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Everyone who didn't make this one (and that was about everyone!) missed a really, really great time. Richard Amberson (woodenboatfogey) did an oustanding job of arranging a fun day of boating for us. Our party consisted of Richard, his friend and "computer machine" operater Dave, Ingvar and Carol Carlson, myself and my wife Cindy and grandson Khristopher.
We launched from Point Defiance and cruised into Thea Foss waterway, mooring at our reserved dock space at the Foss Waterway Seaport. We were greeted at the dock by a sign welcoming the Northwest Classic Boat Club!
Once inside we were treated like visiting royalty and given more-than-usual access to the facility. Richard had some free passes to hand out (he wanted us to fight for them but everyone was too polite) and the rest of us were given half price admission. We had a great time examining all the exhibits including the U-40, two APBA hydros, lots of vintage motors including a Fageol 44 and the working wooden boat shop. They were celebrating the launching that day of a beautiful little craft recently completed in the shop. Our grandson Kristopher had fun climbing aboard Faith, a vintage fishing vessel that had more than earned her keep in Northwest waters before finding an easy berth in the museum. The kids area also had other interesting displays including a hands-on demonstration of lifting weights with block and tackle. After our tour of the exhibits we were given the use of the employee's lunch room to have our lunch and gab for a while. While eating lunch Richard entertained us with a story about once when he had some trouble in a slough south of Marysville involving a bow line, a prop, some reeds and a nice group of folks in vintage boats who came to his rescue ... ring any bells with anyone? :BigWink1:
After lunch we left the museum and cruised further up the waterway, we checked out lots of cool boats and returned lots of waves up to the glass museum and then turned around headed out into Commencement Bay, north across the bay to Dockton, where we tied up at the public slips at Dockton Park and hung out for a while.
From Dockton we headed for Gig Harbor, staying on the boats there as it seemed that every available inch of dock space was occupied at the public pier. We were all feeling a little sun baked by then so we skipped the optional trip into the narrows to check out the new bridge from below, heading back to Point Defiance.
I'd like to thank Richard for arranging such a fine day. This was our first saltwater trip in the Sabrecraft and it was a wonderful way to start. My not-so-adventerous first mate Cindy, after seeing all the boats at Dockton, started talking about how she thought our next boat should be larger so that we could sleep in it. :cool1: What better way to measure the success of a voyage than that?
I posted some photos from our trip in the "Point Defiance Tour 2010" gallery. Richard has agreed to lead this tour again next year, this definitely belongs on next year's calendar and I would urge everyone to work it into their schedule.
We launched from Point Defiance and cruised into Thea Foss waterway, mooring at our reserved dock space at the Foss Waterway Seaport. We were greeted at the dock by a sign welcoming the Northwest Classic Boat Club!
Once inside we were treated like visiting royalty and given more-than-usual access to the facility. Richard had some free passes to hand out (he wanted us to fight for them but everyone was too polite) and the rest of us were given half price admission. We had a great time examining all the exhibits including the U-40, two APBA hydros, lots of vintage motors including a Fageol 44 and the working wooden boat shop. They were celebrating the launching that day of a beautiful little craft recently completed in the shop. Our grandson Kristopher had fun climbing aboard Faith, a vintage fishing vessel that had more than earned her keep in Northwest waters before finding an easy berth in the museum. The kids area also had other interesting displays including a hands-on demonstration of lifting weights with block and tackle. After our tour of the exhibits we were given the use of the employee's lunch room to have our lunch and gab for a while. While eating lunch Richard entertained us with a story about once when he had some trouble in a slough south of Marysville involving a bow line, a prop, some reeds and a nice group of folks in vintage boats who came to his rescue ... ring any bells with anyone? :BigWink1:
After lunch we left the museum and cruised further up the waterway, we checked out lots of cool boats and returned lots of waves up to the glass museum and then turned around headed out into Commencement Bay, north across the bay to Dockton, where we tied up at the public slips at Dockton Park and hung out for a while.
From Dockton we headed for Gig Harbor, staying on the boats there as it seemed that every available inch of dock space was occupied at the public pier. We were all feeling a little sun baked by then so we skipped the optional trip into the narrows to check out the new bridge from below, heading back to Point Defiance.
I'd like to thank Richard for arranging such a fine day. This was our first saltwater trip in the Sabrecraft and it was a wonderful way to start. My not-so-adventerous first mate Cindy, after seeing all the boats at Dockton, started talking about how she thought our next boat should be larger so that we could sleep in it. :cool1: What better way to measure the success of a voyage than that?
I posted some photos from our trip in the "Point Defiance Tour 2010" gallery. Richard has agreed to lead this tour again next year, this definitely belongs on next year's calendar and I would urge everyone to work it into their schedule.
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