One of the positive aspects of being more landlocked this winter than we had planned has been the opportunity to visit some places that have, by dint of coastal geography, been places that we have generally found ourselves sailing past rather than stopping at and visiting. Whether their appeal simply hasn’t been obvious from the water or there aren’t suitable anchorages in the vicinity, it turns out there are a lot of parts of the Puget Sound shoreline that deserve greater attention than the simple glance from on deck that most passing boaters afford them.
One of those places is the Bloedel Reserve. Located on Bainbridge Island along the shore of Port Madison, the former private home and estate of Prentice and Virginia Bloedel is now a lovely park and museum open to the public. You’ve probably gazed on its idyllic grounds many times on your way to or from Agate Pass, but perhaps, like us, you didn’t realize what it was you were passing by. If that’s the case, it’s time to rectify the oversight: Bloedel Reserve is worth a closer look.
The Reserve is 150 acre combination of pristine nature, carefully manicured garden, and stately man-made structure. A planned walking tour from the gatehouse (vehicle traffic is heavily restricted, so plan to walk, about two miles if you stick to the recommended paths) will take you through grassy fields, past duck-filled ponds, into an elegant turn-of-the-century chateau now used as a visitor center. From the visitor center, a turn past a waterfall takes you into the Japanese garden, and then into a moss garden. All along the way you are assailed with what I can only imagine, based on the looks on my wife’s face, are a cornucopia of botanical delights. It’s all just weeds to me… but I did notice that the rhodies were blooming, an early-season treat for those who put stock in such things.
The entire Reserve radiates tranquility. Were it warmer out, I could have laid down on a bench and gone right to sleep, and I imagine that some people do. It’s a bit like sailing in out of the way places… just the wind, nature, and you. It’s a different sort of nature, though, a softer sort, with more (but quieter) noises, and a sense of life in progress all around you.
We were lucky with our timing. In order to preserve that pervasive sense of quiet calm, the Reserve limits the number of simultaneous visitors. During the tourist season, reservations are recommended, which can be made online at the Reserve’s website.
Timing is one thing, accessibility another. You’ve been sailing past the place all these years for a reason, right? The closest anchorage is inner Port Madison, but you would have quite a hike even assuming you could find a good spot to dinghy ashore on the north shore there. As close as it is to Agate Pass, one could anchor in Poulsbo and catch a bus to Bainbridge Island fairly handily, but that would necessitate a transfer at some point. The best bet is to moor in Eagle Harbor and catching the number 94 bus (see the Kitsap Transit website for more information) from Winslow, which runs right past the Reserve.
And then next time you sail past you can point to the solid white chateau on the hill and say, “Hey! I’ve been there.”
Dear Scott,
Thank you for this nice write-up and beautiful photos. As a sailor myself, I especially appreciated your navigation analogies. My office is in the large house overlooking Puget Sound, and on many a summer day my husband has sailed back and forth under my window — talk about jealous!
Kate Gormley, Program Director
That is a beautiful spot to work at, Kate… I have no sympathy for you whatsoever! But perhaps if you installed some floats, you could make an excuse to wander down and have your husband pick you up for an afternoon sail every once in a while… and the rest of us would have a place to park our boats for a visit.
Thank you for all your work maintaining such a lovely place!
Scott