Surfski Knowledge Base

Nicholas Cryder

• “(….) It forms a nice break in both directions due to very prominent sandbar and is a natural constriction point for the shipping and tug traffic that comes thru at full speed. I've had many a 5 foot waves on glassy days, and a handful very big, scary rides above 8' that are challenging to catch in a single because they are so fast. No parking at the lighthouse, so you have to paddle in from the north or south about 2.5 miles (Golden Gardens Park is the easiest parking / put-in). In the summer the Magnolia bluff forms a nice wind break, making for easy downwind laps.”

Jordan Van Voast

• Boat wakes can be fun on their own but can also combine with either of the two wind/current scenarios explained above describing West Point downwinds and surf laps, creating an almost infinite number of wave surfing permutations. There are many different surfable boat wake scenarios at West Point depending upon the size of the boat/ship, its hull speed, and - here is one of the key ingredients making West Point/Discovery Park perhaps the best spot in the Seattle area for boat wake surfing - the course/direction of the vessels as they make their turns around the buoy. A couple of ideal scenarios - large container ships leaving Elliot Bay, rapidly pick up speed to 16 plus knots and begin to turn from west to northwest approaching the green buoy off the point. As such a ship turns, the wave patterns gradually converge and steepen. I have seen a line of 5 foot breaking waves a half mile long, which culminated in an unforgettable ride over the sandbar, with a sea lion surfing beside me.
• Boat wake surfing is different from downwind surfing (and perhaps not for purists) because in order to maximize the length of the ride, it is necessary to find the slot that keeps you in the wave without surfing out of it either left or right. This often requires a slight hip lean onto the edge of the ski or kayak as you paddle, which can be extremely challenging in a short steep wave while paddling a tippy ski that is 20 inches wide. Tug boats frequently pass the point from Elliot Bay heading towards the Ballard locks, or vice versa. This creates an even longer turning radius. Wind direction and speed also influence the wave shape and rideability, as does the tide level. On the south side of West Point, there are extensive sand bars continuing for almost a mile. At extreme low tides, especially if there is a large back eddy flowing east to west, one can get long smooth rides here from boat waves. Private yachts can make humongous rideable waves, though often they will slow down or change course - destroying any possibility for a decent ride. The game - if one wishes to play - is to engage in a psychological contest with the unknown boat captain, pretending not to be interested in their movement until you have them where you want them. Sometimes I have paddled towards a boat that is moving towards the green buoy on somewhat of a collision course, only to have them suddenly change course, as if to cut behind me, putting me on the wrong side of the concave wake pattern. The paddler can sometimes quickly respond with their own course change, forcing them back into position. Additional paddlers, working as part of a coordinated seawolf pack, may help corral the boat into a desired course. Of course, with large ships, the general rule is to avoid playing games with them, stay well clear of their bow and anticipate possible course changes. (Ed. The general rule for paddled boats is not to get too close to or cross in front of larger/faster boats)