By Jo Bailey and Carl Nyberg




      On the south shore entering the harbor is the new 49-acre Pritchard Park. This historically important park is the site of the debarkation point for local Japanese-Americans who were forcibly interned in 1942 during WWII under executive order of President Franklin Roosevelt.
      A no-anchor zone has been set up in the water surrounding the park, the former Wyckoff Creosote Plant, now a superfund site. Anchoring, or bottom fishing in the no-anchor zone off the park is not allowed because a “buffer” of protection covers contaminated sediments on the harbor bottom. This deep cap of sand will hopefully limit release of the contamination into the water as well as keeping marine organisms away from contamination. Anchoring could disturb this buffer. (Specifics of the regulations for the area are in the U.S. Coast Pilot 7 on page 185, and outlined in red dashes on Chart 18449.) Boats may anchor west of the no-anchor zone.
      When we were on the island in mid-October the park with upland trails, was closed for more work so we didn’t get a chance to even enter or hike the trails.
      Eagle Harbor Marina on the south shore has guest moorage, but it’s a good idea to call in advance, 206-842-4003. In addition to showers, restroom, laundry and pump out, there’s an exercise room and “wi-fi” for your laptop. All this for 75 cents per-foot per-night, plus $1.50 for electricity.
      Leaving Eagle Harbor we cruise about 1.5 miles south to Blakely Harbor. Just before we turn west into the harbor is Rockaway Beach Park. This tiny park at the point has great views of Seattle and the Cascades. It is favored by scuba diving enthusiasts as they can observe unique underwater fissures. We’re also told there is a ridge between Rockaway and Blakely Rock at the entrance to Port Blakely that divers love to explore. Check it out if you’re a diver. We limit our “diving” to snorkeling, in hopefully warmer water than here.
      Blakely Rock with its 16 foot high flashing light on the southeast side of the rock is just over 1/2 mile east of the harbor entrance and about the same distance north of Restoration Point. This fascinating rock heap, another favorite with scuba divers, is about 200 yards long with kelp stringing around it. A rock is awash at low tides about 1/4 mile north of the main rock.
      And now Blakely Harbor, another longtime favorite anchorage of ours, another gunkhole. The harbor was the site of Port Blakely Mill, one of the world’s largest sawmills in the late 1800s. The mill closed in the 1920s and the area declined, but the great anchorage remained. Over the years the harbor has changed from an anchorage with no real beach access into an anchorage with beach access, thanks to the island’s park and recreation district.
      About two decades ago the whole head of the harbor was being considered by developers to be ripe for building many upscale homes. Fortunately for the environment, and the walking and boating public, the far-seeing park department purchased the property to be used by everyone. They worked with the Bainbridge Island Land Trust and others to preserve 20 acres of this historically significant property which was purchased in December 1999. An additional 18 acres was bought two years later.
      Now we go ashore at Blakely Harbor Park: stroll the beach with the remains of the old piers, explore the nearly 40 acres of uplands, and enjoy picnicking and wildlife viewing of a wide variety of marine and shorebirds. It’s interesting to examine the last remains of the mill. The former mill pond beyond is now a fascinating estuary. The parks department has many plans for the future, including boardwalks, footbridges, restrooms, wildlife habitat restoration and viewing structures, picnic and beach facilities, trails and more.
      IslandWood Outdoor Education Center, an outstanding facility for environmental education, is across the road from the Blakely Harbor Park at the head of the harbor. The beach at Port Blakely is a favorite place for students from the many school districts who come to explore and discover through IslandWood’s environmental camping programs. We visited with several IslandWood teachers and student/campers all of whom were having an exciting time learning about beach wildlife in a very “hands-on” way. The kids loved the various crabs and other sealife they found, and carefully checked out all the critters in sight. Some were from inner-city Seattle schools and had never been to an overnight camp or a seashore before. For them this was an incredible experience.
      Now out and around Restoration Point and into Rich Passage where we can get to Fort Ward State Park and other places along Bainbridge’s west shore. By the way, when Peter Puget took off in 1792 on his memorable cruise of the sound named for him, his little expedition left from between Restoration Point and Blake Island south of Bainbridge.
      Rich Passage is a three-mile long dog-leg channel separating Bainbridge from the mainland shore of Kitsap Peninsula. It is relatively free from charted hazards, except for Bainbridge Reef in mid-channel at the eastern approach, and Orchard Rocks on the north side, just inside the east entrance.
      Currents in the pass can reach more than 5.4 knots during flood and 5.18 knots during ebb. Check Tidal Current Tables and Current Charts for both Rich Passage and Agate Pass so you can time your trip accordingly.
      Vessel traffic can be very heavy in Rich Passage with ferries, tugs with tows, Navy ships, and uncounted numbers of recreational vessels, making navigation a major concern. Be aware that it is a busy waterway, with strong currents, eddies, short chop, as well as traffic. Just after Beans Point on Bainbridge are Orchard Rocks, a 40-yard long rock shoal about 500 yards west of the island. There’s plenty of water to pass between the rocks and the island. Keep clear of aquaculture facilities, shown in detail on charts 18474 and 18449, and marked with flashing yellow 6 second lights.
      Fort Ward State Park is on the island’s southwest shore north of Orchard Rocks. This is an intriguing historical stop because of the military history here. Along the shore are remains of pilings, ruins, a shore battery and old never-used gun mounts from the old fort. Two mooring buoys and a launch ramp are at the park. Buoys may be preferable to anchoring because of the strong currents, subject to change. We’ve never wanted to stay too long here as it can get uncomfortable.
      The day-use only park has 4,300 feet of shoreline, 137 acres of uplands with picnic tables, historical displays, restrooms and hiking trails. Continue on through Rich Passage into Port Orchard Channel and follow the shoreline around Point White with it’s public fishing pier. Go north along the west shore of Bainbridge, a long fairly straight shoreline passing the bulge of Battle Point and then around Arrow Point into the only good anchorage along this shore about two-thirds of the way up the island, Manzanita Bay.
      This is a lovely spot, a favorite gunkhole, it feels right. Anchor in about 20 to 30 feet, mud bottom. We’ve spent many a pleasant night here, quiet, serene, and secure. Lovely homes and cabins, some with private docks, line the shore, but don’t crowd it. It’s peaceful. Add a gorgeous sunset over the Olympics or a moon rising over the trees to the east and you’ll think you’re in heaven.
      One of the delightful bonuses in Manzanita is the public access road in the northeast part of the bay, the old Manzanita Landing at the foot of short Dock Street. This gives you a chance to go ashore, stretch your legs in a brisk walk or run on sometimes busy island roads, take the dog and/or kids for a swim off the sandy beach in summer. The water is actually warm, relatively speaking. Jo always swims here in the summer.
      A sign at the landing shows it dated from 1895-1927, the years of steamer service by the Mosquito Fleet. The landing is shown on Chart 18446 at Manzanita and Subm. piles.
      The beach access at the concrete “ecology blocks” is only the width of the road end and is surrounded by private homes and beaches on either side. This is a favorite beach for islanders as well as visiting boaters, an absolutely lovely spot. Owners of nearby properties appreciate it if the visiting kids and dogs are kept under control and the owners’ privacy is observed.
      Manzanita Park is nearby for a longer walk through the woods. To reach this 120-acre public park with hiking and equestrian trails walk north along Manzanita Road to Day Road, turn right and walk until you see park signs on the left side, turn into the forest and follow the trails. Leaving lovely Manzanita Bay we head north into Agate Pass and it’s less than 2-1/2 miles to the Agate Pass Bridge. Vertical clearance is 75’ at mean high water. The bridge connects the north end of Bainbridge to Kitsap Peninsula.
      Currents in the pass can run up to 6 knots during spring tides. All the water is compressed into a navigable channel about 200 yards wide, with the flood setting southwest and the ebb northeast.
      On the mainland side just west of the bridge is the giant Clearwater Casino, but there’s not a good anchorage there. If you have a penchant to gamble you could leave your boat in either Winslow or Poulsbo and take a bus to the casino.
      We’re almost around the island and there’s only a couple of more items of interest at the north end.
      On the east side of Agate Point charts 18446 and 18473 show “pilings” which are the remains of the old Agate Point Steamer Landing at the bulge as the land turns south. Nothing remains of the dock except old pilings. About 100 yards northwest of it is fairly large Haleelts Rock at about the eight foot tide level. Petroglyph carvings are on the rock which is visible at a lower tide. This is one of only a few rock carvings in the Puget Sound area, although there are more in Canadian waters. Haleelts means “marked face,” according to Suquamish tribal elders. The carving is thought to be 1,500 to 3,000 years old.
      There is high bank waterfront from here to near the entrance into Port Madison, but there are two places worth noting. Cruise past and you can see the gracious, French country-style white mansion in the midst of 160-acres of beautiful horticultural gardens. This is the well-known Bloedel Reserve, former home of Prentice Bloedel, a principal in the Canadian lumber company, MacMillan Bloedel. Although it’s on the waterfront there is no beach access. It can be reached easily by land where you can take a self-guided walking tour. For more information www.bloedelreserve.org or Ph: 206-842-7631.
      East of Bloedel is West Port Madison Nature Preserve, 13-acres of beautiful forests with nature trails winding through it, wooden bridges and picnic shelters deep in the woods. It is possible to anchor offshore, use the beach, and “climb” up the bluff, we think. However, it looks to us like you’d have to be a mountain climber and rappel up or down, or whatever mountain climbers do. We declined to try it from the beach side, but did hike the trail through the woods to the “ladder.” We wouldn’t call it a ladder, just a rope. From the bluff we looked almost straight down the very high bank to the beach. This climb is not for the faint-hearted.
      Now we’re back at Port Madison. It’s been such a good time we hate to quit. We hope you all enjoy your circumnavigation as much as we have.

Jo & Carl are authors of Gunkholing in South Puget Sound, a Comprehensive Cruising Guide from Kingston/Edmonds South to Olympia and Gunkholing in the San Juan Islands, a Comprehensive Cruising Guide Encompassing Deception Pass to the Canadian Boundary. Bainbridge Island is featured in Chapters 5, 6 and 7 of Gunkholing in South Puget Sound. Both books are at bookstores and chandleries. Jo & Carl can be reached at gunkholing@earthlink.net, or at 206-323-1315 for slide show presentations of cruising in Northwest waters.

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Public Dock at Windslow.
Two beachcombers dispaly a small beach crab.
Looking east out of Blakely Harbor. Pilings are remnants of lumber boom era.
Historic bell at Port Madison.