Just a little south of Seattle, in Des Moines, Washington, I was with a group who rented kayaks from Olympic Outdoor Center. From the name, I expected a giant operation. You know, Olympic-sized. It turned out to be a little beachside shack. Fortunately, they had plenty of kayaks, which is all that really counts when you’re kayaking Washington.
We visited the area called Seattle’s Southside in mid-September, which is after the main season. It’s quite a short season in the rainy, misty Puget Sound. The Olympic Outdoor Center is only open daily in July and August. If you want a kayak in June or September, you have to call first. If it’s October to May? Better bring your own.
The beach at Des Moines is called Redondo Beach. I know, this is confusing. Isn’t Des Moines in Iowa? Isn’t Redondo Beach in California? But we were definitely in Washington State. You could tell by the calm, quiet morning, a bit overcast in that way that’s so comforting to people who live in the Northwest. We always say we want the sun, but when the solar ball pops up we squint and cover our eyes.
This was a nice little paddle along the shore looking at homes and scanning for wildlife. I saw cormorants, while others in my group had more impressive sightings of a porpoise, harbor seal and sea otter.
Afterwards, we got lunch at Salty’s Waterfront Seafood Grill. In warmer weather you can sit out on the vast decks that overlook the sound. From the name and the location, you can probably guess it’s a seafood place. But they have a secret off-menu choice for vegans like me: ratatouille. Full of squash and mushrooms slathered in rich tomato sauce, it was served super-hot in a skillet. I never understand why some places don’t put their vegan options on the menu. I’m sure even some non-vegans might like the ratatouille. They also had lovely greens in their salads—not what I’d expect from a seafood joint. Salty’s finished off a perfect morning of kayaking Washington.
Teresa Bergen owns the Veg Travel & Fitness site. An outdoor enthusiast, she’s on a quest to kayak or SUP in every US state and Canadian province. Teresa is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the Wellness Tourism Association, and the author of Easy Portland Outdoors.
