Chuckanut Bay

Trip

Sea Kayak - Chuckanut Bay

This trip is offered for students enrolled in the Everett Mountaineers Basic Sea Kayaking courses in 2025. Please wait until registration opens before requesting to sign up. On 5/20/25 registration will open for students from other branches.

  • Sea Kayak II+
  • Easy
  • Mileage: 7.5 nm
  • Maximum Wind: 10 kts
  • Pace: 2.5kt

Registration to be a participant on this student paddle requires trip leader approval.

The overall plan is to paddle north from Wildcat Cove and explore the area around Governors Point and Pleasant Bay.  Then we'll head over to Chuckanut Island.  We will do a short break here and then head over to Clark's Point to view the interesting formations in the cliffs there.  We'll then work our way around to Teddy Bear Cove for a lunch break and then follow the coastline back down and around Governors Point back to Wildcat Cove. I expect we will be done by around 4pm.

For this activity, participants will be expected to demonstrate self and assisted rescues. We'll decide day of where we want to practice rescues after lunch.

As with all Mountaineers SK trips, participants need to provide their own boats, gear, food, and water. Dry suits suitable for sea kayaking are required for this paddle due to cold water , as well as the possibility of capsize. Expect to encounter rough water at times, particularly in the presence of power boat wakes, when rounding  Governors Point.

Prior to the trip, please download, complete, and print the Paddling Conditions form. Bring it to the activity to review at the pre-paddle meeting.  Here is the link to the form:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wnz841_wlKXWKF91wKymBT4GHRxvRw48GGLPWY-gJUg/edit

Participants should also bring a chart.

NOAA Tide Predictions (hint: find the tides at Bellingham):https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.html

NOAA Marine Point Forecast for immediate area: https://marine.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-122.51858711242677&lat=48.66867093555956

NOAA Marine associated zone forecast for the greater area: Zone Area Forecast for Northern Inland Waters Including The San Juan Islands

Windy forecast for the immediate area: https://www.windy.com/48.682/-122.502?48.665,-122.500,13,m:eZNacKR

Extra points for marking up your chart with a route, tide, and current data.  Extra extra points for noting the distance, estimated travel time, heading for each leg, noting what the tide is expected to do throughout the day, and noting what the currents will be up to.

Our meeting time at the Wildcat Cove boat ramp in Larrabee State Park is 9:00am sharp. Please plan to arrive no later than 9am. We need to launch promptly one hour later so if you think you may need more time to get your boat and kit ready, please plan to arrive before the 9:00am meeting time. Discover Pass required for parking.

Route/Place

Chuckanut Bay


Roster
Required Equipment

Required Equipment

These eight essentials plus The Ten Essentials are required on all sea kayaking trips.  All but the whistle and clothing should be provided with any kayak rental.

  1. Floatation in both ends of the kayak
  2. U.S. Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD)
  3. Paddle
  4. Spray skirt
  5. Bilge pump with floatation
  6. Self-rescue paddle float
  7. Waterproof whistle
  8. Appropriate clothing for the conditions encountered seasonally
Trip Reports