Different Breeds of Boats

Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy?

     This is a question that we get asked often as people come in to take a kayak out on the water. Which boat is going to be best for me? This is a great question. To answer, here are some things that we consider. 

• How long have you been kayaking?

• How comfortable are you in a boat?

• How far do you want to go?

     Using these three questions we are easily able to help you decide. If you are relatively newer to kayaking, then we will put you in a more flat bottomed boat. This means that the boat rests more comfortably on the water and feels less, what we would call, “tippy”. Usually these boats aren’t great for traveling long distances quickly, but they always do the trick.

     If you are more experienced, we will put you in a boat that is more, as previously stated, “tippy”. This means that the boat can get up on it’s edge more easily, making turning more simple. Furthermore, these boats often travel quicker due to a more narrow and aerodynamic finish. 

     No matter your experience, we have the right boat for you so come down and take one of our boats for a walk!

The Mighty Mountain

Mount Rainier is a peak of exorbitant beauty. The Mountain, which is a part of the Northwest Ring of Fire, is an active volcano, but the last recorded eruption was over 150 years ago. Some mountains are formed by one large explosion or event that creates the feature we see, but Mount Rainier is different. The mountain has been formed through thousands of years of lava and mud flow. Throughout time these layers continually built upon each other to create the mountain. 

     Rainier is estimated to have once stood at over 16,000 feet above sea level. However, 5,700 years ago Mount Rainier erupted, causing the mountainside to collapse and it now stands at 14,411 feet above sea level. Thip eruption caused a mudflow called the Osceola Mudflow. Many of the towns built around Mount Rainier are built atop this mudflow. Scientists do not know exactly when might erupt like this again, but as an active volcano it could be at any time. 

Shell Middens

As you travel along the scenic coasts of Vashon taking in the beauty of the tall pines and rocky beaches, you may have notice strange areas full of white shells. Well, these phenomenon are not natural. In fact, they are quite the opposite. They are actually referred to as Shell Middens. A Midden is a fancy name for an old dump. For the Native American tribes that lived on Vashon some 200 years ago, these were places to drop shells, human waste, animal bones, and other unused materials. Shell Middens are crucial to understanding the diets and lifestyles of early Americans. Unfortunately, Middens are becoming less and less common due to the erosion of the land that they are on. Thus, archaeologists are eager to find out all that they can from these Middens on Vashon and throughout the Puget Sound before they completely disappear. So, as you paddle around be sure to look out for these strips of shells and imagine what life may have been like when they were being created. 

     For a detailed look at the middens on Vashon you can turn to Laura S. Phillips & Julie K. Stein’s 2003 book Vashon ISland Archaeology: A View from Burton Acres Shell Midden (Burke’s Museum of Natural History and Culture Report, No. 8). Which can be found at your local King County Library.

A Ferry Tale

What is the one thing that we, on Vashon Island, have in common? Ferries. Whether they are used for your daily commute or an occasional foray into the city, we rely heavily on our ferry system. It can be frustrating when the ferries are down, but thus far we have not had it as bad as islanders at the end of 1940’s. Prior to 1948 the ferries were run through a private company, the Puget Sound Navigation Company. The company was forced into a shutdown during a strike in 1947. During the period of the strike vashonites were forced to find their own solutions for getting off of the island. This resulted in them creating their own ferry system which became the first, and only, King County Ferry District.

During the ferry district’s first year in service, the captain of the Puget Sound Navigation Company attempted to land a ship at the dock to continue providing service to Vashon Island. As he attempted to dock he was met with 25 angry vashonites equipped with pool cues, ax handles, and other tools to push the ship away from the dock.. They successfully kept his ship from being able to tie up and the Puget Sound Navigation Company never provided another ship to Vashon. This ferry district was in place for three years, and it ran with relative success. It eventually was dissolved in 1951 when the State of Washington created their own ferry system, which is still the same system we use today. Ironically, they provided service to Vashon using ships they bought from the Puget Sound Navigation Company. 

For a more detailed account of the Vashon ferry debacle visit: https://historylink.org/File/3731

Bald Eagles

     Bald Eagles are one of the most recognizable birds in the United States. While they do not thrive in many places in the USA, we do not have that problem here on Vashon Island. In a study conducted by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife there were a reported 840 occupied nests in the state in 2005 (Stinson Et. Al, 2007). Though their numbers are considered stable now, they were not always this strong. In the 1950’s the Bald Eagle population in Washington was completely wiped out due to a harmful chemical pesticide called DDT. Luckily, the use of DDT was banned country wide in 1973 and the population of Bald Eagles began to steadily grow. By the end of the 1980’s there were only 104 mating pairs in the state. Compare that to the 840 in 2005 and you can see how well they have bounced back. 

Photo Courtesy of Caroline Matter.

      Vashon Island is a premier location for mating bald eagles to make their large, 1,000 lbs nests. In the same study conducted by Stinson Et. Al (2007) They found that 97% of bald eagle nests were within 3,000 ft of a large body of water. This is because they are opportunity hunters who often fish in the waters around the sound. They are also known to be the bullies of the sky. Due to their large size, weighing in often around 10 lbs and boasting a 6 ft wingspan, they often steal food from other scavenging birds who do the hard work for them. It is amazing to see these birds soaring above our heads here on the island and hopefully their numbers continue to stay steady so we can experience the majesty of these birds.

For more info on the Washing Department of Fish & Wildlife’s study you can visit: https://www.eopugetsound.org/science-review/10-bald-eagles

Dockton Docks

One of our favorite spots on the Island, Dockton Park offers an amazing place to have a picnic with the family or get your toes wet in Quartermaster Harbor. However, did you know that it used to be far less peaceful than it is now? Just down the way from where the dock is now, Quartermaster Harbor was home to one of the largest dry docks in all of the Puget Sound. The dry dock was 325 feet by 102 feet and was able to carry and hold multiple large ships at once. Though built and housed in the harbor since 1892, it eventually was moved to Seattle in 1909.

     At the same time, the Martinolich Shipping Company was building boats in Dockton. Their company started operations in Dockton in 1905m, and they were one of the largest employers for Island men at the time. They built and launched many ships successfully, but one of the most famous stories on Vashon was of one of their failed launches. After construction, they launched a boat by the name of Florence J. Almost immediately the ship tipped over and sank into the water. Though the boat was recovered, the story still lives on. The company eventually ceased operations in Dockton in 1929, but they continued making boats elsewhere until 1974. 

List of boats made by the Martinolich Shipbuilding Company: 

• http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/small/martinolich.htm

One of Vashon’s Mascots

The seal density in south Puget Sound is among the highest in the world, and they are the most commonly seen marine mammal in the region. They are present year-round and most travel less than 60 miles from their birth site in their lifetime; Therefore, the seals surrounding Vashon Island are genetically distinct from those located in the northern Puget Sound and Hood Canal. They have excellent eyesight in and out of the water and their whiskers are capable of feeling vibrations in water movement to detect both predators and prey. Local seals can dive to a depth of more than 300 feet but typical dives are less than 150 feet, lasting between 4 and 6 minutes. Most hunting will occur within a few miles of their haul out site where we see them out of water. Locally pupping occurs between late June and September making for good pup watching through the summer paddling season.  

Learn more at: https://www.sealsitters.org/marine_mammals/harbor_seals.html