Adaptablity

I was reviewing older posts and realized I hadn't updated the blog with our current plans.  Specifically our decision on the target boat.  We were pretty determined that the Cooper Seabird 37 would be the boat of our choice last year at this time.  Now we are sure it will be a Catalina 36.  Again.  

Some background - Dave & I decided back in 2005 that we wanted to live aboard a sailboat.  Since that time we have been on countless boats, scoured the internet researching different models, sizes and characteristics.  In that time we have been certain we had found "the" ideal boat for our next home.  The candidates have run the gamut from lengths of 34 to 45 feet, sloop to cutter to ketch.  The flavor of the month has included boats from Taiwan, Canada and the US.  However the Catalina 36 has topped the list more times than any other.  I'm pretty sure nothing will be certain until our names are on the title.  After all I'm the gal who declares she's having the scampi and when the waiter arrives I order the fettuccine.  

However the C36 has several items in it's favor.  There are a lot of them and a very strong support community.  If you dream up an idea for a modification, somebody has already done it and posted instructions and   pictures of how they did it.  Very good for less-than-handy types such as ourselves.  We loved our Catalina 25 - the combination of handling, comfort and performance is the right balance for us.  We have no intentions of doing off-shore work at this point in our lives, but we intend to do some coastal cruising.  This boat can do that and provide us with comfortable accommodations for the majority of time when we are on the hook.   And if we can find one made around 1990, well all the better.

Stay tuned!

Back in Medford

We're back in Medford.  After a less than restful night at Hee Hee Illahee RV we hit the road at about 10 am on Friday morning. I think we've finally learned to check for railroad proximity when choosing a spot to park Booner.  We're a tad slow...

So as can be anticipated we had to get a Kaleidoscope fix within the first 24 hours of being back in town.  Smoked Salmon Caesar please.  Ahhhh.  Then off to Lowes to buy bathroom fixtures.  

We scored an invite and had a great dinner with great friends.  Kristy made an excellent pizza meatloaf.  Yumm.  First meatloaf of the season!  We were responsible for dessert which meant a Ben & Jerry's pass around.  D & K's lazy susan  definitely enhanced that experience.   

Heading Home

We grudgingly left Washington and drove a whole four hours today.  Tonight we find ourselves at Hee Hee Illahee RV park north of Salem.  It's very clean and paved.  A good place to pull off the highway and rest.  We had lunch at Porters Pub in Kiezer.  Or Keizer.  Hit Fred Meyer to restock our Ben and Jerry's and are currently wallowing in wifi.  Gig Harbor had wifi at the clubhouse, but not the campsite.  So we had lots of blog reading to catch up on.  Although as you can see Dave is reading the inside of his eyelids instead.

Boats Afloat

Back to Lake Union this morning.  Except this time the sun was up!  Parking was the usual challenge, but we found a spot not too far from the show.  Simon was excited to go to his first boat show, although we didn't have the heart to tell him he wouldn't be allowed on the boats.  We found the new Catalina 355 which replaces the old 34, 36 and 350.  Really a lovely boat with many innovations that made sense.  Of course it's a new boat so not for us.  We got on several more sailboats, tugs and trawlers.  We talked to many nice people, mostly about Simon who was pretty popular.  We had hotdogs.  It was overcast, but a comfortable temperature.  However after three hours Simon just stopped in his tracks and refused to go in any direction but toward the gate out.  Poor little guy.  He's still trying to recoup I think.  We let him rest in the car while we visited REI.  Wow!  What a beautiful store the downtown Seattle REI is.  We wandered around a bit, rode a folding bike and generally drooled on the many toys they have for sale.  By the time we got back to Gig Harbor we were ready to put our feet up and read.

Home day

Today we're staying local.  Long morning working through the coffee.  Then I headed down to RV park headquarters with our nifty laundry bag backpack and my laptop.  I got there 30 seconds too late to grab one of the four washers.  Damn!  So I grabbed the primo desk spot with my laptop and signed on to see if I had any work issues to deal with.  About the time I worked through the work email box I got a washer.  WooHoo!  While the laundry was going I was able to pay bills and reconcile the checking account.  Meanwhile Dave & Simon were scouting out the non-settled points of Gig Harbor.  Dave helped me fold laundry, we took it back to Booner and put it away and then headed to The Tides for lunch.   I know, we do NOTHING but eat!  A bowl of chowder later we were content.  Dave & Simon showed me their discoveries and then we headed home for a quiet afternoon at home.  Movies, reading, cooking, relaxing.  I guess this is what you do on vacation.

While real people were working...

we were off on another adventure!  Today we couldn't hold back any longer we headed up to the Olympic Peninsula.  We started off honestly thinking we were going to investigate all docking points along the south shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  Who were we kidding?  We were going to Port Townsend! We actually fooled ourselves into driving as far west as Sequim.  Again it was a ghost marina.  We  saw a total of six humans.  Mind you this is a lovely marina!  But nobody hangs out there.  There's nobody running a sander, no Dixieland jazz drifting across the water from a boat across the way, no dogs laying across the dock to step over.  It's creepy.

So off to Pt. Townsend.  And gee, we were hungry.  That meant a stop at the Bayview.  It's nothing fancy, but it virtually hangs on the bay, right next to the ferry dock.  The waitstaff hasn't changed since we started going there about five years ago.  I have no reason to believe they were new then.  The food is consistently good and the view is gawkworthy.  We paid the bacon toll to Simon to get back in the truck.  Then we did a tour of Pt. Hudson where the Wooden Boat Festival had just ended.  We didn't attend because wooden boats stress me out.  So much work!  But we did poke around town and take a good look at the boats anchored out off of town.  Then it was off to the public docks, Boat Haven, where we walked the docks extensively.  Give me fiberglass or give me death!  Ahhhh...the smell of salt water and diesel fuel...I was in heaven.  Then a quick walk through the dry dock work yard.  I love Pt. Townsend.

On the way back to Gig Harbor we stopped at Port Ludlow.  What a cool little spot.  Although the village attached seems like it might be run by the Stepford gang.  Getting a tad uppity.  But I do like the marina.  And the view of the Olympics is spectacular.

We came back to Gig Harbor and made tacos.  I love this RV park!  So does Simon.  We live between Trout Road and Carp Drive.  He's happy to poop on either.

Touring

It's Sunday so of course civilized folks start their day with BRUNCH.  We thought we'd see just what the hell they do there.  So off we went to The Tides.  Sure enough it was civilized, which meant we didn't know what was going on.  Where was the waiter?  What's with the guitar dude playing elevator versions of Jimmy Buffet?  And what are all these country club geeks doing this close to a dock?  Eventually we got fed.  Unfortunately I have extraordinary peripheral listening ability.  So I was hearing people talking about trying to sell the Tacoma house, their personal trainer at the Seattle Athletic Club, blah, blah...WTH????  Creepy.

After breakfast we were off to explore marinas along the Kitsap pennisula - Port Orchard, Bremerton, Poulsbo and Kingston.  Great little spots.  Simon was able to join us for lunch at Sheila's Portside in Poulsbo.  He was treated excellently by our waitress there.  We will definitely frequent Poulsbo when we are aboard.  Although walking by the restrooms at the marina was most unpleasant....

Catch Up

So at last writing we were gorging on happy hour treats at The Tides.  Well those took a while to digest.  Saturday we were up at 4:30 AM to head to the Swap Meet at The Fisheries.  This event happens a couple of times per year.  People just show up before dawn and cast their wares out on the pavement.  Then shoppers show up pulling wagons and bearing flashlights.  It's probably quite a spectacle if you weren't one of the obsessed.  But of course, we are.  We were there for about three hours and sold an anchor and 200 feet of rode to a very personable guy.  And many books to many folks who also were a pleasure to visit with.  Simon played the part of the WalMart greeter.  Gotta say, sailors are very accepting and loving of dogs.

After we called it quits we toured UrbanSurf, a store that sells surfboards, including stand up paddleboards.  So of course Dave had to go pick brains.  Simon and I were just eyeing the grass and walking paths of Gas Works Park.  We got a good walk, sniff and pee (latter two for Simon) at the park.  Then we headed over to Ballard.  We parked by the Ballard Locks and had lunch at The Lockspot Cafe.  The clam strips were disappointing.  But who can really compare with The Island Cafe?  But Dave had excellent Salmon & Chips.  And I always enjoy the atmosphere.  Then off to the Ballard Locks.  We went through the museum/info place and learned enough that we felt certain we could take over if the all the lock operators passed en masse.  It was really cool to watch boats going through the process.  I'm not entirely sure that there is anything in Lake Union worth enduring that process, well other than Pasta Fresca.  But that's a whole other post.

The gardens along the locks are lovely.  We would have taken much more time to enjoy them, but we had to return to Simon.  Actually, our paid parking was about up.  I'm pretty sure Simon could have enjoyed another two or three hours of napping without our company and been VERY happy.  But we woke him up and made him sit in the middle of the seat again.  Then off to Shilshole Marina where we made Simon walk around and look at boats.  He's very patient.

Gig Harbor

This picture really doesn't do this place justice.  Gig Harbor RV Resort is lovely.  It's barely a mile from the waterfront of Gig Harbor, which is pretty darn cute.  And it's quiet and shady and ... lovely.  It was a perfect base for our Seattle escapades.  We landed here on Friday and immediately set off for The Tides Tavern.  Who wouldn't?  We got there just in time for Happy Hour.  And who wouldn't be happy with the selections?  Many $1, $3 & $5 choices.  And I'm not talking weak offerings either.  For a dollar you could get a shot glass shrimp cocktail.  Be honest - a shot glass and you've had your fill of the little bottom feeders,right?  I thought so.  For $3 I got a piece of teriyaki steak that would easily pass muster with most cardio physicians.  Another $3 bought me a twice baked potato.  Screw the CP's.   Okay, enough with the food, check out the view.

Enough said.

Views From The Back Window

FIRST OFF!  Credit must be given to Kristy, a most precious friend, who suggested I post pics of our back window named "Views From The Back Window".  Kind of Hitchockesk no?
Okay, so not an inspiring view.  But we were staying at the Jantzen Beach RV park.  And while it is SO convenient to the Island Cafe it is also perhaps the noisiest spot on earth.  We spent the night listening to Planes, Trains and Automobiles and...Boats!  Yes, this lovely spot with two+ swimming pools and access to every big box store you could ask for within walking distance is on the take off/landing pattern of Portland International Airport.  There is also a railroad track close enough to threaten the mildly depressed, you can hear the interstate highway AND boats apparently have to blow their horns to open a bridge or something.  THAT BEING SAID it is so close to the Island Cafe that it's really not a question.  You WILL want to stop here.  For one, they not only let Simon, the Doggi-Lama, sit at our table they brought him a bowl of water.  And they play Radio Margaritaville.  And the clam strips aren"t strips at all.  They are clam morsels.  No, that's not really adequate.  They are clam TREASURES.  As a frame of reference I'm a gal who loves clams in many costumes.  I am just as happy with a well breaded rubberband version as a luscious steamer.  But the Island Cafe does clam strips that are are on the top end of luscious.  They are not rubbery.  They are well breaded.  They are fried to perfection.  They come with a good sauce.  AND you are sitting on a dock on the Columbia River eating them.  Did I mention they brought Simon his own bowl of water?  Seriously, I can go to bed with earplugs.