WWTA is a leader, partner, and resource for water trail planning and development across the state of Washington. WWTA facilitates volunteer involvement in water trail stewardship and educates members and the public at large about relevant political issues and best practices for low impact recreation (Leave No Trace). WWTA represents the state's non-motorized boating population in the political and recreational planning realm. WWTA remains an authority on the needs of non-motorized boaters in terms of physical and informational access to Washington's waterways.

Spring 2010 Easy Current News
Online Here



Coming Soon...
August 20-22!
WWTA Cascadia Marine Trail
Camp-Over at Kopachuck State
Park for WWTA Supporters!

This weekend long event will start with a social and potluck dinner on Friday evening. Saturday will be a full day, including a Site Steward Training and a work party.

Kopachuck State Park is a 109-acre marine and camping park with 5,600 feet of saltwater shoreline on Henderson Bay. One portion of the park, Cutts Island (or "Deadman's Island") is a half mile from shore and reachable only by boat. The park provides scenic views of sunsets, the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound.

For details about the weekend please contact Bruce.

R.S.V.P. as soon as possible to reserve your space!

 

Olympia Traverse
Happening: Saturday July 31st
The Olympia Traverse is an endurance multi-sport challenge that celebrates the life journey of salmon.

Soloists, tandem and relay teams compete for survival on the course that demonstrates the urban and natural challenges that salmon face in their journey.

The COURSE begins in the Capitol Forest outside of Olympia and winds through the woods to Mima Falls Trailhead. The finish brings it all together with the complete team finishing downtown together at the Fish Tale Brewpub.

The segments: Tail Run, Mountain Bike, Road Bike, Paddle!

Check out the Olympia Traverse website to REGISTER.



Volunteer Announcement
Sign up for Spartina Survey in August
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) needs paddling volunteers for the annual invasive plant survey on the Chehalis River Surge Plain (CRSP) in Grays Harbor County. The survey is scheduled for Saturday August 21st!

The CRSP is a unit of the Natural Area program administered by the DNR. Volunteers, using their own canoes or kayaks, will survey this tidal river mapping locations of two invasive plants—Purple Loosestrife and Japanese Knotweed.

The trip is of moderate difficulty but suitable for any level of paddling experience. Everyone will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. Volunteers can expect to be on the water for 4-5 hours.

To sign up, and for details, please contact Roberta (Birdie) Davenport.

9th Leave No Trace Course Success
Trip leader, teacher, camp counselor, black-clad ninja diver, these are some of the newly minted Leave No Trace Trainers from WWTA's June 12-13 Blake Island course. Participants had a combined 342 years of outdoors experience that fueled discussions of driftwood, dogs, Dutch oven cooking, and dinner's gray water disposal.

The eight explored personal ethics, learned an array of educational approaches, and practiced techniques to share Leave No Trace messages with friends, groups, and complete strangers.

Since 2003, Washington Water Trails has educated 62 individuals to conduct Leave No Trace Awareness and Trainer Courses!




Puget Sound Challenge (PSC) 2010!
This is an approximately 150 nautical mile paddle, broken up into 13 segments, to travel from Port Townsend to Olympia. The "challenge" is to complete the entire course in one year (or season) and this can be done individually, with friends, or with a group like a paddling club or kayak shop. The Olympic Kayak Club has scheduled paddles of all 13 segments, April through October, and everyone is welcome to participate

To register for the Challenge contact the Olympic Kayak Club. Goals of the PSC include raising awareness and funds to support Washington State water trails, and the work of Washington Water Trails Association!

Check out Olympic Kayak Club for a description of the complete course and the WWTA Calendar for the dates of all 13 segments, through October.

From a San Juan County News Release...
Beginning May 1, boaters will need to obtain a permit and attend a brief training session before launching any boat from San Juan County Park. The training, which covers the laws protecting killer whales and other marine wildlife, and the laws and guidelines for responsible boating within the San Juan County Marine Stewardship Area, was developed in association with the Whale Museum's Soundwatch program.

The training and permit requirements will be in force for anyone launching a motor, wind or human powered vessel between May 1 and September 30; the season when killer whales frequent the County's waters.

The permitting and education program was instituted after The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proposed regulations (see below) which would effectively close San Juan County Park's boat ramp and prohibit most boating activities on a large percentage of the west side of San Juan Island during the summer season.

For more information, contact the San Juan County Parks and Recreation office at 360-378-8420.


2010 UPDATE
Proposed Vessel Restrictions for San Juan Island:

NOAA has now posted public comments.

Interested people will be notified via NOAA's killer whale listserve.

 

 

Sea Kayak & Canoe Winter Seminar
Over a hundred people took part in WWTA's Annual Sea Kayak & Canoe Winter Seminar at South Seattle Community College in West Seattle on February 6th. Heartfelt appreciation goes out to our extraordinary speakers: Bill Brackin, Kaj Bune, Ken Campbell, Don Crook, Bruce Farrar, Shawna Franklin, George Gronseth, Jennifer Hahn, Dan Henderson, Wayne Horodowich, Steve Jones, Karl Kohagen, Dik Lang, Gary Luhm, Rhonda Schwab, Leon Somme, Reed Waite, Kara and Greg Whittaker, and Mike Woolf.

The WINNING NUMBER for the handcrafted kayak paddle is 268230! Congratulations to Mike Woolf, winner of the pautik (traditional paddle) carved and donated by Phil Russel of Lake Stevens Kayak Institute. Thanks so much to Phil and to everyone who donated to support the work of WWTA!