West of Rich Passage by Heather Squires, Reciprocal Moorage Chair

Reciprocal moorages are one of the benefits of WYC membership. We have reciprocal privileges with 23 clubs from Canada to South Puget Sound. For more info check the reciprocal moorage website.

On the other side of Rich Passage, an over night trip to Port Orchard is a nice weekend getaway. Port Orchard Yacht Club is located on the south side of Sinclair Inlet, across the waterway and a little past downtown Bremerton. The reciprocal moorage there is an outside tie along the dock/breakwater, but even though the ferry comes and goes, you don’t really feel it’s effects. Port Orchard Yacht Club is a friendly bunch of folks, and you’ll have to call one of the members from the registration booth to get the gate key. The facilities are very nice and they have all the amenities including 30A power, water, garbage, pumpout, restrooms, showers, and a phone. Everything is free except ice, which is $1 per bag. Shore-side attractions in Port Orchard are varied. The town is a short walk from the yacht club. There are restaurants ranging from nice to casual, a coffee and ice cream shop, some pubs, and the usual assortment of out-of-the-way, small Washington town junk/antique stores. In the summertime, there is a Saturday morning farmers market. It has an assortment of goodies including fresh pastries, produce, flowers, jerkys, and knickknacks.

Downtown Bremerton is also accessible from here. To get there you take the Horluck Foot Ferry, Washington’s oldest ferry. It’s a short trip across and once in Bremerton you can wander town or tour the USS Turner Joy. At the moment Bremerton appears to be converting itself to an art town. We wandered into a grove of shiny CD trees on our visit. The only drawback is the last foot ferry back to Port Orchard leaves around 8pm.

Section of chart 18445 showing the locations of Port Orchard YC, Roche Harbor YC, and Bremerton YC. (Not to be used for navigation.)

If you are looking to stay in Bremerton for the evening, Roche Harbor Yacht Club’s newly relocated reciprocal moorage is at the Port of Bremerton Marina. At this moorage you will need to pay for any boat length over 40 feet, and there is power for a fee. There is water, pumpout, showers, restrooms, and laundry available at this reciprocal, too. Unlike the Port Orchard Yacht Club, you will feel the ferry wake here.

Your last option for reciprocal moorage beyond Rich Passage is at Bremerton Yacht Club. They are located around the corner from Bremerton in Phinney Bay off of Port Washington Narrows. They have a beautiful club house with the usual ice, restrooms, and showers. They also have a small store, a soda machine, water, and 30A power for $1. They are not located near any town, but there is a nice park next to their property which has picnic tables, a shelter, and barbeques. They require a deposit for the gate key, but they will also let you lounge in their club house or on the deck overlooking the bay. It’s very peaceful there and is a nice change from the constant noise and wake of powerboats in nearby Dyes Inlet.

So, go enjoy some of the clubs west of Rich Passage and please remember to fly your burgee.

 

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Cost is $20
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