By Luisa Loi
La Conner Community News
Whether you’re looking for a fun activity to impress your date or an adventurous way to explore this corner of Skagit County, a kayak and paddles might be a recipe for an unforgettable time.
When her neighbor lamented the lack of a kayak rental business on the Swinomish Channel, a light bulb materialized right above Katie Beardsley’s head: She could provide that herself.
Beardsley, a California native who grew up in a family of outdoor enthusiasts, opened La Conner Paddles last October, not only addressing what she felt was a need, but also fulfilling her wish to eventually own and run her own adventure business.
As for the neighbor, Beardsley said with a laugh, she is now entitled to free rentals for life.
For months, Beardsley would deliver kayaking equipment to various locations in the Valley where clients would be ready to set sail. In March, she relocated the business and kayaks from her home in La Conner to a wooden shack on the pier at the the southern end of First Street, conveniently located by the parking lot and, of course, the channel.
Here on the Swinomish Channel, adventurers can enjoy a different view of La Conner, Swinomish and Shelter Bay and spot a variety of wildlife along the way, including eagles, herons, deer and Beardsley’s personal favorites, seals — who sometimes like to follow the kayaks “just like little puppies,” she said.
The farthest people can venture out of the channel is Fishtown, located on the Skagit River delta. This is a cultural site for the Swinomish and other Skagit tribes that, between the late 1960s and the mid-1980s, was also home to a colony of artists — including the late Guy Anderson — who lived off-the-grid in old cabins that stand to this day.
La Conner Paddles offers four single-person kayaks, which are ideal for venturing out of the Channel and into rivers, and a tandem kayak, which can only be used on the channel but can accommodate friend duos, lovebirds and even pet owners and their pooches on a quest for a nice picnic spot.
“It’s a little bit of an exercise,” she said. “It also can be a fun little leisurely activity.”
All kayaks are beginner-friendly and come with a lifejacket. To avoid the occasional speedy boater, Beardsley recommends keeping close to the shoreline.
Clients may still request to pick up the kayaks or have them dropped off in other nearby locations, with the possibility of booking them for an hour, a half day, a full day and even for multiple consecutive days.
La Conner Paddles will rent out the shack until September, but is open for online bookings year-round.
For more information, visit La Conner Paddles on Facebook and Instagram, or contact Katie Beardsley at laconnerpaddles@gmail.com or 760-712-2645. To book a kayak, visit app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/d7d4a3b0
Luisa Loi is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
