Kayaking Links
Helpful links to weather, tides, clubs, and much more to assist you in planning your next kayaking trip.
Tides, Currents, Marine Weather, River Flows, and Surf/Swell Forecasts
- ProfessorPaddle: NW River Levels and other White Water Community Resources
- Tide and Current Freeware for Palm OS PDA's
- Tide and Current Freeware for PocketPC PDA's based on MS Windows CE - Tide and Current
- NOAA Tide Tables
- NOAA Current Tables
- Canadian Marine Weather Forecasts
- Seattle Weather
- NOAA's Marine Weather Forecast for Washington
- Tatoosh Island, WA weather station
- La Perous Bank Buoy 46206
- US Marine Weather Forecast
- USGS River CFS Levels
- FNMOC Ocean Wave Forecast Model
Click the "WW3" link on the left frame, then click on the thumbnail chart of the region you want, then click on the "Swell Wave Heights" dot for the time/forecast you are interested in. Note Pacific Standard Time is 8 hours behind universal (Zulu)time. So when the Valid date and time ends in 12Z it = 4 am Pacific Standard time on the same date. When the Valid time is 00Z, it = 4 pm the day before the Valid date shown. Don't get confused by the "Forecast Hour", that is just marking the 12 hour increment between forecast maps.
Ferryboats and Charter boats - Schedules and Information
- Washington State Ferries
- British Columbia Ferries
- Alaska Ferries
- Kyuquot Sound/Bunsby Islands Kayak Water Taxi - charter boat that hauls kayaks, based in Zeballow, B.C., Rat River Charters, Call Greg at (250) 761-4215
Parks, Boat Launches, and Water Trails
- Washington State Parks day use issues and annual permits
- Washington Water Trails Association
- Boat Launch Sites in Washington State
- BC Marine Trails
Clubs
- Mountaineers Club
- Oregon Ocean Paddling Society, OOPS
- Birds in Seattle
- WAKE, Whatcom Area Kayak Enthusiasts
- UKC, University of Washington Kayak Club
- WKC, Washington Kayak Club
Magazines, On-line Book Clubs & Resources
- Sea Kayaker magazine Index to articles.
- Wavelength Magazine
- Canoe/Kayak Magazine
- Paddler's Book Club (an On-Line book reading club not a sales scam)
- Class5.info Global paddling information. Interactive Paddling Guide.
- Paddling, Rafting & Kayaking Magazine - Paddling Life
Boating Safety & Surf Etiquette
- U.S. Federal and State Requirements for Recreational Boats
- Vessel Traffic Service - Puget Sound
- Surf Etiquette/rules
- Surf Maneuvers
Navigation
- US Coast Pilot (free downloads of these books)
- US Light List (free downloads of these books)
- US Local Notice To Mariners (free downloads of these newsletters)
- Chart No.1 (free downloads of the legend/key for all US charts)
- Marine Weather Service Charts - reference material, not the actual forecast charts (free downloads of all US MSC charts showing locations of observation sites, forecast zones, broadcast frequencies and antenna locations)
- FCC Forms to license VHF radio
- PADDLE ME Guidebooks: 175 Flat Water Kayak and Canoe Destinations in California
Services and Products
- Kayak Custom Fitting (Burlington, WA)
- Custom Made Greenland Paddles (OH)
- LashLock - kayak lock and tie-down in one system
- Kayak repair and customization, Sterling's Fiberglass
Kayak Storage at Shilshole Bay Marina
Cost is $35/month, racks are located inside locked gate in our dry storage yard at the north end of the marina,
and can be launched at adjacent marina docks or at Golden Gardens Park.
Call: Ross McDonald, Harbor Facility Specialist at 206-728-3394, or directly to Shilshole Bay Marina at 206-728-3006.
Note there is no web link for this.
Outfitters
- Grand Canyon river rental equipment and services Shuttles, Rafts, Food, Toilets, etc. For private trips that have permits -- Ceiba Adventures
- Guided Sea Kayaking Whale and Wildlife Watching Tours in the San Juan Islands
- Japan Sea Kayaking (run by an alumni of the Kayak Academy)
- Kayak Rentals at L. Sammamish State Park, WA, with Issaquah Paddle Sports
- New Zealand Kayak Adventures, sea kayak trips in the Bay of Islands.
- Patagonia river and sea kayak trips.
- Arctic Odysseys - cruises with kayaking in the Arctic
- Sea Canoe Thailand
Thailand sea kayaking and adventure tours in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Samui, Tarutao, Khao Sok and Southern region by local phuket paddling tour operators http://www.seacanoe.net - Rental Drysuits Shipped to You for a Weekend or a Month -- Kayak Academy