WA360: Day 1 Plan – Going for Blake

Our plan for the first day is to put more miles under our hulls between sleeps than we ever have before. Before dawn, we’ll roll out of our temporary luxury at the Palace Hotel and get ourselves loaded and launched for the start of the race. It’s pretty much impossible to imagine that we’ll feel fully rested just a day or so after finishing SEVENTY48, but this is the life we have chosen.

Leg One: Race Start to Indian Island

We plan to paddle Port Townsend Bay to Indian Island and wait for the tide to turn in the canal.

Leg Two: Indian Island to Hansville

We’ll then ride the flood for the majority of the day. Our next break will be at Hansville, where we’ll grab some grub at Hansgrill – Hansville Grocery and Provisions Co.  – part of our overall food plan is to avail ourselves of waterfront restaurants and grocery stores.

Leg Three: Hansville to Fay Bainbridge

There’s a nice current that whips up along the Kitsap Peninsula. We plan to harness the midday/afternoon flood to make good time from Hansville to Fay Bainbridge.

Leg Four: Fay Bainbridge to Blake Island

We’ll spend the evening paddling along Bainbridge to land at Blake Island shortly after civil twilight. It will be a long day of paddling, but worth it if we can set ourselves up for some ideal conditions on day two.