Cessna 180 Skywagon
Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 1200; Flight Crew Type 250
Situational Awareness; Other / Unknown
Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Human Factors
I was landing a Cessna 180 on straight floats at the Wiley Post Seaplane base adjacent to Renton Field. I had Tower clearance to do so; but as always the words 'landing on the water is at your own risk' had been added to the landing clearance. The seaplane landing area is near and below the final approach course for Runway 16; so normal procedure is to stay low to the water on final to land on the water. Winds were light and variable with occasional small gusts and sea state was nearly calm. With a calm sea state; depth perception is difficult; so a flat approach with about 50 FPM decent works well. We were set up that way; and I noticed dark water ahead indicating a small gust of wind. I reduced power just as we came to that wind line so the airplane would not 'float'. That worked fine and we made contact with the water in good order. Upon making the transition from landing duties to water taxiing; I noticed two canoes ahead and to my left that would cross my path. They were a type of high-end race canoe; very low to the water with single occupants and the occupants were paddling them hard as if to cross in front of me. I applied right rudder as we came off the step and turned about 10 degrees to avoid a conflict; and upon realizing that they would not be able to go in front of me in time; they stopped paddling. It appeared the occupants where about 14 years old. We were completely off the step and at slow idle taxi when we came close to them and our plane and their boats stayed a bout 100 FT apart; we waved to each other and they paddled behind the plane as we went to dock. As we taxied in; an adult in a small dinghy powered up to us and screamed that we had come too close to his kids; and that they had the right of way since we were a powered water vessel upon landing. I do not know his vantage point; but I suspect he was at a point on the water that compressed the distances for his vision; making it appear that we were much closer than we were. I did not feel there had been any 'close call' and initially was unsure why he was calling out to us. Had I been able to see the canoe's; a solution would be to have landed farther out in the bay; but with the flat approach for the reasons mentioned and their extremely low profile to the water; I did not pick them out on long final. Additionally the gust of wind right at touchdown took my attention. A higher approach profile would have made them easier to pick out on the water; but has the trade off of less safety from the final approach path for 16; and a depth perception issue on the flare. In the future I will make a point to scan the water further out for low objects that are hard to see.
C180 float plane pilot reports encountering two canoes in his path after landing at the Wiley Post Seaplane base adjacent to Renton field. The canoer's stopped paddling and the reporter deviated slightly to pass abeam at taxi speed.