The Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park &Recreation District will be developing a brand-new boating program.

Jeff Ozimek, the district’s outdoor program manager, will be spearheading the effort to start a water-tight boating program for Bainbridge residents.

Ozimek is looking to put together 22 types of youth paddling camps which will serve kids between the ages 5-17.

In addition to these youth paddling camps, Ozimek said that he will also be working to incorporate a dozen destination and overnight paddles, as well as one expedition paddle over on San Juan Island.

“It’s in San Juan Island, we’re not paddling to it,” Ozimek added.

The list of experiences the program will provide are as varied as they are adventuresome, Ozimek said.

“These dozen day trips and overnights, they contain things like sunset paddles, moonlight paddles,” Ozimek said.

“Bioluminescence. If you’ve never paddled over in Blakely Harbor and paddled into the Mill Pond, that is the best place to find bioluminescence on the island; it just absolutely glows.”

In the future, the program will also be looking to offer fishing, as well.

“We have a community youth fly fishing expo for kids and in the future we can have these smaller boats and we’ll be able to basically synergize with our fishing program and our boating program,” Ozimek said.

“Next thing you know, when the salmon run, we can have a group that goes out there. How great would that be?”

The park board of directors recently voted to approve a budget of up to $32,000 to purchase boats and equipment for the program.

While the estimated sales price for the boats and equipment exceeds the approved budget, Ozimek said the vendors – Current Designs, Confluence Kayaks and Johnson Outdoors – have decided to offer price reductions for the program.

In total, Ozimek estimated, the program will save about $9,000 as a result of the discounts from the vendors. This leaves plenty of room to buy paddles, life jackets and a trailer.

The program is set to kick off this summer.