I've been scouting around for a good place to launch and paddle in the lower Puget Sound area. I've looked around Olympia and so far the best prospect I've found is Tolmie State Park. Can anyone tell me what the prevailing conditions are in that area during good weather in the summer? Or is there a better place to put in?

I haul my kayak on a trailer, so I want to avoid getting into downtown traffic and such. I'm very familiar with the road that goes to Tolmie and the parking looks pretty good, but limited. I want to stay well south of the Narrows.

I've never launched at Tolmie but have had good luck at both Boston Harbor in Olympia and the boat launch ramp next to the Hartstine Island Bridge. South Sound is known for lighter winds and currents than the areas north of The Narrows. I still keep an eye on tide and current charts and take my copy of Puget Sound Tide Prints to catch the occasional free ride.

Michael

Yeah Mike, I've been to Boston Harbor to look it over. I really liked the look of the place, but I would have to go through Olympia, or past Tolmie to get there, so I figured Tolmie would be the place. Do you know anything about the area around Shelton?

Tolmie requires abit of a carry to launch, especially at low tide. Boston Harbor is a far easier launch, but located farther west. The other east option is Luhr Beach WDFW launch at the mouth of McAllister Creek. In Shelton, Walker Park is a good launch, but beware the currents. You have to plan to go with them to make a pleasant paddle. Squaxin Island Tribe's Arcadia boat launch opposite Hope Island is another great place to start. Its only 1 usually very easy mile to Hope Island. JK

PS--check out the Washington Water Trails Association website for good information!

Yeah, I was at Tolmie a while back when the tide was out. I didn't have a kayak with me, but I see what you're saying about having to carry the boat to the water. The carrying part doesn't bother me, but I have to wonder how solid that goo might be. I didn't have the right foot attire to give it a try.

Thanks for the other suggestions. Maybe I'll get around to doing some more looking around, but right now I've sort of changed my plans. I'm going to give one of our local lakes a look for somewhere different to paddle. So anyone who has any experience on Riffe Lake, I'd be interested to hear about it.

About 99% of my paddling is on the Columbia River, which is great, but every now and then a little variety would be nice. There are a lot of places around Puget Sound, or Hood Canal that I would like to go to, but it is at least a two, or three hour drive and I'd rather be paddling than driving for those hours. But I try to keep an open mind.

I haven't been up the channel to Shelton since my tug boat days in the 60's. There is the launch ramp next to the Hartstene Island bridge just a few miles beyond Shelton. If you do launch in Shelton and paddle out Hammersley Inlet I'd love to hear about it. From the Aerial photos it doesn't look too built up.

One of the things I try to be very careful of is where I park my vehicle. Would that launch ramp be pretty safe place to leave your rig?

We've left cars there overnight on several occasions but then again it is a remote unlit lot so we might have just been lucky. You could probably contact the county sheriff's office to see if they get any theft reports on that area.

I would never leave my vehicle there, or anywhere else overnight--at least not on purpose. I don't camp out and only do day paddles.

Luhr Beach is a great launch site. From South or North on I5 take the Nisqually exit and go up Martin Way (4 lane) to the traffic light at the top of the hill (Meridian.) Turn right and bear right at the round-about following Meridian roughly 3.5 miles North. Turn right at 46th and left at D'Millur drive which ends at Luhr Beach. Use the boat ramp to drop/pickup your boats and gear on the sand either left or right.
Low tide exposes big Oyster beds West/South and mud flats North. You can use this for everything from Steilacoom to roughly Devils Head or Tolmie.
Boston Harbor can be reached by taking the Port of Olympia exit (Not the state capitol exit!) from I5 which drops you onto Plum street. Go straight about 10 miles. Plum becomes East Bay drive which goes straight to BH. No turns until you get to BH (left to marina). From there you can reach tons of stuff so take your pick. Sometimes 4K tide at Dana point and powerboats. Swirling eddies at the inlet entrances next to Hope Island.
Use Walker Park only for the Shelton Slide, a good test of your tide reading skills, or Oakland bay. For Allyn or the North end of Hartstine, use Arcadia point further down that road.

Thanks for the info. I'm quite familiar now with Tolmie and Boston Harbor, but I haven't been to Luhr Beach. I'll try to check it out sometime.

After reading about some of the inlets on the lower sound, I doubt that I would be interested. I don't want to have to deal with mud flats at low tide. I'm now considering Hood Canal. I'm pretty familiar with Twanoh State Park, but I haven't given up on areas around Olympia.