Olympia Branch Sea Kayaking Riptides and Rapids

Badge

Olympia Branch Sea Kayaking Riptides and Rapids

A pin and badge for specific challenging sea kayak adventures.

ABOUT THE AWARD

Earn a pin to wear and a badge for your profile by paddling:

  • Tacoma Narrows including Toliva Shoal and Point Defiance.
  • Deception Pass including circumnavigation of Deception and Pass Islands.
  • Admiralty Inlet including Admiralty Head, Point Wilson, and Point Partridge.
  • Crescent Beach to Lyre River.
  • Makah Bay to Shi Shi. An overnight trip is acceptable.
  • Westhaven to Point Brown. Must launch and return through surf. Round trip or shuttle is okay. May start at either end.
  • Ilwaco to North Head. Round trip or shuttle to Long Beach is okay. May start at either end.
  • Anacortes to Friday Harbor. Route must be via Cattle Pass. Return by ferry is okay.
Trips included in this award are all rated at SK IV or above. Only very skilled and experienced paddlers should attempt to achieve this award. Participants should have a reliable roll, excellent bracing skills, recent practice in self- and assisted-rescues, and well rehearsed towing skills. The ability and strength required to punch out through a surf zone is required on several of the trips. Paddlers should be prepared to spend several hours in their boat, as landing may be impossible or not allowed. On open coast trips, participants should be prepared for  overnight camping, even if planned as a day trip.

HOW TO OBTAIN

Requirements common to each of the Paddle Pins:

  • Shall be an official Mountaineers trip advertised on the Mountaineers website and open to any qualified Mountaineer paddler.
  • Rescheduling due to weather or other parameters is acceptable. Paddlers registered for the original trip should be encouraged to participate on the rescheduled day.
  • Shall have at least three participants including leader.
  • Must be a current Mountaineers member.
  • It is recommended that participants paddle within one SK rating of their previous experience. Details of the Sea Kayak (SK) rating system can be found in the Mountaineers Kayak Leadership Manual, or check with the trip leader.
  • Those pursuing an award must keep their own records, including date, leader and branch listing the trip, a list of all other participants and a brief report of the trip. Download a Riptides and Rapids Paddle Pin Tracking Form.
  • To receive your award and be recognized at your branch's annual banquet, you must submit documentation using the official paddle pin form to the Olympia Kayak Awards Coordinator by September 30.
  • No trip paddled prior to January 2003 will count towards achievement of these awards.

Contact

Jean Fisher, Wb2jean@yahoo.com