It's all about boats!
Today we are excited to be heading down to a favorite of ours, Bell Harbor, downtown Seattle waterfront, for the Classic Boat Show, which features boats made in pre-WW II. What fun to ride the RapidRide bus today to meet Bruce and Vicki and walk down the very steep (in my flat-lander opinion) hill to the marina.
But first, lunch.
It's all about food!
Bruce makes a reservation for us at Steelhead Diner and when we arrive, our table is ready. During the course of the meal it becomes obvious he and Vicki are favored guests.... We are served a complimentary asparagus and prosciutto appetizer, which is of course delicious.
No photos of food today, as we are too busy visiting and catching up.
Continuing our downhill walk, we pass the entrance to Pike Place Market, and I can't be more excited! But no time to shop; we have boats to tour.
Our first view of the marina today shows the huge Norwegian Jewel cruise ship towering over the much smaller and more beautiful boats in the show. She will head for the Inside Passage of Alaska along a similar path that some of the Classic boats have taken in the past.
Bruce pauses to inspect some classic automobiles just outside the marina, and we admire his choice to photograph the colorful bright green and orange.
Suddenly, we realize the boat show entrance will end in ten minutes, so we hurry inside and rush to the must-see ones. Gyrfalcon is my choice -- the largest one here at 88 ft. -- and I show the photo below from the Classic Yacht Assn. website.
Below are photos I take once aboard. She is a work boat, so not as elegant as some in the show. There are way too many steps to the stateroom below; I only have two on Willie's Tug.
Certificates of Classification on Machinery and on Hull -
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| The Galley |
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| The Desk with a Tub of Lines, Ties and Bungees |
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| Work Station |
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| Lounging at the Stern |
With more boats to enjoy, we make our way around the docks. Turning Point is a Lake Union Dream Boat, a trade name for which Herb has a special interest. According to the flyer handout, she was built in 1928, but production of the line was stopped as a result of the economic impact of the Great Depression in 1930, when money for luxury yachts was no longer available.
She is currently owned by Bill and Patti, whom we recognize as former Ranger Tug owners.
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| Bill and Patti |
Others boats being shown are -
By this time most owners have closed their boats to boarding for a tour, so we make our way back up the hill to catch the 40 bus back to Ballard. I fall in love with this street sign marking the 'corner' of Seattle Center, Pike Place Market and Belltown.
Near our bus stop, Bruce stops again to take a photo of an intriguing composure, and being a tree lover, I am fascinated with the structure of the trunk and limbs with its canopy of foliage against the windows of the building in the background.
Zooming out with my camera now, I capture him against a delightful sculpture, which I will call a strawberry popsicle, with the tree and windows as background. He and Vicki explain a reason for the Seattle area's being so pleasant and inviting with the many parks and sculptures. In 1973 the city passed a '1% for Art' ordinance, which sets aside 1 percent of capital improvement project funds for the commission, purchase, and installation of artworks in a variety of settings. Awesome!
As our day comes to a close, I reflect on what I have observed and think Herb has much too much interest in some of these boats. I will keep a close watch on him. (and his wallet.)
and of Walldog, Willie and Jake
Saturday, June 14, 2014
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