For this year’s first camping trip with James and Chelsea, Maya and I took them to one of the gems of south Puget Sound: Anderson Island. From the launch beach at Nisqually, the paddling distance is just over three miles (5 km) each way, through some of the calmest saltwater in Washington.
Route map. At low tide, vast mudflats are exposed at the Nisqually River delta, but we launched on a rising four-foot tide and experienced no difficulty.
Warm sunshine, flat water, and gentle tides made for a sedate crossing of Nisqually Reach. Often, when paddling with small children, I try to hug the shore, but on a day as calm as this, there was no need. We paddled right up the middle of the channel. Harbor seals and harbor porpoises escorted us nearly to the beach.
James and Chelsea launching at Luhr boat ramp. Chelsea excelled at coming up with taunts to direct toward Maya and me in our rival kayak.
Maya and Alex kayaking across Nisqually Reach. Maya brought into the cockpit a backpack full of Barbies, her whole stuffed dog pack, and a sack of croissants, which she and I shared for a treat.
Harbor seal, Nisqually Reach. The seals here were fearless of us kayakers.
James and Chelsea paddling toward Anderson Island. The Olympic Mountains made an enticing, wild backdrop to our crossing.
Maya and Alex headed toward Anderson Island. The Folbot Yukon is a one-person kayak, but it managed to fit both of us.
The campsite on Anderson Island is on a long, gravel bar that partially encloses a saltwater lagoon. At high tide, the lagoon floods until water nearly reaches the tent area. At low tide, the water drains out through the inlet, resembling a small stream.
Even before the tents were set up, Maya and Chelsea charged off to explore the drying lagoon. As the water receded, sand and gravel islands appeared, which the girls hopped across. James and Chelsea managed to cross all the way to the other side of the lagoon across a fallen log. Maya and I played chasing games among the pickleweed.
Maya and Chelsea in the lagoon, Anderson Island. The girls pretended to be dogs escaping from their dog owners, the dads.
Chelsea finds a snail. The lagoon was full of snails, crabs, and sculpins, which attracted several species of foraging bird, including kingfishers, ospreys, great blue herons, mallards, and a single double-crested cormorant who didn’t seem to catch anything.
Maya wading in the lagoon, Anderson Island. Everything in Carlson Bay was the perfect size for a child to explore.
As usual on our trips, one of the girls’ favorite activities was playing in one another’s tents. Chelsea brought her own menagerie of stuffed animals to complement Maya’s dog pack. Maya introduced Barbies to camping, much to the delight of Chelsea, who maintains her own stable of Barbies back home.
We took the girls on hikes up and down the gravel beach and into the forest. The forest proved a little steep for such little girls, so we did not make it all the way around the excellent interpretive trail uphill of the lagoon. No matter—there was plenty of wildlife right on the beach, including lizards, swallows, and pigeon guillemots nesting in the sandy bluffs.
Chelsea and Maya play in tent. The girls liked their dads to tell stories about the stuffed animals, but they were equally adept at making up their own.
Chelsea on rope swing. There was little shade on the beach, so even those of us who did not swing enjoyed sitting beneath this alder to watch Chelsea.
Chelsea running down the beach. The girls turned every part of the park into their playground.
Western fence lizard, Anderson Island. Maya and I saw two of these on the driftwood logs near camp, while James and Chelsea saw as many as five during their walks on the beach.
Northern rough-winged swallow. South Puget Sound is a paradise for Hirundinidae. We saw barn, violet-green, and northern rough-winged swallows, plus nesting purple martins.
There is only one campsite on Anderson Island, and we had the only reservation. Once the day-trippers cleared out, we had the park to ourselves for the evening. James and Chelsea slept in their tent without a rainfly, while Maya and I left our rainfly flaps open to let in the moonlight and night noises. At around ten o’clock, a common loon started up with a wailing night song. For an hour, a series bright, rich, wafting tones carried across the water, as if a lonely flautist were practicing a solo.
Just when the loon was finishing its performance, a western screech-owl chimed in with a few high-pitched whinnies. I lay on my back, looking out at the moon and listening to the late-night chorus.
The next morning, James whipped up a batch of buttery pancakes with syrup. The girls went on one last grand romp, then joined the dads down on the beach to help load the boats.
Maya in the tent with Strawberry Dog, one of the principal members of the dog pack. We went to bed before dark and woke up after dawn.
Chelsea and Maya playing on the beach. The tide came in so fast we could watch the water rise.
Chelsea riding back to Luhr beach in kayak. The water was so still and quiet we could hear the breaths of the porpoises.
James and Chelsea kayaking beneath Mount Rainier. The trees and mountains are what make this place home.
Anderson Island joined Hope Island as one of our top kayaking trips with the girls. The small size of the park, the short paddling distance, and the abundance of birds, mammals, reptiles, and crustaceans all made for a perfect child-sized adventure.
—Alex Sidles