University of Washington Waterfront Activities Center (WAC) — Attraction in Seattle

Took the kayaks out around 3pm. Kayaking experience was fun around the Arboretum— saw a few heron and ducks. Upon returning at 4pm, one of the staff helping us out told us we are “good to leave” after hanging up our life vests. Didn’t remind us to check out at the counter…

We forgot to pay the $25 and left our ID, which is our fault for forgetting. Realized around 4:45pm after we arrived at dinner in Bellevue. Called immediately to tell them we are leaving dinner ASAP to come pay and pick up my ID. The girl on her phone said “of course and we will charge an hour.”

After sitting through traffic, we arrived at 5:30pm. They apparently changed staff and did not even communicate we had called prior. The girl at the counter said we will be charged 2.5 hours: from the time we left my ID at 3pm to when we picked it up now. Absolutely ridiculous. We asked for them to speak with their coworkers, and they chose not to. They insisted we were lying to them. The student workers were RUDE and CONDESCENDING.

A fun, relaxing afternoon kayaking turned into a huge headache and being charged double for our time there… and this is supposed to be a rental business for students/at a university?? We have no business trying to...

An amazing encounter with absolute grace. My wife of three and a half weeks, partner for four years, and friend of 11 years invited me to return a pair of mountain bikes. No problem. Fun, actually. Then we walked down to the docks (10 yards away). The water was still, and the cascades were clear in the crisp (dry!) November afternoon sky. There was a sailboat there. But then, suddenly, a bald eagle plunged down toward the water from behind a thick row of trees, halting just before it hit the water, in midair, its neck craned down, eyes searching, and then, there, a fish! And as the eagle hauled the fish to a nearby log, a flock of black birds jumped into the sky and circled the eagle tornado-like as if ready at any moment to feed on the leftovers or claim the fish for their own if abandoned. I said, “the fish is too heavy for the eagle to carry.” She said, “I don’t think so.” And then, yes, the eagle batted its wings and launched itself upward, fearless, with the fish hanging from its talons and a line of black birds chasing it, soaring up and over the stadium. Incredible. The bikes? Orange w/ good shocks...

Horrible experience at this place. Parking is expensive. Staff is rude. There were probably 10 people standing around, doing nothing except bossing people around about which dock they could walk down for no apparent reason.

Rentals are so, so overpriced. Over $100 to rent 2 kayaks for a couple hours. You can literally buy a kayak for $190. Is UW so out of touch with prices that they think this is appropriate? Someone with a minimum wage job would have to spend almost an entire day's wages to afford this. UW has an 8 BILLION dollar endowment and loves to talk a good talk about diversity and inclusion. Maybe they could afford to not make bank on their rentals so that a few more people could...