SUMMER IS HERE AND BOATING SEASON IS UPON US!

This year, the Puget Sound decided to bypass spring altogether and go straight from winter to summer.  Suddenly with 80-degree days, now appears the time to enjoy your boat and get out on the local waters.  The excitement to voyage to fun destinations and unfurl those sails has swept across the docks over these last few weeks.  Boating Season has arrived and the longer days lend themselves to enjoying time on board with friends and family. At the Port of Bremerton, our goal is simple: provide accommodation and services that will make the Bremerton and Port Orchard Marinas your favorite ports of call in Puget Sound. We want to thank you for visiting or keeping your boat at Port of Bremerton Marinas. The Bremerton and Port Orchard Marinas endeavor to provide boaters with first-rate moorage, wonderful facilities, and attentive service.  

This marina update is a regular resource for boater updates on projects and other happenings at the Bremerton and Port Orchard Marinas.

MARINA SUMMER SEASONAL HOURS

Boating season brings changes to our seasonal hours for the marinas. Access hours for both the Port Orchard Marina Breakwater and the Bremerton Marina Breakwater public docks will be 7am to 10pm seven days a week. While the marina access gates will be closed to the public before 7am and after 10pm, they will still be accessible to marina tenants and visiting boaters.  The Port Orchard Marina Fuel Dock will be open during the summer 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm, including summer holidays. The Port Orchard Marina office hours are 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week through the summer. The Bremerton Marina office hours are 9am to 5pm Tuesday through Saturday/closed on Sunday and Monday. Marina staff may still be accessible by phone or email during business hours if marina offices are closed. Online payments or reservations still may occur anytime on the Port of Bremerton website portal.  https://www.portofbremerton.org/marinas



MARINA REGUAR 2023 TARIFF & RATE UPDATES

The Port of Bremerton regularly reviews and updates the tariffs and rates for use of Port facilities. On May 9, the Port conducted a commissioner work-study and information discussion on the Port Orchard and Bremerton Marina 2023 tariff updates. The Marina moorage rates last increased in 2021. The regular review of marina moorage rates is consistent with Port of Bremerton Strategic Plan, Goals “Determine market-based direction for key assets to reduce tax dollar dependency”.  The demand for marina moorage has increased each year and the vacancy rates at both marinas have dropped with waitlists for most slip sizes. The cost of operations, repairs, and materials have steadily increased and the previous marina rates have not accommodated those changes. The cost of maintenance of both marinas has also increased substantially over the last couple of years. The recent improvements including new parking, Wi-Fi, security, recycling program, and other amenities also have had financial impacts. The proposal for 2023 marina rates incorporates Consumer Price Index (CPI) increases with a reasonable increase to moorage at both marinas. The proposed marina fee 2023 update would be consistent with other local marinas and remain very competitive within Puget Sound. The proposed marina tariff 2023 Update, upon approval, would be scheduled for a July 1, 2023, implementation. 

The May 9, 2023, Port Commissioner Information Meeting on Marina Tariff & Rates is available for review here (Please reference minute 30:30): https://www.portofbremerton.org/meeting/may-09-comm-mtg. The Port Commissioner Meeting will be held on May 23, 2023, at 6:30 PM at the Port Offices located at 8850 SW Highway 3, Bremerton, WA is scheduled for consideration. The May 23 meeting is available to attend via ZOOM: https://www.portofbremerton.org/meeting/may-23-2023-comm-mtg

PORT OF BREMERTON QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

The Port of Bremerton facilities on Puget Sound incorporate the Port Orchard Marina, the Bremerton Marina, Harper Pier, and the Chico Boat Launch. The Port of Bremerton also includes the Bremerton National Airport, and the Olympic View Industrial and Business Park. A quarterly newsletter is published regarding all the activity regarding the entire Port of Bremerton.

The Spring 2023 Port of Bremerton Newsletter will be located here when published: https://www.portofbremerton.org/news

MARINA WIFI IMPROVEMENTS AND EXPANSED SERVICES PLANNED FOR JUNE 2023

The Port of Bremerton has been working for more than a year to improve the WIFI system and services at the Port Orchard and Bremerton Marinas.  The Port has contracted with ECCO Wireless, a third-party Wi-Fi vendor, to provide new WIFI services including upgraded antennas, equipment, and network servers increasing bandwidth speeds and even 5G services to be operational on June 1, 2023, at both marinas.  Ecco Wireless provides Wi-Fi services at marinas throughout the west coast and Canada. Ecco Wireless is a third-party vendor who also provides regular maintenance and upgrades to their equipment and services, including extended service and maintenance hours. Additional communication and signage on the docks will be available as the new Wi-Fi service begins this summer. https://www.eccowireless.com/manage-account-2



CITY OF PORT ORCHARD PUMP STATION PROJECT: CONSTRUCTON UPDATE

The City of Port Orchard is upgrading the existing lift station on the waterfront at Orchard Street. Upgrades are needed to address the aging sewer infrastructure serving the entire City, improve redundancy and reliability, and address future capacity needs as the City grows. The project design was coordinated with the future City of Port Orchard Community Center and the entry grade for the building was raised to respond to sea level rise and to tie into future development downtown. The City project does impact the Port Orchard marina parking areas, which will be relocated to the East during construction. The project construction is expected to last 18 months.  More information on the City of Port Orchard project is located here: https://portorchardwa.gov/public-works-projects/

AMERICAN CRUISE LINES SAILING ITINERARY FOR 2023

American Cruise Lines offers a Grand Puget Sound cruise with the American Spirit and the American Constellation vessels that now includes the Bremerton Marina as a port of call.  The Puget Sound cruises start and ends in Seattle and visits small ports throughout the Puget Sound including Anacortes, Friday Harbor, Port Townsend, Poulsbo, Tacoma and Port Angeles.  The American Spirit is scheduled for more than 46 visits to the Bremerton Marina each Friday from 8:30 to 5 pm from April through November 2023. In addition, the American Constellation will be visiting an additional three overnight visits to Bremerton in the spring and three more visits in the fall. The north breakwater has been reserved for the weekly cruise ship American Cruise vessels and will be closed to the public when a cruise ship is moored there due to Coast Guard security regulations. The guest capacity of the vessels ranges from 100 passengers for the American Spirit up to 179 visitors on the American Constellation.  Day excursions for passengers include shuttle buses to Poulsbo, Suquamish, Elandan Gardens, the USS Turner Joy Museum, and the Puget Sound Navy Museum. More information is available at: https://www.americancruiselines.com/cruises/puget-sound-cruises/grand-puget-sound-cruise

PORT ORCHARD MARINA BREAKWATER REPLACEMENT PROJECT UPDATE

The Washington State Legislature recently awarded the Port of Bremerton $ 3 million dollars in funding for the construction of the Port Orchard Marina Breakwater Replacement. The funds will be utilized for the much-needed replacement of the 49-year-old breakwater project. The State funding combined with other local funding helps provide nearly half of the total funding for the $15 million dollar project. Federal funding contribution levels will be known by the end of summer.  Permitting for the project has taken more than two years and construction bidding is anticipated for summer 2023. Construction will begin in fall 2023 and mostly conducted off site, with breakwater sections anticipated to be floated in place.  The much-needed project, which includes replacement of the 1,500-foot-long public breakwater, shoreside gangway, and transition docks are all project components that provides public saltwater access, recreational guest moorage, tribal fishing fleet facilities, Kitsap Transit ferry moorage, and protects the Port Orchard Marina, is scheduled to begin construction in late 2023 and will be complete by the end of 2025.



SEE-CLICK-FIX MAINTENANCE SOFTWARE AVAILABLE AT THE MARINAS

The Port of Bremerton has partnered with SeeClickFix to announce a new platform that will allow marina tenants and boaters to report maintenance issues at the Port of Bremerton properties. With free SeeClickFix mobile app and web tools, boaters will now be able to provide pictures, videos, specific descriptions, and valuable information needed to get the job done efficiently. The service allows the ability to respond directly regarding the request and to provide status updates. https://seeclickfix.com/bremerton



TRASH COLLECTION & DEBRIS ON DOCKS AT THE MARINAS: MARINA REGULATIONS SECTON 3.14

Trash collection at the marinas is offered with waste cans on the docks for household waste only. Recently, debris dumped on docks is not consistent with marina rules and regulations section 3.14. Construction refuse, large parts, lumber, fixtures, and other waste are directed to be taken to the local recycling center (dump), and not deposited at the marina docks and floats. Recycling bins are located with the trash cans at the transition docks at the shoreward side of the Bremerton marina. At the Port Orchard Marina, dumpsters are located at the G dock near Sidney Avenue and the library. Equipment, sails, gas and oil containers, hoses, bicycles, dinghies, kayaks, trash, or other items stored on the docks are a safety hazard and prohibited pursuant to the marina rules and regulations, and may be fined.

Marina Rules and Regulations: 

https://www.portofbremerton.org/media/dynamic/files/1273_2021-07-01_Marina_Rules_and_Regulations.pdf

PORT ORCHARD AND BREMERTON MARINA CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY:

The Port of Bremerton owns and operates the Bremerton and Port Orchard Marinas, and we are seeking input from you – from our monthly tenants, guest boaters, and community stakeholders - through this survey to learn how and where we can improve our services.  Your input is valuable and will be a basis for future decisions in serving the public waterfronts and what capital projects or improvements are made to the Port facilities.  Thank you for your time with this short customer satisfaction survey!

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sv/0DElNAa/pobmarinassurvey

As always, we appreciate your continued support and look forward to enjoying the upcoming boating season with you.



Sincerely,

James Weaver

Director of Marine Facilities

Connect with us on social media!