Our History
There was some question in 2008 as to whether the Net Shed on Jackson Beach would blow over in the next big storm. That didn’t deter David Halpern, US Olympic kayaker and World Master’s Outrigger Canoe Champion from starting a canoe and kayak club here on San Juan Island. With the support of Port Director Steve Simpson and an extraordinary loan of two six-person outrigger canoes from an Everett club, Hui Wa’a O Puget Sound, our local club was born.
From its inception, the club has been a family friendly recreational club dedicated to giving our community safe and easy access to the beautiful waters of the San Juan Islands. In the early years we created a “beach co-op” where a few parents would supervise toddlers on the beach while the rest of the gang went paddling. We held weekly races in any human powered boat around Dinner Island. And most important, we paddled our 6-person outriggers 2-3 times a week.
A few years back the Port, under the leadership of Todd Nicholson, relocated the club to Shipyard Cove which has proven to be the perfect location for canoe, kayak and SUP. With winds typically out of the south and Brown Island providing protected water in the Port, Shipyard offers a perfect launch spot for the club’s activities. Since moving there the club has offered paddling and water safety classes through Island Rec in an effort to support the Port’s mission to provide the community with safe access for human powered boats.
Today, the club still paddles 2-3 times a week, races the classic Round Shaw Race, hosts an annual canoe campout on Lopez Island and a Spring outrigger trip to Yellow Island. And in 2023 we were able to buy our two six-person outriggers from our Mother Club, giving us the security of a long life ahead. While many club members will always know the club as Hui Wa’a O Puget Sound North, our new name, SJI Outrigger Canoe and Kayak Club, celebrates our commitment supporting safe access for all paddlesport here in the San Juan Islands.
Our Club Leaders
Steering our 40 foot long six-person outriggers canoes is something of an art form, learned with patience and determination by a handful of our members.
Jose – Our nicest club member, Jose started with the club its first sunny summer and still shows up wearing just shorts and a T-shirt in the dead of winter.
Wendy – If she hadn’t found SJI Outrigger she would no doubt have created her own club. Instead, she puts her boundless energy in the boat and into creating a brilliant Halloween Witches SUP event.
Kristen – Kristen took one of our Island Rec classes and never left. A former ballet dancer, she perfected her paddle stroke in year one, learned to steer the big boat in year two and now teaches some of our Island Rec classes. Oh, and she set a course record at the Round Shaw Race in the OC-2 Mixed.
David – White water kayaker, Olympic Team member, World Masters Champ, Molokai outrigger champion . . . if you’ve paddled since high school and you’re as old as David, you better have something to show for it.