Cruising Northwest Mercer Island

Afternoon on LW North of I-90

Between Leschi/Madrona and Bellevue/NW Mercer Island is one of my favorite places on the lake. It is between the SR-520 and I-90 floating bridges. In the afternoon the sun reflects off the glass in Bellevue’s new modern high-rise buildings and 14,400 ft Mt Rainier. The views also include 10,800 ft Mt Baker to the north and the mountains (highest peak 10,500 ft) in the North Cascades National Park to the east.

The first floating bridge connecting Seattle to Mercer Island was built in 1940. A second bridge, as part of the Interstate highway system (I-90), was completed in 1989 and the old bridge was closed for repairs. The next year during a Thanksgiving storm, while work continued, most of the 1940 bridge sank. That bridge, the southern one, was re-completed in 1993.

I-90 continues to the eastern mainland across the East Channel from Mercer Island via a conventional high-rise bridge. The first bridge there was completed in 1923 and provided the first road off the island. That bridge was torn down after one span of the current bridge was built in 1940. A second span was opened in 1992 as part of the I-90 system.

The west-end 7 miles of Interstate 90 were the last miles to be completed on not only I-90 but on the three coast-to-coast Interstate highways. It took 30 years of community protests and legal battles to go from initial plans to completion. These 7 miles, at $1.6 billion, were the most expensive 7 miles in the entire Interstate highway system. Much of the high cost was due to the floating bridges but the most expensive ½ mile, costing $150 million, is on Mercer Island with its lid over the freeway park.

In the early 1900s there were a total of about 25 ferry landings on all sides of Mercer Island. The northwest side of Mercer Island has four prominent points. All the points were ferry landings. The eastern point in Luther Burbank Park is Calkins Point, the west side of the middle point is Roanoke Landing, the point on the NW corner of MI is Faben Point and the point about 0.7 miles south of I-90 is Proctor Landing.

Mercer Island (MI) is the largest and only residential island in Lake Washington. It is six miles long and averages about one mile wide for 6.4 square miles of land with about fifteen miles of waterfront. It has approximately 22,000 residents. It is the U.S.’s most populated island in a lake. The northwestern area, before the bridges were built and the Island was incorporated as a city, was named “East Seattle.” It still carries that name as a MI neighborhood.

Afternoon on LW South of I-90 Floating Bridges – Looking at MI’s NW Shoreline

Northwest Mercer Island has more, compared to any other LW Map of the Stars^® area, mansion sales, listings and new construction greater than $12 million. These mansions are in 3/11/12 and 3/12/12 posts. Notable sports stars that formerly owned waterfront homes in this area include Jim Zorn and Kazuhiro Sasaki. Top executives of Amazon, Costco, Microsoft, Nordstrom and Boeing have waterfront homes in this area and are in the previous NW MI Homes 3/17/12 post.

The western shore of Mercer Island south of the I-90 Bridge has prime viewing for Seattle Seafair’s Blue Angels air shows. The “Boaters Guide to Seafair” 3/10/12 post has more information.

Family Boating West Side MI Looking South

South of the Seafair area, on the Seattle side of LW, are Andrews Bay and Seward Park. From many lake locations the park appears to be an island but it is connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Andrews Bay is north of the isthmus and well protected. It is the only authorized in LW spot for overnight anchoring. It is popular for day anchoring, swimming in 75° fresh water, having boat parties and spending the nights on summer weekends. It reminds me of my sailing days in Southern California and mooring in Catalina’s harbors and bays. The “Andrews Bay – Anchoring and Partying” 2/27/12 post has more information.

From NW MI Viewing Sunset, Seward Park and Andrews Bay.

(This is the fourth chapter [go to next chapter] of our “Lake Washington Cruising” article. The chapters are being posted in reverse order. When all chapters are posted they will be in order in this blog with the first chapter at the top. I will be posting approximately one chapter per week. You can read and print an abbreviated pdf version of the entire article.

Copyright © 2012 by David C. Dykstra

Andrews Bay – Anchoring and Partying

Mount Rainier and Andrews Bay from the I-90 Bridge

Paul Allen’s estate is across a narrow part of the Lake from Seattle’s Seward Park. From many lake locations the park appears to be an island but it is connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. The park is 300 acres of old growth forest with eagles’ nests, a 2.4 mile biking and walking trail circumventing the park, interior trails, numerous picnicking and play areas, an amphitheater, a native plant garden and an art studio.

Andrews Bay is the only place in Lake Washington that is authorized (by the government agencies that patrol the lake) for overnight anchoring. The Bay is north of the isthmus and well protected. The floating bridges reduce the waves from the summer’s prevailing winds which are light and from the north. The park’s peninsula protects the bay during the days and nights when the weather is less than perfect and winds and waves come from the southwest.

Andrews Bay is a popular spot for anchoring, swimming in 75° fresh water, having boat parties and spending the nights on summer weekends. It reminds me of my sailing days in Southern California and mooring in Catalina’s harbors and bays. Seward Park has a rocky beach on the north side of the isthmus (south end of Andrews Bay) where boaters can beach their dinghies and go ashore to enjoy the beauty and activities of the park. The Bay is also known as “Cocktail Cove” and “Party Bay.” It has its own “Andrews Bay Yacht Club.” You can go the link and, if you are a Facebook member, click “like” and become a member.

(This is the fifth chapter [go to next chapter] of our “Lake Washington Cruising” article. The chapters are being posted in reverse order. When all chapters are posted they will be in order in this blog with the first chapter at the top. I will be posting approximately one chapter per week. You can read and print an abbreviated pdf version of the entire article.)

Cruising South Lake Washington

This area of Lake Washington includes the waterfront of Seattle’s Seward Park and Rainier Valley, unincorporated Bryn Mawr-Skyway, southwest Mercer Island and Renton. The area’s most notable mansions are on Mercer Island and include Paul Allen’s campus/compound and sports stars’, Mike Holmgren’s and Michael Chang’s, former homes. The previous 2/25/12 post has more information on these homes. The 2/23/12 post has a viewing guide for Paul Allen’s campus/compound. The 2/21/12 post has information on some of the other more notable homes. Information on Seward Park and Andrews Bay are in the above post.

There is a sunken forest between the southeast corner of Seward Park and Paul Allen’s place on Mercer Island. These ancient underwater forests were created 1,000 to 3,000 years ago by landslides. The tops of the trees are 30 to 60 feet below the surface.

View of Mercer Island in the fall from south Lake Washington

The south end of Lake Washington has the feel of a separate 1.5 by 3/4 miles lake. It is popular for sailing, water skiing, wake boarding and tubing. There are beautiful views of Mount Rainier.

Southwest Waterfront and Mount Rainier

The inland areas near the waterfront in Rainier Valley and Bryn Mawr-Skyway on southwest Lake Washington are some of the poorest in the area. The waterfront homes are less expensive than other areas on Lake Washington. The homes are closer together and to the water compared to the mansions in LW 130 Homes. The western shore south of Seward Park has the $3 million dollar home of Seattle’s famous welfare-recipient waterfront-resident that was featured in a Seattle Mansions post. The southern shoreline of homes has the look and feel of many ocean-beach communities. Parties on the waterfront, decks and docks are common.

The Renton Airport and the Cedar River at the southern end of the lake are the boundary between Bryn Mawr-Skyway and Renton. The Cedar River and the Sammamish River at the north end are the main tributaries for Lake Washington. Before the locks and ship canals where built the lake was 9 to 12 feet higher and water from the lake flowed out (where the Cedar River now flows in) to the Duwamish River.

Coulon Park (full name “Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park”) is a popular boaters’ launch and day visit stop. With eight launch lanes, it is the largest boat launch site on the lake. The small harbor has protected day moorage for about 50 boats. The park is 57 acres with an excellent lake swimming and beach area, picnic grounds and shelters, play fields and courts, etc. Ivars and Kidd Valley food concessions are adjacent to the docks.

(This is the sixth chapter [go to next chapter] of our “Lake Washington Cruising” article. The chapters are being posted in reverse order. When all chapters are posted they will be in order in this blog with the first chapter at the top. I will be posting approximately one chapter per week. You can read and print an abbreviated pdf version of the entire article.)