Many years ago my wife and I took a ride over Seattle's Lake Union in a friend's open cockpit bi-plane, an authentic replica of that flown in "Raiders of the Lost Ark". It was a fun adventure, complete with leather helmet, big goggles, and flowing white scarf. As we started our landing approach on the lake I wondered just how Jim would find a clear piece of water. It was simple. From our 3-dimensional advantage there was lots of space, and we landed and taxied to the wharf with no difficulties.
But times have now changed. Earlier this Summer, at Kenmore Air's request, a landing zone was established on the lake. This rectangle, 2300’ long and 200’ wide, is located in the mid- to southern area of the lake. It's marked by eight buoys and six floating signs. It has been needed usually 2:00 PM Friday to 7:00 PM Sunday. You can see this charted on the USCG Local Notice to Mariners, Week 32/14 (You'll need to scroll way down to Enclosure 7)
Actually, this is not something really new. Provision for such has been part of the Seattle City code for years, but never really needed, until now.
Talking recently with John Gowey, Director of Operations for Kenmore Air Seaplanes, John explained that this is really a safety issue. While, for the most part the floatplane pilots have little problem with the commercial and recreational power and sail vessels, it is the greatly increased number of kayaks and paddle-boards now on the lake that present the issue. They move slowly and sometimes quite randomly, making it hard for pilots to judge a clear landing space.
Now that the Summer is drawing to a close, John has asked the USCG and City to discontinue the zone after this coming weekend, September 20-21, with the probability of reinstating it again next year. A hoped for improvement would be to have strobe lights on the buoys that can be activated by a pilot landing or taking off.
Not only does this all apply to the commercial float planes, such as Kenmore Air and Seattle Seaplanes, but also for private and itinerant planes, many of whom have to land on Lake Union to access Seattle's only US Customs Inspection station, at the seaplane base at the southwest end of Lake Union.
In the air and on the water, be safe!
