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Southeast Sea Kayaks, Ketchikan's kayak sales, rental and outfitting company has closed its doors. Ketchikan Kayak Company, led by an enthusiastic young owner, is taking its place as Ketchikan's go-to kayaking resource.

I am happy to announce a new, updated & revised 2nd edition of Robert H. Miller's "Kayaking the Inside Passage: A Paddler's Guide from Olympia, Washington to Muir Glacier, Alaska," Countryman Press due out in early 2018. It contains many new campsites, alternate routes, maps, photographs and insightful elaboration on many topics.

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In 2013 Denis Dwyer self-published a new Inside Passage paddling guide titled "Alone in the Passage: An Explorers Guide to Sea Kayaking the Inside Passage." Quirky, lacking in professional editing, and mostly a compilation account of Dwyer's two solo paddling trips, along with his opinions on preparation, resources & gear, it is well worth reading. For one, Dwyer covers alternate routes not covered in Miller's guide, and provides observations that are worth noting.

On May 23, 2014 Washington Water Trails Association announced the addition of 3 new Cascadia Marine Trail overnight campsites in Lower Puget Sound. The Fox Island Fishing Pier CMT Campsite and the Tacoma DeMolay Sandspit CMT Campsites are located on the east and west shores, respectively, of Fox Island across Tacoma Narrows from Steilacoom. The Sunrise Beach CMT Campsite is about a mile north of Gig Harbor.

The Cascadia Marine Trail has added a new campsite at the Wolfe Property State Park just north of the west end of the Hood Canal Bridge. To reach the new campsite (by road), travel west across the Hood Canal Bridge and take the first right onto Paradise Bay Road. Proceed north for about 3/4-of-a-mile and turn right onto Seven Sisters Road. Follow Seven Sisters to the parking lot at the end of the road. Access to the beach is at the east end of the parking lot. Wolfe Property State Park is to the left; Shine Tidelands State Park is to the right.

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I've just added a Hood Canal alternate route/start to the Updates, Corrections & Additions of the Paddling the Inside Passage Guide.

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Beginning May 1, 2010, boaters will need to obtain a permit and attend a brief training session before launching any boat from San Juan County Park on the west coast of San Juan Island. The training, which covers laws protecting marine wildlife and responsible boating guidelines 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 orcas frequent those waters. The program was instituted as an interim solution after the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proposed regulations that would effectively close San Juan County Park's boat ramp and prohibit most boating activities along a large percentage of San Juan Island's west side during summer.

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

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Paddler magazine reports that J.J. Kelley & Josh Thomas have produced an 80 minute feature film about their sea kayaking trip from Skagway, Alaska to Seattle, Washington. The film has gotten rave reviews. It can be accessed through YouTube, Facebook, Kotatat.com (a sponsor) & pt.filmfest.bside.com, as it was presented at the West Coast Sea Kayaking Symposium in 2009.

Kitsap County Parks & Recreation and the WWTA have agreed on the location of 2 new Cascadia Marine Trail campsites. Construction and opening dates are still undetermined. The first campsite, in Upper Puget Sound, is Pilot Point, approximately 2 miles south of Point No Point. The second campsite will be located on the western shore of Colvos Passage at Anderson Point on a 66-acre park. Stay tuned for updates.

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Indian Island, part of the Cascadia Marine Trail in Upper Puget Sound, has a new campsite located at Portage Beach, just south of the Portage Canal Bridge that connects the island to the mainland. The new camp has 4 tent pads, a picnic table and 2 miles of walking trails. As of mid-July, 2009, the campsite is still a work in progress but is available for use.

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Without notice, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) decided to permanently close the campground at Strawberry Island, a Cascadia Marine Trail site, effective June 18, 2009. All facilities have been removed, including picnic tables, signs, fire rings and toilet. Day use is still permitted but human waste must be packed out.

Due to washed out access road, the Wingehaven CMT campsite will no longer host a porta potty. Although the campsite will remain open, all users must now pack out their human waste.

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Welcome to the first ever information exchange forum for Inside Passage Paddlers! This is the place to post information and opinions regarding any and all aspects of kayaking, canoeing, rowing, pedaling or even swimming the Inside Passage. Found a great new place to stay, hike, eat or drink on a past trip? Want to share the highlights of a great (or miserable) trip? Hate the guidebook, author, Canadians or US Customs? Got kicked out of a campsite by an angry bear, landowner or rising tide? Let others know.

Need a paddling partner for all or part of the Inside Passage? Want information on the most up-to-date conditions, bear closures, regulations, special events, stealth border crossings? Post your query here.

Below are 3 new tidbits of information I've received that I haven't had a chance to incorporate into the 2008 guidebook revisions. I hope they're helpful and I hope there'll be many more postings from the entire sea kayaking community.