Weekly Waypoint

| number 4 |

We hope your holiday preparations are going well and that you are handling all of the parties in fine fashion!

The holiday season is such a great time to get together with friends new and old and celebrate all that we enjoy in this great boating community.

We had a blast this last weekend with the Swinomish Yacht Club, their Lighted Boat parade and Christmas party was a bunch of fun.

You won’t believe who was there, Santa!

Looking forward to another week of Christmas spirit!

CruisingQuiz:

1. The founder started renting boats, later to evolve into what is now the Center for Wooden Boats. What year did he begin this service?
2. What VHF channel does the Ballard Locks monitor for commercial vessels?
3. You can walk 3 blocks to the Nell Thorn Restaurant from this marina.
4. What year did Sucia become a state park?

Answers at the bottom of the page...

Nautical “Term(s) of the Week”

Fathom– What is a fathom? “About 6 feet”.  Actually, that is a fathom, approximately the distance of a grown man’s outstretched arms.

Head– The “head” aboard a boat is the bathroom. The term comes from the days of sailing ships when the place for the crew to relieve themselves was all the way forward on either side of the bowsprit.

(Suggestions? Send us your questions…   editor@cruisingnw.com )

Christmas and/or Holiday Boat Parades

Christmas Ship Festival, Lake Washington and Lake Union. Wednesday, December 23rd.

Depart/Return: Kirkland City Dock, 8:00-11:05pm
First performance: Portage Bay Park, 8:45-9:05pm
Second performance: Gas Works Park, 9:45-10:05pm

Check out the facebook event invite!

If you’ve got a boat on the Lake, head over to Kirkland and join the parade of boats! Take pictures and share them with us!!!

You can email us ( editor@cruisingnw.com ) or share them to our facebook page.

Destination of the Week

Deer Harbor Marina

This is one of our long time favorites. The current ownership has done wonderful things and continues to maintain the marina at a very high level.

Marc Broman and his team continue to “Master the Harbor” with class and great customer service. Nicole Cocherl and her staff do a great job managing the dock store and take out window. Keep up the great work!

Check out our Deer Harbor Destination page.

We are in the planning stages for our 2nd Annual Father’s Day Flotilla, again at Deer Harbor. Stay tuned!

CruisingNW’s Meme of the week…

1. 1967 | 2. 13 | 3. La Conner  | 4. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission acquired about one-third of the island in 1952. Later, developers wanted to parcel up the remainder of the island into vacation lots. Seattle yachtsman Everett (Ev) Henry spearheaded a drive to raise money to purchase the island from developers. The Interclub (now incarnated as the Recreational Boaters Association of Washington) was formed, and $25,000 was raised to purchase the land. In 1960, that land was donated to Washington State Parks for use as a marine park. Washington State Parks acquired the remaining parcels of private property in 1972, and Sucia Island in its entirety was a state marine park.