Renton respite: Put your oar in the water where the Cedar River meets Lake Washington

ON LAKE WASHINGTON — We covered our ears when the Boeing 737's piercing shrill escalated into a thunderous roar as it took off from Renton Municipal Airport.

The plane lifted a few hundred feet above our heads, its wind brushing the morning's still waters and sending silvery ripples across the south end of Lake Washington.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much time to admire the view.

The forces of nature quickly turned violent, as those picturesque waves practically swelled over the sides of our canoe.

For a few seconds, we hung on for the ride of our lives. It was as exhilarating as a windy-day sailboat ride on Puget Sound.

Industry has long defined the south shores of Lake Washington. Once a bustling coal and lumber town, Renton's economy was revitalized during World War II. Today, high fences enclose Boeing's sprawling campus of slate-gray warehouses and airplane hangars, and military-style security checkpoints line the streets.

But amid the clangs of steel from various construction projects, the beep-beep-beeps of forklifts and the sputters and buzzes from planes at the airport, the sounds and sights of nature are abundant.

Wild roses, foxglove and other colorful wildflowers paint the banks of the Cedar River as it slowly pours into Lake Washington. River otters and beavers are often spotted along the shoreline. Great blue herons, mallard ducks, redwing blackbirds and Canada geese grace the sky.

Now it's all more accessible. New this summer where the Cedar River joins the lakefront is the city-operated Cedar River Boathouse, in Boeing's former hydrofoil development building.

In a partnership there with the city of Renton, Cascade Canoe & Kayak offers hourly and daily canoe and kayak rentals, a youth racing program, and classes for all skill levels in sea and river kayaking, lake and river canoeing, and other activities.

The canoe's surge and glide

Though kayaks are the most popular, Dan Henderson of Cascade Canoe & Kayak recommends canoeing for families and novice paddlers.

"One of the things I like about the canoe is that you get this nice powerful stroke because you're on top of the paddle," said Henderson, a past member of the United States team in canoe and whitewater racing. "You get a nice surge and glide."

In addition to featuring more room for gear, canoes are easier to load, he said. They're not enclosed, like kayaks, so parents can stay closer to children.

On a recent outing, it took a few minutes for my companion and I to coordinate our paddling (each person is supposed to paddle on a different side of the canoe, and the person in the back does most of the steering), but once we figured it out, we set out to get a closer view of three great blue herons perched on a log boom.

The stately, dusky blue birds stood motionless as we slowly approached them in the water. But as we drew close enough to photograph them, the birds took flight, their massive wingspan carrying them to a huge chunk of concrete and steel sticking out of the water. The herons returned to the log boom as soon as we left.

Up the Cedar River

We were surprised at the ease of paddling up the Cedar River, which originates at the crest of the Cascades and is the source of about 70 percent of Seattle's drinking water. The river is wide and slow as it spills into Lake Washington. From a canoe, you barely notice the current.

We spied several turtles as we paddled up the river into Renton. About a mile up the river, we turned around and headed back onto the lake.

A lot of people like to paddle over to Gene Coulon Beach Park at the lake's south end to eat lunch at Ivar's and Kidd Valley concessions. The park features a public boat launch, picnic areas, horseshoe pits, an interpretive botanical walk and a swimming area. The city schedules several events there throughout the summer, including limited hydroplane races and an outdoor family-concert series.

The park also has a fishing pier.

After returning our canoe to the boathouse, we sampled another popular way of seeing this end of the lake and the river that feeds it: We took a short stroll along the Cedar River Trail, which follows the river upstream from Lake Washington along a former railroad bed.

The mostly flat trail is paved for about six miles through Renton, leading to Liberty Park and Cedar River Park. It eventually turns into a crushed-gravel path, which goes to King County's Landsburg Park. A branch of it connects with King County's Lake Wilderness Park and continues to Four Corners.

The trail is popular for walking, running and bicycling.

Shar Clarke, 44, of Renton, enjoys the trail's tranquil scenery.

"It's gorgeous — all the greenery, trees and shrubs," she said. "It's very peaceful."

IF YOU GO

• The Cedar River Boathouse is at 1060 N. Riverside Drive in Renton. From Interstate 405 take Rainier Avenue North, then turn east on Airport Way. Airport Way bends to the left and becomes Logan. Turn west on North Sixth Street and go to the end, which takes you into the Cedar River Trail Park. Once in the park, you can only turn north — this is Riverside Drive. Go to the end of the street and park. Walk through the gate and across the ramp to the boathouse, which is built on pilings over the lake. The boathouse entrance is on the north side of the building.

Cascade Canoe and Kayak Centers offers hourly and daily canoe and kayak rentals, a youth racing program, and classes for all skill levels in sea and river kayaking, lake and river canoeing, team building, and conditioning. Prices vary, ranging from $8 to $18 for the first hour, with consecutive hours at lower rates. (For example, canoes rent for $10 for the first hour midweek, or $12 on weekends and holidays.) Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended for sunny, weekend days.

Weekend hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Labor Day.

For more information, call 425-637-8838, or visit the Web site: www.canoe-kayak.com/.

• Renton Centennial: The city of Renton celebrates its 100th birthday Sept. 6, but there are special events, performances and activities scheduled throughout the year to mark the centennial. For more information, click on the city's Web site: ci.renton.wa.us/.