I could see the Thea Foss Waterway far below from my 16th floor room in the gorgeous glass art-themed Hotel Murano. But with just a couple of hours between conference activities, was it possible to get there, rent a kayak, paddle for an hour, then get back and dress for business? And was an hour of urban paddling worth it?
As somebody who always wants to get on the water, I thought I’d better find out.
Where to kayak in Tacoma
Tacoma seems to have embraced its reputation as Grit City, judging from stickers and artwork I saw around town. It’s a mixture of heavy industrial and scenic water views. If you visit in summer and have more time—or if you’re traveling with your own kayak or SUP—you might choose to launch at somewhere prettier. You can rent a kayak at Owen Beach in Point Defiance Park or a SUP from Big Bus Paddle Sports along the Ruston Way waterfront.
But if you’re like me and visit Tacoma in the fall, there’s only one place left to rent a kayak or SUP – Foss Harbor Marina. This is also the closest place to rent a kayak if you’re staying near the conference center. Thea Foss Waterway is a 3.5-mile inlet of Commencement Bay that separates downtown from the Port of Tacoma. This Superfund success story is named to honor Thea Christiansen Foss (1857-1927), a Norway native who founded Foss Maritime, the biggest tugboat company in the western US.
Getting to Foss Harbor Marina
Uber is the easiest way to get to Foss Harbor Marina. But if you want to navigate yourself, it’s a 15-minute walk from the conference center. To get over the freeway you walk onto the old 1913 Murray Morgan Bridge, also known as the 11th Street Bridge, then take a staircase down about ten flights of stairs to land on Dock Street. From there, the rental place is only a few blocks away.
Renting and launching your kayak in Thea Foss Waterway
I did a walk-in rental soon after the marina office opened for business at 10:30. A single kayak costs $30 for two hours or $50 for four hours, plus a $10 self-launch fee. That extra ten bucks seems a bit of a rip off, but maybe I’m missing something. If you drive, you get free parking with your rental.
The marina has a really nifty little kayak launch slip where you climb in. A worker also steadied the kayak for me, which I appreciated because the water in the marina looked a little gross and I really didn’t want to fall in.
What you’ll see kayaking Thea Foss Waterway
If you paddle north, you’ll wind up in Commencement Bay. Go south, you’ll see lots of boats and the Tacoma skyline. The marina workers had kindly consulted the tides for me and suggested I start out paddling into the bay and then turn around halfway through my allotted hour.
The first thing I noticed was industry—some low white domes and a chemical flame. I think it was the Phillips 66 plant. I had a moment of good God, what an ugly place to kayak! That sounds harsh, but I enjoy urban paddling and seeing what’s on waterways even if it isn’t all swans and rainbows. And seeing industry from the low view of a kayak is always fascinating and a bit frightening.
I headed out of the marina and into Commencement Bay to get a look at the 750-foot long Anglo Barinthus, based in Cardiff, Wales, loading up at a silo. As I left the channel for the bay, I felt the power of the water. Commencement Bay ranges from 135 – 600 feet deep and I suddenly felt very little and a tad anxious in my kayak. After a look at the ship, I decided to turn around and head back for the Thea Foss Waterway.
I puttered around the marina, which is basically a parking lot, peering carefully down each dock section lest I collide with an outgoing boat. It was fun to check out who was in port. I saw Awesome, a huge catamaran from Alaska. And the 1940s tug Chippewa, which I recently saw race at Olympia Harbor Days.
Skyline and old buildings
The skyline looked better from the water than it does from land. I got a good look at the old train depot and the Elks Lodge, now a McMenamin’s hotel and entertainment center.
I paddled under a couple of bridges and tried to get reflection shots of the Museum of Glass’ famous cone.
If you go
My conclusion: Yes, it is well worth going for an urban paddle in Thea Foss Waterway. If you’re staying by the convention center, you should be able to walk there and back, paddle for 60 minutes and take a quick shower in about two hours.
