For many years I'd done canoeing, lots of it in New England and on Minnesota's magnificent Border Lakes north of Ely. I'd owned aluminum ones and even a homebuilt wood strip and canvas canoe. But never before had I been in a kayak.

The folks at the rental center were great. They checked me out in all the safety procedures and equipment features before letting me loose. I quickly learned about the real advantages of a sea kayak over canoes, but still had to try it for myself. Well, I was immediately impressed. Such an improvement over canoeing, especially solo and under windy conditions.

Over the course of the next year, I rented several different types and models to get an idea what would suit my needs and capabilities. Several were very nice, but I settled on the Eddyline "Wind Dancer" model. And then I went shopping for one of my own.

The rental place has an annual sale of used rental kayaks, many of which are still in very good condition and a real bargain. The only problem for me was that I would not be in town to make the required on-site bid and purchase. I'd have to look elsewhere.
In those days the Eddyline folks were in a building at Everett's Payne Field, left-over WWII facilities rented to small start-up companies. A quick visit not only impressed me with how thorough and well-made the boats were, but also revealed the availability of a factory demo unit. I got my Wind Dancer at a good discount price. They even agreed to deliver it to my daughter's house so I could build a carry rack atop my pickup truck.

Lake Union is an interesting place to paddle. Right in the Seattle downtown area, the lake is a beehive of activity. Dozens of kayakers can be seen paddling about, and down a channel toward Lake Washington to the east. Frequent take-offs and landings of floatplanes keep you on your toes. And hundreds of cabin cruisers, sailboats and even houseboats are seen at marinas and parking spots along the shore. Even a few big ocean-going ships serve as an interesting attraction, especially on the eastern shore. But most fascinating for me was a derelict auto ferry, parked at the south end near the seaplane base. I'll bet that boat could tell a lot of stories from its many years in service around Puget Sound.