Kayakers welcome salmon home on the Kitsap Peninsula

Published 10:57 am Wednesday, October 31, 2012

As salmon begin their annual return to northwest streams, kayakers welcome them home on two salmon streams in Kitsap County.

Participants in Salmon Kayak Tours view Chum, Chinook and Silver Salmon from colorful double kayaks. They often cheer as the fish jump around them. “Each time a salmon jumps near us it’s like fireworks. It’s almost impossible not to give a cheer,” said tour guide Spring Courtright.

For public tours, paddlers choose between two salmon streams on the Kitsap Peninsula: Miller Bay, near Kingston and Suquamish, or Chico Creek in Silverdale. Miller Bay tours run every Saturday through November 24. The Chico Creek tour is on Sunday, Nov. 11. Times vary according to the tides.

Miller Bay tours start at Grover’s Creek Salmon Hatchery, where participants learn about salmon life cycles and salmon restoration efforts. After a group discussion, a shuttle takes participants to Miller Bay (five minutes away), where paddlers are outfitted and receive a short kayak lesson or refresher.

Next, everyone heads onto the water with kayak guides and, on some tours, Paul Dorn, a fisheries biologist with 30 years of experience. Dorn has been instrumental in helping to restore salmon populations throughout the Northwest and he’s eager to join as many tours as he can in his kayak.

Once on the water, Courtright leads kayakers up Grover Creek in search of jumping salmon. At the end of the creek, everyone enjoys a taste of locally smoked salmon before paddling back downstream.

The Chico Creek tour will paddle near shore to visit the mouth of Chico Creek. They’ll have a salmon snack, then do a loop in Dyes Inlet in search of Harbor Seals, Bald Eagles and salmon. This tour is 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Registration is through Bainbridge Parks and Recreation at BIParks.org or (206) 842-2306 ex. 118.

All ages are welcome and no experience is needed for these tours. All tours require a reservation. The cost is $55 for adults, $35 for youth, $50 for adults in groups of four or more, $40 for adults with their own kayaks. Special rates are available for school groups, Scouts, outdoor clubs and military. Large group tours require at least a week’s advanced notice.

Private and group Salmon Kayak Tours are available any day from Nov. 3-25. Groups can choose between Miller Bay or Silverdale’s Chico Creek. For information on private and group trips, contact the Olympic Outdoor Center at (360) 297-4659 or programs@kayakproshop.com.

For more information about Saturday Salmon Kayak Tours on Miller Bay, visit the tours page at www.olympicoutdoorcenter.com or contact the Olympic Outdoor Center at (360) 297-4659 or programs@kayakproshop.com. For information on the Silverdale Salmon Tours, contact Bainbridge Metro Parks and Recreation at www.biparks.org or (206) 842-2306 x118.

The Olympic Outdoor Center (OOC) has offered kayak classes, trips, rentals, summer camps and sales for 26 years. OOC also sells kayak products worldwide online at kayakproshop.com and at their store in historic Port Gamble.