A Trip on a Boat

My mother and her husband own a trawler. A trawler is like an RV on the water. Slow, comfortable, with miniature everything, and a full bar. Maggie and I travelled to Pleasant Harbor (Seattle area except on the Olympic Peninsula side), where there is a marina that houses their boat. The name of the boat "Heart's Desire".

We took the boat out for what was supposed to be a one night, two day adventure. Sound like the beginning to Gilligan's Island? Read on.

Heart's Desire

Mom and Wolfman wasted no time showing how tough boating was. Here they are showing us how to operate the deck chairs and drink, without spilling on one's self, when in the fully reclined position. It's good to learn from experts.

Some friends on another boat at the marina followed us on the trip. They have a small animal named Sassy. (Some objects in pictures appear larger than they are).

Before we even left the harbor (we stayed the first night on the boat in the marina), we had casualties. Maggie took a nasty spill on some flat asphalt (tricky that) and smashed her elbow up pretty good.

Underway! Maggie and Mom talk shop at the stern of the vessel as our powerful wake trails behind them.

We arrived at our overnight destination, a marina near Port Townsend, with a pretty good wind blowing. Mom and I wrestle with the dock lines to keep the boat from drifting into any other boats. It was close,... we missed the "parked" boat next to us by inches. I learned that even if a knot isn't pretty the first time you tie it, you shouldn't try to retie it until the boat is securely docked.

We walked into Port Townsend after we had secured the boat. From a spot downtown, we noticed commotion down in the water just off shore. This sailboat had drug its anchor and been pushed by the wind until it was hitting bottom near the beach. This member of a vessel assist team is showing us the wrong way to board a troubled boat. He hung here for a minute or so until he could be rescued.

Here is the rescuer being rescued. (They pulled the boat away from the beach about 30 minutes later)

Port Townsend showcases some pretty old buildings. It is a cute little place.

This reminds me of Forrest Gump.

You can tell that we were having a good time. We couldn't hide our smiles.

Mom has some saying about "it takes a village to dock a boat", or something like that. Every time a new boat pulls in, everybody with a free hand goes over to catch docking lines and hand out free advice about speed, wind, angles, etc.

Maggie enjoyed preparing meals for everybody.

The source of my weirdness.

Baby seagulls were spotted on this rooftop where their parents had mad a nest. Maggie wanted to take them home, of course.

This cannon doesn't stand a chance against Maggie's sonic death scream.

Maggie made me do it.

I found some otters playing underneath the docks in the marina.

Wolfman usually perches on his driving bench. As we relaxed and "partied" this particular night, the weather turned foul. It was so nasty, that we decided it wasn't quite safe enough to try and go home the next morning as planned. Thus, we stayed and extra day and night. It turned out to be no problem, and made quite the story.

Another Maggie pick.