Blake Island Paddle August 23-24

Finally after thirty years in the Northwest we did the Tillicum Village salmon dinner and dance show thing. Sure, it's more of a tourist event than anything else, but it's still fun. At least we did it in a less-touristy fashion.

We drove over the Tacoma Narrows bridge to Pomeroy County Park in Manchester near Port Orchard and loaded our kayak for an overnight trip on the beach next to the boat ramp. We figured that we might miss the evening dinner/show so we could stay overnight and catch the noon one. As it turned out, we were early enough but decided to camp anyway on the NW side of the island in the public camping area. We did not see the Cascadia Marine Trail campsites just around the other side of the point until we were on our way back from dinner later [It was clear later that, at low tide, it would be a long carry from the campsite to the shore.]. After setting up our tiny backpacking tent on the shaded, grassy bench above the beach (and spotting an otter running into the forest), we hustled back into the boat and paddled the mile or so to the main campground, marina and Tillicum Village. We were there in plenty of time to sign up for dinner which was not until 1730 - we had understood dinner was at 1630 from the information on the web but that was the time that the tour boat left Seattle, not the time dinner was served. So we had some lunch, took some pictures of the Village and a bold raccoon, and walked around checking out the beach and campground. There was plenty of room and there were shady spots with views of Seattle, pay showers and a snack bar.

By just after 1700 campers and boaters were beginning to drift toward Tillicum Village so we joined them. Just as the Argosy tour boat docked, big pots of hot clams were carried out and we each got a few clams and some broth. We ran into another couple of kayakers while waiting in line and shared our experiences and, eventually, a table in the longhouse. Great food (although the plastic, fish-shaped plates were a bit hokey) including traditionally-cooked salmon (uh, well sort of traditional - the split salmon were propped up in front of a fire but the fire was a gas flame, not alder wood), a good mixed-greens salad, wild rice mix, small potatoes and, at each place, a milk chocolate salmon. Water and lemonade were in pitchers on the table. The long house looked like it could seat more than 300 (There were 270 of us this time) at tables placed on ascending levels so we were looking down at the dark woodland-themed stage. The dance show began just about the time we finished our meals and each segment was short enough to keep the audience's attention. The most spectacular segment was a mask dance which was really well done. I especially liked the clacking of the beaks on the huge bird masks.

After the show we did not waste much time getting back on the water but there was plenty of light and we were soon back at our camp. C.J. suggested we take the trail back to the main campground so we could see what the night lights of Seattle looked like, so we grabbed our headlamps and headed east on the 1.25 mi trail. We encountered a number of deer - their eyes are big and very reflective in the light from our headlamps, but they did not seem in any rush to bound away. Our lights were not needed for the trip to the main campground but on the way back it was dark under the trees. Back at camp the ranger showed up and warned us about the raccoons, deer and otters. He invited us to use the "wildlife containers" (32-gal Rubbermaid garbage cans with bungy cords) to store our food but we had put all our food under the solid hatch covers of the kayak instead. He also checked that we had paid our camping fee (standard state park $17!). By then it was late enough to squeeze into our tent for the night.

The next morning we got up around 0730 (?) knowing that it wouldn't work to wait for the sun to hit our wet-facing camp. I got the old Svea stove going and heated up hot water for cocoa and tea and we had raisin bran and chocolate chip scones, neither of which were too badly smashed. Leaving our tent still up with our gear inside, we set off to paddle around the island although it looked foggy to the south towards Southworth. Tide was low and more shoreline was exposed than we had expected. We saw more sea otters, shorebirds, and boaters tied up at the mooring floats, but only one other pair of kayakers. Rounding the southern point of Blake Island, we saw the third campground (fewer sites and with no water), and realized that we would not be seeing Seattle as the view to the west was obscured by fog. It wasn't much farther before we were back at the main campground and ran into some wind and some rougher water, nothing really scary but I pulled on my sprayskirt after getting a splash of cold water on my lap.

Back at the west campground we shook the dew off the tent - it hadn't dried much at all - and loaded everything back into (or on - we tried tying a dry bag with clothes and a sleeping bag on the rear hatch). This time we went pretty straight west to the shoreline just north of Yukon Harbor and then paddled along the shore back to Manchester. We passed the NOAA research vessel again, the same one we had seen on the way to Blake.

On the way home we drove through Port Orchard and treated ourselves to shakes at A&W, and a Safeway deli sandwich which we ate in the park at Point Defiance. All in all it felt very much like a vacation.