When the tide conceals the barnacles and the sun stays out past dinner, Bainbridge’s docks turn into diving boards.
As summer unfolds, local kids of all ages ritualistically hit Hidden Cove and Point White. The splintered wood and metal are the perfect surfaces to tan on, snack on and, for those brave enough—jump from. For some, it’s easy to jump off the peak of the railing, but for others it takes years of building courage. Some kids can’t take the height, others are afraid of sea creatures, and many can’t face the shock of the freezing water.
Still, no matter how many hesitations or skipped turns, there’s a quiet magic in just being there—feet dangling, the smell of sunscreen, music playing from a speaker tucked in someone’s towel.
The docks become more than a structure. They become a shared memory in motion, summer after summer. And when someone finally jumps—whether with a running start or a cautious tiptoe—the laughs and screams are loud enough to echo across the water. Because on Bainbridge, summer isn’t marked by the calendar. It’s marked by the splash.
