Sea Kayak - Bainbridge Island Circumnavigation

This is backyard adventuring at it's best!  We'll circumnavigate Bainbridge and Blake Island, enjoying two nights in Cascadia Marine Trail campsites.  At Brownsville the site costs $4 per camper, and at Blake Island it's $12 for the group.

Please read these instructions fully before signing up.  

These instructions are intended to reduce work for you and for me.  Leader permission is not required but participants must:

• have some camping experience.
• be comfortable with a 4 nm crossing of a busy shipping lane.
• be comfortable paddling with a 4 kn current. 
• be able to paddle three consecutive 10 nm days.
• and your Mountaineers profile must show recent kayaking activity.

If your Mountaineers activity profile does not show this sort of experience and you want to participate, sign up then send me an email (within 24 hours) to share the experience that makes you confident you can do it.  Likewise, if you want to give this a try but it feels like a bit of a stretch, sign up then send me an email so we can discuss (again, within 24 hours).  I will review the Mountaineers Activity profile for all participants.  If your activity profile does not show appropriate experience, and you have not emailed me, I will cancel you from the trip.  

Trip Plan

Day 1, Tuesday 23rd

Depart from Shilshole Bay Marina at noon and head directly across the sound to Fay Bainbridge Park where we'll hang out for an hour or so while we wait for current to build in Agate Passage.  Taking advantage of the current, we'll have an easy ride down to our first campsite at Brownsville Marina.   

Day 2, Wednesday 24th

Leave Brownsville at 9 am and head south on the west side of Bainbridge Island, then through Rich Passage (again, with current assist).  We should be setting up camp on Blake Island by lunchtime.  In the mid-to-late afternoon, we'll get back in our kayaks and circumnavigate Blake Island (4 nm, this is optional, you can wait at camp if you prefer).  

Day 3, Thursday 25th

Launch by 10 am and head north along the east side of Bainbridge Island before crossing the sound again at West Point.  We should be back in Seattle by early afternoon.  

Meeting Time

11 am on Tuesday July 23rd.  

Launch Time

Shore-talk followed by launch at noon; if you need more time to get ready, please arrive earlier.   

Meeting Place

The public small boat launch at the north end of Shilshole Marina.  After unloading, we'll move to more distant parking within the marina, or on Seaview Ave NW.