My wife is much more timely about getting online pictures and stories about our canoeing adventures in the Northwest on her blog Flitzy Phoebie. That's the place to go for some ideas about where to put a canoe in the water in this area.

Longbranch, Key Peninsula, WA

http://www.longbranchimprovementclub.org/lineart.gif

Chambers Lake, Olympia WA

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/fw_lakes/lkchath1.html

Mercer Slough, Bellevue WA

Here is a Seattle Post-Intelligencer article entitled "Urban oasis: Mercer Slough offers quiet respite amid the concrete jungle" about this destination.

Skokomish River, Hood Canal WA

We put in south of Union from along the Hwy 106 road edge about 45 minutes before high tide. Our route took us up the East channel and back down the West channel, so the only back-tracking was on the river just south of the first bridge. We saw three or four turkey vultures among the birdlife along the river. There was a real cacophony of bird sounds at one point in particular where both sides of the river were lined with trees.

For other pictures of the Skokomish River go here and here. And here is a Hood Canal webcam.

This is another paddling pic.

View a painting of the Skook at this site

For a picture of what the land around the river looks like during flooding, check this out.

There is a gorgeous view of the pattern of the Skokomish delta from the air here.

For Skokomish River 1938 Aerial Photos click here.

Here is a map of the delta located at the big bend of the Hood Canal.

And finally for artful photographs of this canoeing destination look at this and this.

McLane Creek and Mud Bay, Olympia WA

We did this paddle that begins right alone Highway 101 where it crosses the upper reaches of Mud Bay just after the high high tide for the day. It's always picturesque viewing with several huge metal statues of steers in the field next to the bay visible from the highway. It's lovely, despite the road noise, to be on the water, and the noise diminishes greatly as you get to where McLane Creek feeds into the bay and begin to traverse up it a bit. Bird life was incredibly rich in both numbers and variety of birds during this visit.

For Carol Thompson's Mud Bay painting, go here.

Oak Bay, Puget Sound WA

Between Stavis Bay and Hood Point, Hood Canal WA

www.womenpainters.com/BIO/WALSH/StavisBay.WPW.jpg

Cooper Lake, Kittitas County WA

Uploaded on September 3, 2006 by Wisers in WA

Black River, Thurston County WA

For boating on the Black River historically go here.

Sugarloaf Lake, Okanogan County WA

Here is info, notes, and a map.

Blue Lake, Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, Okanogan County WA

Lake Aberdeen, Aberdeen WA

Joe Creek, Pacific Beach WA

"Standing tall with my piers," uploaded on 25 March 2006 By blackgrouse, flickr

Lake Wenatchee WA

Photo by Annie Dannells, Earthen Vessel

"Feeding Lake Wenatchee," uploaded on June 25, 2006 by sunrisesoup

From the best put-in point on the lake, you can take a nice hike after your paddle (or before, what the heck).

Leader Lake, Okanogan County WA

Lawrence Lake, Thurston County WA

For picture of Mt Rainier over Lawrence Lake, go here.

Oyster Bay, Bremerton WA

Bone River, Pacific County WA

Pacific Coast Joint Venture, Carey Smith

Triton Cove, Hood Canal WA