“I will be dead in about three minutes, and it’s very annoying.”
So begins Biffle French’s new book about kayaking around Vashon Island, Washington which breaks the mold of
contemporary kayaking books. Although it does have 13 maps and details ten separate kayaking trips around
the Island, the book is much more than a guidebook. The paddling chapters are not boring route descriptions,
but rather delicious little salt water travelogues, filled with adventure and humor. The Puget Sound offers some
of the very best sea kayaking opportunities in the world, and Vashon Island is at the top of the list of paddling
locales for those in the know. French’s book will take readers there and put them in the seat with a paddle in
their hands.
This beautifully-designed book has sections about learning to kayak, all the best places to paddle on Vashon
Island, and about the natural environment of the island, including the tide rips and the underwater topography
that causes them. Many of the maps include current flow depictions to help paddlers understand the best routes
to paddle. There is also a fascinating section about the history and culture of Vashon that explains a little about
how the island became what it is. Finally, the last part of the book describes the best places for launching and
recovering, which is especially important for paddlers who don’t live on Vashon, and may have some surprises
for those who do.
This fun-to-read book is aimed at everyone who is interested in kayaking – from expert paddlers who plan a
Vashon kayaking trip to armchair paddlers who just love a good adventure story.
Paddling the Waters of Vashon Island, A Circumnavigation and Some Adventures by Biffle French. Original
Edition, 5.5” x 8.5”, 216 pages, 13 Maps, 9 Illustrations. ISBN 978-0-9800636-0-8. $19.95.
Lao Mei Publications / P.O. Box 13403 / Burton, WA 98013
Telephone 800-689-6516
www.LaoMeiPublications.com
info@LaoMeiPublications.com
So begins Biffle French’s new book about kayaking around Vashon Island, Washington which breaks the mold of
contemporary kayaking books. Although it does have 13 maps and details ten separate kayaking trips around
the Island, the book is much more than a guidebook. The paddling chapters are not boring route descriptions,
but rather delicious little salt water travelogues, filled with adventure and humor. The Puget Sound offers some
of the very best sea kayaking opportunities in the world, and Vashon Island is at the top of the list of paddling
locales for those in the know. French’s book will take readers there and put them in the seat with a paddle in
their hands.
This beautifully-designed book has sections about learning to kayak, all the best places to paddle on Vashon
Island, and about the natural environment of the island, including the tide rips and the underwater topography
that causes them. Many of the maps include current flow depictions to help paddlers understand the best routes
to paddle. There is also a fascinating section about the history and culture of Vashon that explains a little about
how the island became what it is. Finally, the last part of the book describes the best places for launching and
recovering, which is especially important for paddlers who don’t live on Vashon, and may have some surprises
for those who do.
This fun-to-read book is aimed at everyone who is interested in kayaking – from expert paddlers who plan a
Vashon kayaking trip to armchair paddlers who just love a good adventure story.
Paddling the Waters of Vashon Island, A Circumnavigation and Some Adventures by Biffle French. Original
Edition, 5.5” x 8.5”, 216 pages, 13 Maps, 9 Illustrations. ISBN 978-0-9800636-0-8. $19.95.
Lao Mei Publications / P.O. Box 13403 / Burton, WA 98013
Telephone 800-689-6516
www.LaoMeiPublications.com
info@LaoMeiPublications.com
Click here for a high quality image of the cover.