Sea Kayak - Rich Passage: Bremerton to Orchard Rocks

7:45am at Evergreen-Rotary Park boat ramp, Bremerton, WA.

Plan to launch at 8:30am.

I expect this sea kayak trip to have this difficulty and plan to paddle in up to these conditions (view the sea kayak difficulties definitions on our Activity Types, Difficulties & Prerequisites page):

• Difficulty:  Strenuous
• Wind:  up to 15 kts
• Waves:  <2 ft
• Currents: 3.5 kts in Rich passage
• Distance:  12 nm
• Pace:  Brisk

You should have a flat-water pace of at least 3.5 kts, and at least some experience in currents.

Launch from Evergreen Rotary Park in Bremerton, plenty of parking; toilets . Launching about two hours before SBF (Slack Before Flood) at Rich Passage off Pleasant Beach station, will put you at Orchard Rocks near slack.

Ride the ebb out to Fort Ward on Bainbridge Island. (toilets, water, camping - one "site" but room for many tents, picnic table) which is next to the old barracks building.

Paddle south to Orchard Rocks Conservation Area to observe sea life. Circumnavigate the adjacent salmon farm. Manchester State Park is another stop-over for lunch while we wait for the flood to build. Toilets, picnic tables, and water are available.

Immersion wear required.