Winter 2020 Marina Update

by James Weaver, Director of Marine Operations

Date: Jan 10, 2020
Ringing in the New Year is cause for celebration, for spending time with friends and family, and for looking back. The close of the holiday season heralds the end of an amazing 2019 year for the Port of Bremerton, and the beginning of the exciting new decade of boating for 2020. 2019 was incredibly successful for the Port Orchard Marina and the Bremerton Marinas with one of our busiest summers ever at both marinas. Over fall, the weather in Sinclair Inlet was dry and pleasant for many autumn weekends with an extended boating season for guest boaters and yacht clubs to visit both the Port Orchard and Bremerton Marinas. The upcoming year promises many festivals, events, new projects, and marina improvements.

2019 Year in Review

The summer of 2019 has been one of the busiest summers for the Port Orchard and Bremerton Marinas. Both the Port Orchard and Bremerton waterfront had a record number of events over the summer which drew more and more people to the marina docks. The Port Orchard Marina enjoyed weekly Farmers Markets and monthly Night Markets, Concerts on the Bay, and the Kitsap Harbor Festival and the Seagull Calling Contest. More highlights from Port Orchard were Fathoms of Fun & fireworks, the annual Chris Craft Rendezvous, Mustangs on the Waterfront, and the Saints Car Club Cruz. The tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chiefton visited the docks regularly throughout the year. 

 

The Bremerton Marina hosted events including Opening Day & Armed Forces Day parade, the Kitsap Harbor Festival, the Bremerton Bridge Blast, the Puget Sound Performance Boats event, the Bremerton Summer Brewfest, the Kitsap Wine Festival, the Blackberry Festival, and regular concerts with the Rock the Docks concerts throughout the summer. Every weekend was an exciting and fun event on the waterfront to be enjoyed by boaters, residents, and visitors alike. The excellent staff and amazing teamwork of the Port of Bremerton ensured that 2019 events & celebrations went smoothly and were enjoyed by all. 

 

One of the most exciting projects in Bremerton for 2020 is the development of the Marina Square Project in downtown Bremerton, adjacent to the Bremerton Marina. The building construction is underway, and plans include a new hotel, restaurant/bar, and apartments in two, six-story towers above three-levels of subterranean parking. The project is proceeding quickly with an anticipated opening date in 2020. Project progress can be followed at: https://soundwestgroup.com/properties/marina-square/

 

2019 Winter Celebrations

The Port Orchard winter waterfront benefited from the 2019 Festival of Chimes and Lights “Christmas by the Bay” event, including the Jingle Bell 5K run, the Port Orchard Tree Lighting, Sinclair Yacht Club “Christmas Lane” of lighted boats, the Pooch N’ Purr Pet Parade, the Port Orchard Marina Open House, and much more. The Port of Bremerton participated with beautiful decorations and included a new larger than life Reindeer and Santa Sleigh as well as an extensive display new lighting throughout the waterfront. The introduction of Santa's Sleigh on the Bay, hosting family photos with Santa on the Port Orchard waterfront helped in making this successful event an overwhelming success. The Port of Bremerton accepted a holiday spirit award from the City of Port Orchard for its efforts.

 

2020 Upcoming Year

The upcoming year promises many projects and improvements for the Port Orchard and Bremerton Marinas. The marinas will be benefiting from the construction of a new activity shelter at the Port Orchard guest dock, upgrades to the marina security systems, installation of after-hours interactive kiosks for guest boaters, and updates to the marina software that should improve marina billing and communication. The Bremerton Marina is anticipating the ability to access waterfront parking for tenants within the Marina Square project in 2020. Additional improvements include upgrades to the marina electrical meters and the beginning of design and permitting for the long-awaited Port Orchard Breakwater Replacement Project. 

 

To kick off the new year, the Port of Bremerton will again be sponsoring a booth at the upcoming 2020 Boat Show in Seattle. The 2020 Seattle Boat Show runs from Friday, January 24 to Saturday, February 1, and is the quintessential Pacific Northwest event for anything and everything boating or marine-related. The upcoming year for the Port of Bremerton holds more great festivals and events, ongoing marina improvements, and new opportunities to enjoy the beauty and fun associated with boating in the Pacific Northwest.