Sea Kayak - Saddlebag Island

Trip

Sea Kayak - Saddlebag Island

Student Paddle: Anacortes to Saddlebag Island

  • Sea Kayak II
  • Moderate
  • Mileage: 7.65 nm
  • Maximum Wind: 10 kts
  • Maximum Waves: 1.5 ft
  • Maximum Currents: 2.23 kts
  • Pace: Moderate: 2.5nm/hour

Meet Time:  9:30 AM

Launch Time:  10:30AM

Meet Location:  Seafarers Memorial Park, 601 Seafarers Way, Anacortes, WA 98221

Trip is designed for and intended for the 2019 students of the Everett Basic Sea Kayak Course.  Priority will be given to those students however all graduates of a Mountaineers Basic Sea Kayak Course and all qualified current students of a Mountaineers Basic Se Kayak Course are welcome.  If you are a 2019 student you must have completed the course for the appropriate chapter and be in your "student paddle" phase.

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

  • Difficulty: SK II
  • Wind: Who knows what it will be on that day. An SKII trip has winds < 10kts.
  • Waves:Again, should be benign with waves in the 1' range unless the wind kicks up.
  • Currents: Max Flood is 2.23kts and max ebb is 0.84kts during daylight hours. 
  • Distance: 9nm
  • Pace: Moderate

Plan is to paddle to Huckleberry Island, then north to Boat Harbor on Guemes Island, then Saddlebag Island, then around east side of Hat Island and back to Anacrotes for an approximately 9.2 nm trip.

Since this is a student paddle we will practice wet exits and both self and assisted rescues at some point during the trip.

As usual with most Mountaineer trips, and all trips I lead, there will be an optional and voluntary après paddle gathering at a joint of some type in Anacortes for sustenance, hydration, and camaraderie. 

Route/Place

Padilla Bay & Nearby Islands



  • Sea Trails Rosario Strait Bellingham WA001

    Sea Trails Lummi Island, Bellingham & Samish Bays WA005

    NOAA Bellingham to Everett No. 18423

    NOAA Strait of Juan de Fuca to Strait of Georgia No. 18421

    MapTech The San Juan Islands No. 104

    MapTech Rosario Strait No. 106
  • See full route/place details.
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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. Dry or wet suit mandatory
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