The Perfect Picnic Idea #4

Whether it’s an elaborate gourmet meal or a simple spread out of a backpack, nothing says “summer” like a picnic.  Combine a scenic location with awesome food, add a couple of interesting people and you have the recipe for a perfect picnic.  Throughout summer I’ll be sharing our favorite locations and menus to hopefully inspire you to get out and enjoy the great Northwest.

Kayaking at Owen Beach and a Simple Picnic Lunch

This weather is perfect for a day at the beach so my daughter, Kate, and I decided to take advantage of it.  We had spotted the kayak rental at Owen Beach in Point Defiance Park during the .  Purchasing kayaks has been on my “want list” for a while but until I get around to it, we’ll have to settle for renting them.

For lunch, we assembled quick and easy foods to take with us.  First was make-your-own trail mix with what we had on hand:  Peanuts, dried cranberries, and plain M&M’s.  Then I packed mini Babybel cheese, Ritz crackers, and Hickory Farms Summer Sausage in waterproof zip-lock bags.  We wanted something simple that would give us energy for the paddling we would be doing.

The kayak rental company doesn’t allow children under age 14 to go alone in a single kayak.  Since Kate just turned 10, we shared a double kayak.  It was probably for the best.  Her previous kayak experience has been in the Harbor and while Owen Beach is far from the open ocean, the numerous boats motoring around caused small wakes that she was unfamiliar with.  It took her a little while to get used to it but after about 15 minutes, she had her confidence back and was enjoying the ride.

Right away we paddled toward the Vashon ferry dock and explored the old piers.  We had a sharp eye out for the sea otters that inhabit that area but the only wildlife we spotted was seagulls.  Kate wanted to cross over to Vashon Island but since it was time for lunch, we turned back toward Owen Beach.

The original plan was to find a place to stop and enjoy lunch along the way but we didn’t find a good place for it.  It worked out better to return to Owen Beach so this is what we did.

After returning the kayak, we found a relatively secluded spot on the busy beach and began assembling our “sandwiches” of crackers, cheese and sausage slices.  The personalized trail mixes were our dessert. 

This simple meal on the beach after a good workout was peaceful and refreshing.  Too soon it was time to pack up and return to our busy day.  But I jumped back into my chores revitalized by the couple of hours spent on the water with my daughter.

Check out the picnic spot ideas from previous blog posts: