PNW- Pacific Northwest Cruisers
I looked at our regional write-up and realized how out of date it is. So to be more relevant, I have updated it by starting what is happening this year of 2019.
It was a mild late fall and early winter. Lots of sunshine and moderate temperatures and very little rain. A small group of us enjoyed the second day of the Seattle Boat Show at CenturyLink field and gathered for dinner at the Pyramid Alehouse and Brewery. On hand were Chris and Andy Backus, Karen and Bob Nelson, Ginger Marshall and Gary St Anaud, Inez and Marty Schwartz, John and Rhonda Chen, friends of the Schwartz’ found at the show, and Bob and I. It was a lovely evening with good food and conversation.
It has been a strange last half of winter in the Pacific Northwest. Bob and I went to Kauai for February and managed to get out of town a day before the snows came to the lowlands. Three storms came through in two weeks and caused a lot of havoc. The grandchildren had school closed, my daughter had to work from home because she could not get out of her cul de sac. However, the kids and adults had a great time sledding down the hill. By the time we came home, most of the snow was gone but the temperatures were still on the cool side. Then we had flurries for a couple of days the first week of March before the sun came out and we got above normal temperatures for a while. And no rain. By the time April showed up, we were in a rain deficit and still mostly on the cool side. April showers have not disappointed and the blossoms started popping out. A beautiful time to be in the PNW.
A few of us got together March 16 at Scuttlebutts Brewery at the Port of Everett for lunch. Karen and Bob Nelson, Julie and Aaron Lasnetske, Chris and Andy Backus, Shirley and Mike Cullin, Leo Glahn, Doug Tribe, and Bob and I had a good time catching up on everyones’ adventures.
We have become members of the Northwest Marine Trade Association. As the name suggests, this is the group that looks after everything marine related, is our advocate in Olympia as well as DC, and conducts the Seattle Boat Show at the end of January and now the Anacortes Boat Show in May.
We are presently in Anacortes at the boat show. Bob and I brought Passages north from Everett on Monday with a fuel stop in Oak Harbor Sunday night. We got into Cap Sante Marina and tied up and plugged in by 1330. After settling in we decided to give the port side of the boat a little TLC. We are usually starboard side to and could see the neglect. The boat is now much more presentable. Tuesday, late morning we walked over to E dock to meet/greet two of our newer members, Alan and Susann Syme on their 55’ Symbol M/Y and went to lunch at Anthony’s. Wednesday morning we set up our booth in the tent and I checked in with the NMTA and got our badges and passes. The Symes and we got together for cocktails in the evening. We had some much needed rain that cleared things out by morning.
The show started at 1000 Thursday morning and we were up and running. A bit of a slow start but had some conversations with prospective members. Karen and Bob Nelson joined us, by car, around lunch time. Marty and Inez Schwartz came in mid-afternoon. After closing, we all gathered on the Syme’s KAOS for hors d’oevres and cocktails. Julie and Aaron Lasnetske came in about 2100 in their, to them, new PT 40 Spirit Bear.
Friday started with a rain shower and grey skies but cleared late morning. Traffic through the tent was heavier today and talked to quite a few people. No one signed up though. Alan and Susann helped in the morning, Sherry and Leo Glahn came in the early afternoon and Karen and Bob came back to help late afternoon. Mostly, just visiting with each other as traffic died down again.