camping trip.
Kalaloch
Olympic Coast, Washington
16–17 April 2022
The Olympic coast is a wonderland of geology and wildlife.
Possession Sound
North Puget Sound, Washington
9 April 2022
When the wind dies down, the gray whales appear.
Cape Flattery
Olympic Coast, Washington
27 March 2022
South of the famous sea caves lies the little-known Archawat petroglyph.
Vashon Island
Central Puget Sound, Washington
22–23 January 2022
Cruising the foggy passages of our inland sea.
Carr Inlet
South Puget Sound, Washington
23–24 October 2021
Despite a threatening windstorm offshore, the south sound is a sanctuary of wildlife and autumn leaves.
Kinney Point
Admiralty Inlet, Washington
25–26 September 2021
My dad joins me and Maya for a weekend in the woods on Marrowstone Island.
Strawberry Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
4–6 September 2021
After years of anticipation, I finally get to take Maya to my favorite place on Earth.
Grays Canyon
Continental Slope, Washington
21–22 August 2021
Twenty-two hours, sixty-five miles, thousands of seabirds, and a capsize at the end.
Salmon Bank
San Juan Islands, Washington
7 August 2021
Drifting among the seabirds, searching for a minke whale.
Sucia Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
24–25 July 2021
James and I take Maya and Chelsea fossil hunting.
Willapa Spits
Willapa Bay, Washington
26–27 June 2021
This small, desert island won’t survive forever against the sea.
Anderson Island
South Puget Sound, Washington
19–20 June 2021
With James and Chelsea, Maya and I explore an island full of mammals, birds, reptiles, and crustaceans.
La Push to Destruction Island
Olympic Coast, Washington
29–31 May 2021
Visiting a coast this wild is like coming home.
Possession Sound
North Puget Sound, Washington
23 May 2021
It’s not too late to meet the sounders, a springtime population of gray whales.
Burrows Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
1–2 May 2021
From the treetops overhead, a raven laughs at two strange visitors to its island.
Fort Ward & Middle Point
Central Puget Sound, Washington
10–11 April 2021
The nineteenth century’s last line of defense against an enemy fleet is now a pair of peaceful parks.
Long Island
Willapa Bay, Washington
6–7 March 2021
In memoriam of Dave Kruger, I explore one of his favorite areas for kayaking.
Lake Chelan
North Cascades, Washington
13–15 February 2021
A vast, frozen wilderness, all to myself.
Obstruction Pass
San Juan Islands, Washington
9–10 January 2021
Even during a winter storm, there’s always somewhere beautiful to go kayaking.
Case Inlet
South Puget Sound, Washington
26 December 2020
An ancient petroglyph reminds us that other ways of life are possible.
Point Roberts
Strait of Georgia, Washington
7–8 November 2020
Adverse currents, strong winds, and a navigational error make for a difficult crossing.
Hope Island
North Puget Sound, Washington
24–25 October 2020
The Fraser outflow winds bring clear skies, strong winds, and cold temperatures to north Puget Sound.
Saddlebag Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
26–27 September 2020
A little rain won’t keep two adventurous girls and their dads from having a good time on their own, private island.
Flaming Geyser State Park
Green River, Washington
12 September 2020
The last survivng petroglyph in King County is more easily visited by foot than by kayak.
Hope Island
South Puget Sound, Washington
5–6 September 2020
A short, easy crossing to one of the gems of the south sound.
Blake Island
Central Puget Sound, Washington
1–2 August 2020
Two little girls and their dads go romping around an island.
Hein Bank
Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington
19 July 2020
Minke whales are the most difficult whales to find in Washington, and photographing them proves even harder.
Freshwater Bay to Crescent Bay
Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington
27 June 2020
Exploring the north shore of the Olympic Peninsula on land and water.
Agate Point
Central Puget Sound, Washington
20 June 2020
An indigenous petroglyph still stands watch over the waters of Puget Sound.
Anderson Island
South Puget Sound, Washington
13–14 June 2020
One of the most scenic campsites in south Puget Sound is also one of the easiest to reach.
Sucia Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
30–31 May 2020
Sucia Island is the perfect place to be a child.
Salmon Bank
San Juan Islands, Washington
25 May 2020
A search for the elusive minke whale turns up a flock of Pacific loons.
Freeman Island & McConnell Rocks
San Juan Islands, Washington
27–30 December 2019
I squeeze in a little camping on BLM land before the proposed Resource Management Plan can stifle my plans.
Doe Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
5–6 October 2019
Rosario Strait is the beating heart of the San Juans.
Saddlebag Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
31 August – 2 September 2019
Rachel, Maya, and I spend Labor Day weekend camping, beachcombing, and picking pears.
La Push to Cedar Creek
Olympic Coast, Washington
2–4 August 2019
Puffins, sea otters, sea stacks, and long, sandy beaches—a west coast paradise.
Blake Island
Central Puget Sound, Washington
13–14 July 2019
Rachel and I take Maya for her first-ever kayak-camping trip.
Chuckanut Bay
North Puget Sound, Washington
22–23 June 2019
Is it really possible to go fossil hunting from a sea kayak?
Cape Flattery
Olympic Coast, Washington
7–9 June 2019
Sea caves, secret grottoes, and towering stone arches greet me at the northwesternmost point in the contiguous United States.
La Push to Goodman Creek
Olympic Coast, Washington
25–27 May 2019
Cassin’s auklets elude me, but the beautiful, rugged coast is its own reward.
Strawberry Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
3–5 May 2019
In the middle of the night, the water is filled with luminscent plankton, and the skies are filled with meteors.
Possession Sound
North Puget Sound, Washington
16–17 March 2019; and
14 April 2019
Each spring, a small population of gray whales lingers in our waters, feeding on shrimp.
Harstine Island
South Puget Sound, Washington
16–18 February 2019
Perfect solitude—unless you count herds of sea lions and a pair of extraordinarily rare dolphins.
Posey, Stuart, and Jones Islands
San Juan Islands, Washington
29 December - 1 January 2019
With careful planning to avoid dangerous winds, it’s possible to enjoy great camping even in the dead of winter.
Stillaguamish River Delta
North Puget Sound, Washington
1 December 2018
Hunters aren’t the best company, but owls and ducks are.
Union Bay
Lake Washington
3 November 2018
Winter birds and fall colors put on a dazzling show on my local paddling grounds.
Cypress and Sinclair Islands
San Juan Islands, Washington
22–23 September 2018
My attempt to find a secret campsite is unsuccessful, but a rare Arctic visitor arrives to raise my spirits.
Quadrangle of Fire
Admiralty Inlet, Washington
24–26 August 2018
The old forts guarding the entrance to Puget Sound are relics of a war that never happened.
Lummi Rocks
San Juan Islands, Washington
16–17 June 2018
A secret campsite turns out to be not such a secret, after all.
Smith and Minor Islands
Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington
10 June 2018
The two most remote islands in Washington State are home to our most endangered colony of tufted puffins.
Strawberry Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
19–20 May 2018
In paradise, no one needs a tent.
Goat Island
North Puget Sound, Washington
14–15 April 2018
Hidden deep in the jungle are the overgrown ruins of an ancient and warlike civilization.
Nisqually Delta
South Puget Sound, Washington
11 March 2018
Spring has come to breathe fresh life into birds, plants, and paddlers.
Skagit Island
North Puget Sound, Washington
16–19 February 2018
A cold-weather Robinson Crusoe.
Naval Base Kitsap
Sinclair Inlet, Washington
30 December 2017
I like big boats and I cannot lie.
Elliott Bay
Seattle, Washington
1 October 2017
Beneath the Seattle Aquarium lies a maze of twisty water passages, all alike.
Patos and Sucia Islands
San Juan Islands, Washington
21–23 September 2017
The weather can often be rough in the northern San Juans, but this time, it’s perfect.
Hammersley Inlet
South Puget Sound, Washington
5–7 May 2017
My plan to introduce dad to a pod of orcas goes even better than hoped.
Posey Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
19–21 March 2017
Spring is upon us, and what better way to welcome it than to spend a couple days on this tiny but beautiful island?
Point Doughty & Sucia Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
17–20 February 2017
After a decade, I finally complete a visit to each one of the public campgrounds in the San Juans.
Blake Island
Central Puget Sound, Washington
15–16 January 2017
What kind of maniacs go camping in January?
Lopez Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
19–22 December 2016
Strong winds first cause delays and then an emergency abortion of an attempted circumnavigation.
Saddlebag Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
7–9 October 2016
Turning lemons into lemonade by changing an itinerary to include two nights on this delightful little island.
Lummi Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
1–3 July 2016
With clever site selection, it’s possible to avoid crowds in the San Juans even during Independence Day weekend.
Hope Island
South Puget Sound, Washington
27–28 February; and
29 April – 1 May 2016
Camping on Hope Island is so much fun I come back a second time with Rachel.
Strawberry Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
21–23 September 2015
Rachel and I discover wild onions on the best island on Earth.
Burrows & Strawberry Islands
San Juan Islands, Washington
21–23 August 2015
It’s too dark to find the campsite, and I don’t have my camping gear, but there’s always a good place to sleep in the San Juans.
Duwamish River
Seattle, Washington
9 August 2015
The Duwamish has suffered from industrialization, but nature perseveres.
Nisqually to Seattle
Puget Sound, Washington
21–24 June 2015
Long, sunny days under the watchful eye of Mount Rainier.
Protection Island & Dungeness Spit
Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington
4–5 June 2015
Back-to-back day trips to a tufted puffin colony and a historic lighthouse—and an ill-advised carry across quicksand.
Lake Ozette
Olympic National Park, Washington
25–29 March 2015
Dad and I tour one of the wildest lakes in western Washington.
Blake Island
Central Puget Sound, Washington
7–8 March 2015
Rachel and I spend the night in the Cascadia Marine Trail campsite closest to home.
Snohomish River Delta
Everett, Washington
28 August 2014
Dad and I take a Huckleberry Finn-style cruise through the backwaters and sloughs.
San Juan Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
3–9 August 2014
Summertime in the San Juans means big crowds but also an abundance of natural beauty and wildlife.
Elliott Bay
Seattle, Washington
29 July 2014
Look at, but do not touch, the Aegis guided-missile destroyer.
Lower Columbia River
Washington and Oregon
20–29 March 2014
Rachel and my first kayaking camping trip together, from Bonneville Dam down the Columbia River to Kalama.
Ballard Locks
Seattle, Washington
23 February 2014
Rachel and my dad join me on a trip through Seattle’s century-old Ballard Locks.
Green Lake
Seattle, Washington
16 February 2014
Rainy weather can’t stop the jewel of north Seattle from shining.
Discovery Park
Seattle, Washington
24 November 2013
A short trip on a cold, clear day.
Skagit River
Marblemount to Deception Pass, Washington
11–15 August 2013
Warm weather and sandy
Juanita Bay
Lake Washington
29 May 2013
A day trip from Seattle to find a rare bird.
Matia and Sucia Island
San Juan Islands, Washington
19–21 January 2013
A winter solo, short on paddling but long on hiking, to two of the loveliest islands in the northern San Juans.
Baker Lake
North Cascades, Washington
12–15 December 2012
When bad weather strikes in the San Juans, Baker Lake makes for an unexpectedly beautiful alternative destination.
Nisqually River
South Puget Sound, Washington
17 June 2012
My brother and dad join me on a short float down the Nisqually.
Inside Passage
Seattle, Washington to Ketchikan, Alaska
1 April - 14 July 2011
Kayak Bill is the inspiration for a solo trip up the Inside Passage.