Feelin' Salty

Feelin' Salty... or maybe I'm just bored. Maybe I need new avenues of discovery, or maybe I just need to get away from people. Whatever the case I have been jonesing to get a chunk of time to load up my 17' boat with a ton of gear and do some extended Salt Yakkin'. Tired of whitewater logistics and being dragged through other people's learning curves regarding all the outter trappings of the whitewater process. I mean, ya meet folks to carpool, run out to the river, dick around a bunch till the sun ain't so high in the sky no more, and then when peeps finally get on the river now they's in such a big god damn hurry... anyway, I'm burned out on the process of it all to the point that I need a complete change of pace. I have been feeling a compelling urge to PADDLE AWAY from it all. So I got about two weeks worth of food, some wine, and all the other relevant gear and stores, and loaded up my Salt Yak. I launched from Seattle at Shilshoal Bay's Golden Gardens park. So, this isn't a trip report of the San Juan River. It is a T.R. of a trip to the San Juan Islands from Seattle. I just got back today. I paddled 130 nautical miles in 9 days. In fact this isn't a true trip report at all- more of an essay about some things related to salt yakk'n and my relationship to the endeavor- my experience. I dig it. I like being able to just paddle infinitely without reaching a take out. I like the fact that I didn't have to drive out of Seattle to launch. I like the wide open vistas and I really like being out in the weather that makes this place tick.