The Puget Sound Challenge

What is the Puget Sound Challenge???

The 2010 Puget Sound Challenge is an approximately 150 nautical mile paddle that will go from Port Townsend to Olympia with the final paddle once again going into Allyn. The Puget Sound Challenge is broken up into 13 segments. To see a description of each segment, click on "The Course” page in the drop down menu of the “Challenge”. The goal of the Puget Sound Challenge is to raise money for the water trails of Washington. The two groups we support directly are The Washington Water Trails Associations and the North Kitsap Trails Association “North Kitsap's String of Pearls” water trail.
You can paddle any segment, or segments, anytime or all segments in one long trip. The challenge is to complete the entire course in one year. You can do this as an individual or with a group like a paddling club or kayak shop. The Olympic Kayak Club will have a scheduled course of all the segments that everyone is welcome to join in on.
What does this cost???
If you want to support this paddle for future years, we are asking for a onetime $50 dollar donation to register ($25 if you are a student), which includes a contribution to support the water trails of Washington. In Addition, whether you paddle all or only some of the segments, for this donation, you will receive a 3X3 boat decal, a T-shirt and a chance to win some great kayaking items or one of three kayaks at the raffle drawings that will be held during the Challenge. A complete list of the raffle items will be posted on the sponsor’s page under the CHALLENGE tab above. You do not need to be present at the drawings to win one of the kayaks, although you must be present to win any of the other sponsored raffle items. Drawings will be held on Paddle Kitsap Weekend, August 6-7, at the final paddle into Allyn on October 9. If you do win one of the highly desired kayaks, you will be notified and you must make arraignments for pick-up. The kayak will not be delivered to you. Your decals and T-shirts can be picked up at the final party in Allyn. We will also have some alternate pick-up information for those who are unable to attend the final paddle. That information will be posted soon.

Featured Paddles with the Olympic Kayak Club

This year the Olympic Kayak Club has several featured segments to the scheduled Puget Sound Challenge. In addition to our efforts to help support and raise money for the water trails, we also hope to support and raise money for two other very worthy organizations. To help accomplish this goal, and add to the fun factor, we have three featured paddles this year.

1. The Seattle Police Foundation Paddle

The Seattle Police Foundation will co-host Segment 6 of the Olympic Kayak Club’s scheduled paddles on June 12. In addition to our regular Puget Sound Challenge paddlers, we will be joined that day by paddlers supporting the officers of the Seattle Police Department. The cost is $30 for this one day event and it will entitle the registrant to be eligible for the kayak raffle. Paddlers who wish to register for this segment only can do so by clicking the "Register Online Now" button below. Links for simple donations to the Seattle Police Foundation will also be available soon. A number of the paddlers on this day will also be raising money through pledges from others based on how they do on the paddle, pledge money will be handled through the Seattle Police Foundation. We expect a big turnout for this paddle and an awful lot of fun. Details on this segment are in "The Course” page of the drop down menu for "The Challenge”.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure will co-host Segment 7 of the Olympic Kayak Club’s scheduled paddles on June 20. In addition to our regular Puget Sound Challenge paddlers, we will be joined that day by paddlers supporting the efforts to find a cure for breast cancer. For paddlers who wish to support this very worthwhile organization, and paddle this one segment only, the cost is $30 and it will entitle the registrant to be eligible for the kayak raffle.Paddlers who wish to register for this segment only can do so by clicking the "Register Online Now" button above. For more information on the work of this group, please check out The Susan G. Komen site.

3. Paddle Kitsap

Paddle Kitsap is the featured paddle of the scheduled segments of the Olympic Kayak Club. This year that will be Segment 9 on August 6-7. Everyone who has registered to paddle the Puget Sound Challenge is welcome to join in this two day premier paddle event. This is a 35 mile paddle that will have live music and a beer garden in Kingston on both Friday and Saturday nights. Overnight camping is also available. However, you also have the option to get the “full meal deal”. If you want the option of a fully supported paddle with catered meals, including lunch and transportation you may do so by paying an additional charge through The Paddle Kitsap Website. For those of you who only want to paddle this two day event, and not the entire Challenge, they can take care of that at The Paddle Kitsap Website also. Whether it’s a kayak, canoe, rowing, stand up paddle board, or other human powered craft, you will enjoy the spectacular natural beauty, challenge of the course and the making of new paddling friends all while helping to support the water trails of the Puget Sound.