There is something magical about being on the water. Ask a boater, and he’ll tell you nothing comes close to the relaxing, exciting experience one can have on a boat. In fact, Bellevue Club member Carol O’Neill says she was hooked from the start. Even after seeing the world as a flight attendant for Northwest Airlines, she still enjoys boating more. “You can get everything with a boat. You can either be very solitary or you can be with a bunch of people having a great time,” she says.
Where to Go Because Washington’s waters are so varied, there is almost an endless list of places to take a boat. In the immediate area, favorite spots include Lake Washington and Lake Union. Cruising around Lake Washington gives boaters views of the shoreline, and boats are also allowed to stay up to 72 hours in Andrews Bay, an area formed by Seward Park. Lake Washington is also very busy during Seafair, with boaters watching the hydroplane races and the Blue Angels show from the water. Lake Union provides unique views of Seattle’s skyline and hundreds of boats—everything from powerboats to large fishing boats and sailboats. On the Fourth of July, boaters on Lake Union get a spectacular view of fireworks. Carol also says going through the Ballard Locks is fun.
While Seattle-area waters are a good place to see a lot of sights, they are not the best place to explore nature. For that, head north to the San Juan Islands, or even farther along the coast into Canadian waters. The San Juan Islands include a number of islands both large and small, some of which are only accessible by boat. Favorites of Carol’s include Sucia Island and Lopez Island. Other popular spots in the San Juans include Roche Harbor, Patos Island, Matia Island and Jones Island. Sucia, Patos and Matia islands are all state parks, and have some form of camping available. These are great spots for viewing animals,
hiking and clamming or
crabbing.
Sucia is the largest of the three islands, and can be busy on holidays and during the summer. Carol loves Sucia’s hiking trails and coves. While Lopez Island and Roche Harbor are busier than their northerly neighbors, they are still fun. Lopez Island has many trails for hiking and a lot of camping. Carol says she and her family once took the boat to Lopez Island, and once there the kids camped on shore while the adults stayed on the boat. In total, there were 11 people on the boat, so having some people camp on Lopez Island worked well. Roche Harbor boasts a busy marina with shopping and dining options, as well as a variety of nearby trails, historical sites and a sculpture park.
Carol and Steve O’Neill enjoy exploring Sucia Island on their boating trips.
If the San Juans won’t do, there are a number of Canadian spots to check out, including Poet’s Cove, Dent Island and Desolation Sound. Poet’s Cove has a new marina and resort with plenty of activities to keep the family busy, including hiking, canoeing, golf, a spa, an art gallery and a fishing excursion. Dent Island also has a resort, and is a good place for the fishermen in the family. There is salmon fishing, freshwater fishing and saltwater fishing, as well as guided ecotours. Mooring at the marina gives you access to all the lodge amenities. Desolation Sound has a number of places to anchor and explore. With 37 miles of shoreline, boaters can find plenty of people to meet or seek out isolated places to spend a few days watching nature. Other spots around Seattle include Hood Canal, with various state parks along the shoreline; Poulsbo, which has three marinas and a quaint downtown to explore; and the Swinomish Channel at La Conner. No matter where a trip might lead, for many boaters, just getting there is half the fun. “There’s so much to see,” says Carol. “(There’s) always a different place to go. Even if you go to the same places, it can always be different.” She says with tides going in and out, you can see one view of coastline in the evening, and when you wake the next morning the entire coastline might look different. Carol also relates a story of boating through fog early in
the morning and coming across a pod of whales. She says they cut the engines and just floated for almost an hour, with whales all around. It was “incredible,” she says.
How to Get There If you don’t already own a boat, there are still ways
to get on the water. In fact, Paul Grosbeck, a broker for Ocean Alexander, says chartering boats is the best way
to try out different sizes and styles to figure out what you enjoy most. Because boats are a large investment, it’s important to really know what is going to work the best for you and your family. The type of boating you like to do is also going to make a difference for the boat you charter. Paul compares it to buying a car—if you need
to haul the kids, the
dog and groceries, you are going to look for an SUV or minivan, but if it’s just you and your spouse, a sports car might be more appropriate. There are a number of places to charter a boat in
the area, including Yachtlease, which also has extensive classes in yachting; ABC Yacht Charters, which is based in Anacortes; and NW Explorations, out of Bellingham. Most chartering companies have weekly rates for their boats, and you will need to have previous experience skippering powerboats in order to rent one. Another option is to hire
a skipper to help you with your boating skills either for a day or two or to stay the entire time. Like many rentable condos, powerboats come with the bare essentials and not much else. Be prepared to provide your own food, linens and fishing gear. In addition to those items, Carol says it’s important to remember sunscreen, sunglasses, books or magazines, some games, cards and a swimsuit—typical vacation items.
Roche Harbor in the San Juans is busier than some other
spots, but can be just as enjoyable.
Boating Safety If you haven’t gone powerboating before but would like to take a vacation on a boat, there are a number of safety courses available—there is a lot to know, and a class might be a good idea. In addition to knowing how to change gears, turn and dock boats, you’ll need to know how to read tide charts, understand currents, and know the best ways to maneuver a boat in various situations. There are also boating etiquette and “rules of the road” that boaters should know. A number of companies are available for boating courses, including On-Water Training out of Seahurst. Many charter yacht companies also offer on-the-boat training for an additional fee. For an online boater safety course and practice exam, visit www.boated.com/wa/index.htm. No matter what you choose to do, or where you choose to go, if you spend time on a boat you’ll most likely have at least one interesting story to relate when you return home. And being on the water, with the wind blowing and an open sky above creates a relaxation many boaters feel can’t be topped. For Carol, that relaxation starts as soon as they head to Anacortes, where the boat is moored. “It’s like all the sudden ... I’m in a completely different world. I know it’s going to be fun.”
Know the Lingo
AFT Toward the back, or stern, of the boat. Opposite of
FORE, which refers to the front, or bow, of the boat.
BAREBOAT CHARTER Think of it as renting a boat. You drive it, you’re in charge. (As opposed to a custom charter, in which you are the paying for guests aboard a fully crewed boat.)
BERTHS Bunks, or beds.
BILGE The lowest spaces in a vessel’s hull.
BOW The front of the boat.
BRIDGE The control station of a boat, where the helm is located.
DEPTH SOUNDER An instrument that determines and displays the depth of the water beneath the boat.
DISPLACEMENT HULL A type of hull that plows through the water, no matter how much power is applied. It is a more traditional hull shape than a planing hull, and is characterized by its deep V shape.
GALLEY A boat’s kitchen.
HEAD Marine toilet. Also refers to the entire “bathroom.”
HELM The steering wheel controlling the rudder.
KNOT Measure of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. A nautical mile is about 6,080 feet (one minute of latitude); 10 knots equal about 12 miles per hour.
PLANING A boat is said to be planing when it lifts itself up over its bow wave, to ride on the surface of the water at high speeds. The fairly flat boat bottom creates this effect.
STERN The back end of the boat.
TENDER The small boat or dinghy used to transport people back and forth from the main vessel to shore.
TOPSIDES The part of the boat’s hull above the water line to the top rail.
VHF Very high frequency radio, useful mainly for line-of-sight communications, such as ship to ship and ship to shore.
WALK THE DOG A powerboat maneuver in which you set the wheel in one position, then without touching it again, flick the controls in and out of gear, to turn the boat by its propellers only.
