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HA R B OR S

The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine CONTACT 3214 45th Ave SW Seattle, WA 98116

E: info@harborsmagazine.com W: www.harborsmagazine.com

PUBLISHER Katherine S. McKelvey BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT George V. Bivoino EDITORIAL Kat McKelvey George Bivoino Russ Young Alanna Wight editor@harborsmagazine.com ART DIRECTOR Karen Johnson ADVERTISING SALES Mark McLean, Senior Account Executive mark@harborsmagazine.com CONTRIBUTORS Chloe Cantra Sean Griffin Jean Groesbeck Deane Hislop

HARBORS

View the most sought-after adventure destinations around the waters of the Pacific Northwest.

Adventure & Lifestyle Videos Articles & Photography Fishing Lodges Resorts & Spas

SUBSCRIBE TODAY www.HARBORSmagazine.com

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Terry W. Sheely Tom Tripp Alanna Wight Russ Young

PHOTO CREDITS ICON A5, pgs. 14-19 Saltry, pgs. 20-27 Deane Hislop, pgs. 28-33 Terry W. Sheely, pgs.50-55 Sean Griffin, pg. 56, 58 Tom Douglas, pgs. 68-69 Karen Johnson, pgs. 70, 77 (top) West Marine, pg. 71 Moondance Inn, pgs. 74-75 Sidney Pier Hotel, pgs. 76-77 (middle and bottom) Outlook Inn, pgs. 78-79 HARBORS Magazine is a proud sponsor of: Pacific Salmon Foundation of Canada Long Live the Kings of Washington State Friday Harbor Film Festival The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival HARBORS Magazine is a proud member of: British Columbia Floatplane Association Northwest Marine Trade Association Northwest Yacht Brokers Association Washington State Seaplane Pilots Association PUBLISHED BY © 2017 by All Ports Media Group

HARBORS Magazine is printed on recycled paper.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY All rights reserved. Partial or whole reproduction is prohibited. The publisher will not be held responsible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space of the ad. No changes may be made or cancellation accepted after the publication deadline date. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of this magazine.

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HAR B O R S

volume 8 issue 4

HAR B O R S

Welcome to HARBORS The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

A Note from the Publisher

Harbor Lights Greetings, The spring has been wet and windy here in the Pacific Northwest. Many are anxiously awaiting summer so they can head out on the waters to cruise the islands and experience the outdoors.

The sunny months on the water are what make the long winters a faded memory until next fall.

We have a new member on our team here at HARBORS. Alanna Wight is our intern for the summer issues. She will be assisting with editing and writing during her internship. Alanna is studying Multimedia Journalism at Washington State University in Pullman, WA. Welcome Alanna!

This issue has some awesome destinations. If you haven’t been to Halibut Cove, AK, you’ll want to put it on your list! Princess Louisa Inlet is one of BC’s most scenic locations. And, we’ll take you sport fishing on the Columbia River for some tasty bottom fish. We are introducing the ICON A5 seaplane, which folds up and trailers like a boat. We also have a look into the Aurora Borealis, aka the “Northern Lights.”

Being a Seattle-based company, we are very excited to have renowned Chef Tom Douglas as this issue’s celebrity chef. Tom has numerous popular restaurants in the Seattle area. He is an advocate for preserving wild salmon and uses the freshest seafood in his restaurants.

HARBORS sponsored the 2017 TrawlerFest at the Bremerton (WA) Marina on the Kitsap Peninsula on May 18-21. Trawler boats and yachts lined the docks at Bremerton’s waterfront. The first day we were there, it was a little cloudy, but by the weekend the sun was out and boat lovers filled the docks. Check out the photos in “HARBORS Happenings” on page 62.

And most importantly, we have a message for all boaters and seaplane pilots this summer: please learn more about the importance of wearing life preservers and boating safety.

Enjoy your water bound activities this season. George and I hope to see you out on the water—we’ll be fishing!

Cheers!

Scan to Subscribe

Katherine S. McKelvey Publisher

The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

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Get on board with

HARBORS Calling all Captains, Pilots and Adventure Enthusiasts…. we appreciate your support and look forward to bringing you more and more exciting boating and seaplane destinations.

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2017 July/August

Features

14

The ICON A5

20

Halibut Cove and The Saltry

28

Mac’s Little Piece of Paradise

36

Travel Maps

42

Waterfront Living

50

Fish, Fun ‘n Sun

56

Northern Lights

62

HARBORS Happenings

68

Celebrity Chef Profile and Recipe

70

Gear Guide

74

Seaplane & Boating Destinations

Turning Dreams of Flying into Reality Fine Dining in an Alaskan Hideaway Princess Louisa Inlet

Pacific Northwest Coastal Waterways Waterfront vs. Water View

photo by ICON A5

Introducing the ICON A5 Light Sport Aircraft.

Discover the Columbia River Gorge The Elusive Search Trawlerfest 2017

Chef Tom Douglas—Seattle, WA

Why Don’t Some Boaters Wear Life Jackets?

Bellingham, WA • Sidney, BC • Eastsound, WA

The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

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orthwest

oat Travel

From Washington to Alaska, Your Source for Marinas, Restaurants, Services, Points of Interest & much more.

To get your copy call

(425) 488-3211 or visit

www.BoatTravel.com

The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

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The ICON A5 Turning Dreams of Flying into Reality

by Chloe Canta

W

e live in an age where changes in FAA regulations and a new breed of aircraft manufacturers are making personal aviation more accessible—and more exciting—than ever before. In 2004, the FAA created an entirely new aircraft category called Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) and a new license called Sport Pilot License (SPL), which have

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made it easier to bring new aircraft to market and reduced the barriers to becoming a pilot. After years of R&D, we’re just now beginning to reap the benefits.

The regulatory changes were introduced to reenergize the private aviation sector, which has been in almost continuous decline for nearly four decades. In fact, the number of private

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pilots today is less than half of its 1980 peak of 357,000.

So what is sport flying?

Sport flying is about experiencing the joy of flying the way you might have imagined it as a child. It isn’t about how far you can go, how many passengers you can carry, or how much luggage you can fit. It isn’t about

getting from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. Sport flying makes the journey the destination: it’s about the emotion, the visceral thrill with the windows out, landing on water, and seeing the world from an entirely new perspective.

ICON Aircraft is one company turning those dreams into reality.

The company is headquartered in Northern California between San Francisco and Sacramento, near beautiful Lake Berryessa. Its first aircraft, the ICON A5, was built to inspire people to experience sport flying and is so intuitive that a person with no experience can learn to fly it with about 30 hours of training.

ICON’s mission is to reinvent personal flying by providing consumerfriendly, safe, technologically-advanced The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

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aircraft that make the freedom, fun, and adventure of flying accessible to those who have dreamed of it.

A James Bond-style piece of machinery, the ICON A5 has sports-car style and maneuvers on water with the quickness of a jet ski. The plane sports LED lights, folding wings, a stylish dashboard, and removable side windows. Whether you’re maneuvering on the water or in the air, the A5 is designed to handle predictably and like a precision sports car. The A5 design is intended for outdoor adventure. The plane can land on solid ground or in the water, while folding wings and a specially designed trailer allow the pilot to use the A5 without ever going to an airport.

ICON approaches aviation differently from other airplane manufacturers. Its goal is to democratize the industry the same way great brands like Apple, BMW, Ducati, or Oakley democratize their products: by fusing 16

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outstanding engineering with worldclass consumer product design. The end goal is to create products that not only deliver great functional benefits, but also deeply inspire people on an emotional level. The A5 uses the most cutting-edge material and techniques to bring this vision to reality and the result is a magnificent blend of art and science. The A5 has won some of the world’s most prestigious design awards with its aggressive but sophisticated style, and has caught global recognition.

In order to give the occupants the freedom to enjoy flying, the A5 incorporates a range of safety features. The cockpit design is extremely intuitive and includes simplified engine controls, both of which allow the pilot’s focus to remain outside the cockpit instead of inside. Other safety features include a complete airplane parachute, Angle of Attack (AoA) gauge, and a spin-resistant airframe (SRA). AoA is a

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1-800-277-5421 safety feature commonly found in military aircraft that intuitively shows the pilot in real time how hard the wing is working. The gauge is placed close to the pilot’s line of sight and incorporates green, yellow, and red sectors to quickly convey how close the wing is to stalling (the point at which the wing stops lifting).

If the pilot does stall the airplane however, the SRA keeps the A5 from losing control. While this sounds simple, developing the technology required thousands of hours of NASA test flights and research to achieve. The A5 is the first conventional production aircraft to meet the FAA’s rigorous spin-resistance standard since it was released more than 25 years ago.

ICON hopes to develop an entirely new market of aviation enthusiasts with its combination of design, engineering, safety, versatility and unmatched flying experience. Today, ICON is the only aircraft that has combined these The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

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attibutes effectively and the market response has been accordingly strong.

The company currently has more than 1,800 aircraft deposits and is on schedule to begin customer deliveries this fall.

ICON currently has two coastal flight training centers, one in Tampa, Florida and another at their headquarters in Vacaville, California.

These facilities are open to all who are interested in learning how to fly in the A5 and become a pilot. The sport pilot license requires a minimum of 20 hours of in-flight training, undercutting the time and cost of a traditional private pilot license by about 50 percent. The company also offers training for that as well.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

on ICON Aircraft and to inquire about their flight training programs, visit www.iconaircraft.com.

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The Saltry at Halibut Cove Fine Dining in an Alaskan Hideaway

by Russ Young

A

cool evening breeze is blowing across Alaska’s Kachemak Bay as we’re heading back to the town of Homer after dinner and a visit to the picturesque community of Halibut Cove. But deckhand Beau Mills is right there, offering us lap blankets. And as we stepped from dock to deck, and back again, Beau— who had expertly secured the lines of the Danny J—was there with steady

sea-legs and a firm hand for anyone who needed assistance.

However, Beau is not exactly what you might envision when you think of a deckhand on a vintage fishing vessel in Alaska; she’s a genteel, graceful Southern belle with a big smile and just a hint of an accent. Originally from South Carolina, she lived in Idaho and Washington before moving to Alaska, so she’s no stranger to the outdoors.

Deckhand Beau Mills

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Captain Marian Beck

Meanwhile, in the wheelhouse of the Danny J, skipper Marian Beck is keeping a watchful eye for other boats, as well as Minke and orca whales, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, porpoises and otters that we might encounter during

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our crossing back to the Homer Spit.

If Marian had a business card that listed all of her jobs, it would require a very small font: she’s licensed to operate pilot boats, a passenger ferry and a water-treatment plant. In addition,

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she’s a chef, restaurateur, author, painter and potter.

Along with her husband Dave—a fisherman and multi-skilled handyman—Marian operates not only the Danny J, but also the crown jewel

of Halibut Cove: The Saltry. It’s the Cove’s first and only restaurant, but it is regarded as one of Alaska’s best.

Everything there is handmade, from the pasta and the bread to the tables and the plates. The kitchen staff harvests the salad ingredients; the seafood is caught nearby.

While we were visiting, executive chef Alex Walker, who came to Halibut Cove from Park City, Utah, returned from picking apples with a friend, although he wasn’t quite sure what he would do with them the next day. Later he jumped off a deck and went for an early-evening swim in the cove.

Alex, who looks far too young to be such a talented and experienced chef, leads the team to make its own staffing decisions, ensuring a cohesive and supportive restaurant team. The seasonal restaurant staff all live in relatively close quarters around the cove, so enjoying each other’s company is essential, both on and off the job.

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Our party of four sat on a waterfront deck with a wonderful view of the cove and a generously sized outdoor fireplace providing a bit of late-summer heat. We started off our evening with artisan cocktails and fresh local oysters.

(They were seriously fresh, having been farmed right there in the cove.) There was magnificent seafood chowder, followed by a memorable seafood sampler that included candied salmon, ceviche, shrimp poke, sushi and salmon mousse. Our entrees included black cod, lingcod and mussels.

Fortunately, we left room for dessert,

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so our server suggested we try the chocolate cheesecake, which, at the risk of using an overused expression, is simply to die for. Marian and Alex didn’t come up with the recipe, but it was acquired in a trade for some of The Saltry’s candied salmon.

Marian and Dave opened The Saltry in 1984 with a stated mission of “Art on the face of the wilderness and fine dining.” Three decades later, they have not strayed from that commitment.

The restaurant’s name comes from the fact that during the early 1900s Halibut Cove was home to as many

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as 36 facilities that salted herring.

Unfortunately, the fishery failed in 1928, and the saltries closed, although the area was popular with liquor bootleggers during Prohibition.

A trip to Halibut Cove on the Danny J, or its larger sister vessel, the Stormbird, does not necessitate dining at The Saltry, but I would be remiss if I didn’t say you will regret not having a meal there.

Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you can catch a noon boat from the docks at Homer to Halibut Cove and Ismailof Island. (The Saltry is

serving lunch between 1:00 and 4:00 pm, but I promise that’s the last time I’ll drop a hint.) On the way over from Homer, you’ll go alongside Gull Island, a bird sanctuary that is home to nine nesting species, including puffins, cormorants and—not surprisingly—gulls. But there are another dozen or so species that are frequently seen around the island, as well as a few dozen other birds that have been spotted on Ismailof Island. If you’re a birder, you’ll be in heaven; even if you’re not, you may become one after this excursion. Either way, bring binoculars and a camera.

Once you disembark on the island,

Chef Alex Walker

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Painting by Marian Beck

you can hike a variety of trails and find secluded beaches. Or you may prefer to explore the boardwalk that connects The Saltry, the island’s accommodations, homes and the Halibut Cove Experience Gallery.

Inside the gallery, you’ll find the work of 18 local artists, many of

who live around the cove—including Marian Beck.

If you take the noon ferry from Homer, you’ll have about two and a half hours to experience Halibut Cove and the island, and you’ll push off for Homer at 4:00 pm.

There’s a 5:00 pm departure from

Homer that is strictly for dinner guests at The Saltry, although there is ample time for a stroll along the boardwalk and a visit to the gallery after dinner.

Then it will be time to climb aboard the Danny J, and let Beau, Marian and/or the rest of the crew make your memorable visit complete.

Plan your trip: The Saltry The Danny J. Halibut Cove Experience PO Box 6468, Halibut Cove, AK 99603 907.226.2424 www.thesaltry.com

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Marian and Dave Beck — Halibut Cove, Alaska

Marian Beck began fishing with her dad at age 10 as his only deckhand. She was not really a fast fish-picker, too small to see out of the net well, so she was relegated to running the boat from the flying bridge, which may have contributed to her career in operating boats.

Marian married her husband Dave in 1976. Two years later they bought a slow wooden boat without a gillnet reel. A neighbor gave them a small power-roller and several times a day, they pulled 900 feet of gillnet.

A few years later, they invested in a reel. In 1987 they built a proper gillnet boat and Dave, although

from Iowa, became a seriously great Alaskan fisherman!

Marian is a licensed maritime captain (100-ton Near Coastal) in all waters of the US since 1974.

She is the owner of the Kachemak Bay Ferry, M/V Danny J and the Halibut Cove’s Experience Gallery.

A well-known artist, Marian’s paintings have had solo exhibits at the Pratt Museum/Homer, Alaska, Alaska Pacific University/ Anchorage and the Parker Ranch historic home (Puu Opelo) in Kamuela, Hawaii.

She and Dave created and built the Saltry Restaurant in Halibut Cove. She has published a cook

book: Salmon Patties and Rosehip Pie. Her hobbies include horses and agriculture, and for 18 years she performed seal rehabilitation for the state of Alaska. Marian and Dave now split their time between homes in Halibut Cove and Waimea, Hawaii.

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Mac’s Little Piece of Paradise Princess Louisa Inlet, BC

By Deane Hislop

I

t had been more than a decade since we last visited Princess Louisa, an inlet only accessible by boat or floatplane. Recently, we returned and spent three days enjoying what James F. (Mac) MacDonald had provided to the boating community. Here, in the almost completely enclosed body of saltwater nearly four miles long, we would encounter the memory of a man who had shared a lifetime with Princess Louisa Inlet— he once owned many acres—and held her in trust for all to enjoy.

The emerald-green water sinks 600 feet in depth, and until mid-June, melting snow high above the water

creates 60 waterfalls. At the head of the inlet is the crowning jewel, Chatterbox Falls, which drops 120 feet and remains very much the same as when Mac first named it.

Princess Louisa Inlet, named in honor after Queen Victoria’s mother, is entered through Malibu Rapids about halfway up the eastside of Queen’s Reach. The reversing saltwater rapids protect the inlet with currents up to nine knots on spring tides.

Malibu Rapids are only one-third of a nautical mile in length. Its widest point is over 400 yards and the narrowest is 150 feet, but the narrowest section is only a couple of boat-lengths

wide. Most vessels should enter Malibu Rapids at, or very near, slack water because of strong currents and overfalls. We timed our visit by consulting the Canadian Tide and Current Tables, Vol.5, for the times of slack water.

To port, as we transited the rapids, is Malibu Camp, originally a resort built in the late 1940s for Hollywood celebrities and the social elite. The resort had a short life and sat abandoned until it was purchased by Young Life, a nondenominational Christian youth group.

The resort has been transformed into a summer camp for teenagers. Visitors are welcome for a tour and to enjoy ice cream on the inlet docks.

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Enjoying the slow cruise up the inlet—the entire inlet is a “no-wake zone,” to protect the shoreline from wash damage—taking in all the beauty, we were awestruck as we had been years earlier. We had to remind ourselves that we were in a saltwater fjord, as our surroundings seemed more like the Rocky Mountains or Yosemite National Park.

The inlet is 3.7 miles long and about a half-mile wide. The mountains tower above at elevations of 5,000 to 8,000 feet, while the emerald-green water passes beneath the keel. The location had a calm tranquility, stretching from the mirror-like surface straight up into infinity. The deep silence is only disturbed by the muffled roar of waterfalls, that plunge over sheer granite cliffs. Making a slow turn to port, about halfway up the inlet, you’ll see beautiful Chatter Box Falls. It was here that Mac spent the better part of his life, governed more by the seasons than by the clock. Choosing a spot to his liking, he built a cabin, and for years the world beat a path to his door.

You can hear the waterfall long before it bursts into view, streaming down the face of Tuktakamin Cliff to give birth to Chatterbox Falls at the head of the inlet. The moorage float installed by the Princess Louisa International Society and maintained

by British Columbia Provincial Parks was nearly empty, but it was early in June and most of the 1,200 boats that visit annually arrive during July and August. If the dock had been full, there were a couple other options. Halfway up the inlet at MacDonald Island are five park mooring buoys and some room to set the hook.

From the dock, we followed the trail through the rainforest filled with hanging moss to the base of Chatter Box Falls, to get a real appreciation of its rich beauty. On the way, we passed several tent sites, picnic tables and a large rainy-day shelter with a fire pit. The trail leads to the base of the falls, where we found a cooling mist 30

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HARBORS |

31

to counter the warm summer sun.

Adjacent to the falls is a sign warning that it’s unwise to attempt to climb the falls as it is life threatening.

Several hikes are available including a challenging two-hour climb to Trapper John’s cabin site, overlooking the inlet. The cabin has been reclaimed

by Mother Nature, but hikers are rewarded with a beautiful waterfall above the site and a breathtaking view back down the inlet. While hiking is a great way to see the sights, exploring the inlet and its multitude of waterfalls by dinghy would provide more than enough wonderment to pass the time.

That evening, we enjoyed a rare experience: we had the inlet all to ourselves. This was something unheard of in mid-June, but realistic in the winter. As the sun set and cast shadows across the inlet, a nearly full moon rose above the opposite hillside. After sunset it was a stargazer’s delight, as we identified the different constellations in the cloudless evening sky.

The second day of our visit was warm

by Northwest standards, some might say downright hot—85-degrees and not a breath of wind—so we took the dinghy across the inlet to where one of the many waterfalls enter the inlet. The melting snow falls thousands of feet over the sheer rock cliffs, tumbles into a large pool and then flows through a couple smaller pools before entering the inlet. We found that the pools were a perfect place to get a little relief from the heat. The once icy water is warmed as it spills over sun-heated rock, making it very comfortable. We enjoyed soaking in the pools for more than an hour, and then decided we’d better get out and return to Easy Goin’ before we turned into prunes. Besides, it was almost happy hour.

That evening, we toasted Mac in appreciation for his extreme generosity and rare foresight, which still allow this beautiful, incredible piece of paradise to be enjoyed by all. I can guarantee it won’t be another decade before we pay another visit.

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Foresight James (Mac) MacDonald was a teenager in 1907 when his uncle told him a story of sailing up a wild Canadian fjord of indescribable beauty, with more than 60 waterfalls coming from snow-capped peaks over a mile high. Mac sought out and visited the inlet for the first time in 1915. He was very taken by it, but he first went to Nevada as a prospector.

There he struck it rich and returned to purchase 500 acres surrounding Chatterbox Falls in 1926. Mac owned much of the area, but he was often heard saying, “This beautiful, peaceful haven should never belong to one individual.”

Born to the role of an adventurer, Mac had traveled the world by the age of 22, but was always drawn back to his first love, Princess Louisa Inlet. To those who knew him, Mac was many things. He was a friend, a philosopher, and historian whose own history is now indelibly linked to this inlet, which was his home. Until he died, he often returned to Princess Louisa.

The summer of 1972 was the last time Mac visited the inlet. He died later that year at 83 years old, but long before that he had already bequeathed the property to all the yachtsmen of the world. His statement, according to the Princess Louisa International Society, went like this: “In giving it to the boating public, I feel I am completing a trust. It is

one of the most spectacular beauty spots of the world, I am turning it over in perpetuity as an international project so that you, your children and your children’s children, ad infinitum, all may enjoy its peace and beauty as God created it, unspoiled by the hand of man.”

It’s now a Provincial Marine Park, and in keeping with his wishes, it’s dedicated to the boating public of the Northwest.

The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

HARBORS |

33

IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON GROUNDFISH SPECIES (of Washington, Oregon and Northern California)

Anglers are responsible for knowing current fishing regulations, which can change frequently.

Check the state website for up-to-date information.

Yelloweye Rockfish

Canary Rockfish (Slightly indented tail)

Adult

(Smooth jawline)

Juvenile

Bright yellow eye and raspy ridges above eye.

Fins usually have black edges.

Juveniles have 1 or 2 white stripes along side of body.

Tiger Rockfish

Dark Version

Variants

(Smooth jawline)

Variants

(Gray lateral line)

(Anal fin slanted)

Typically three stripes across side of head and gill plate. Body orange mottled with gray.

Vermilion Rockfish

Pink Version

Strong ridges between eyes.

5 or 6 vertical bars on body.

Lower jawline rough to touch. Body reddish and mottled with gray. Anal fin rounded.

Black Rockfish

Deacon Rockfish

Large mouth. Body mottled with gray. White belly.

Black spots on the dorsal membrane.

Small mouth with extendedlower lip. Vague stripes across forehead.

Blue-tipped pelvic fins. Many small speckles covering sides of body.

Bocaccio Rockfish

Blue Rockfish

Large mouth extending upwards. Slightly concave between mouth and dorsal fin. Body orange, olive or brown.

Small mouth. Vague stripes across forehead. Bluetipped pelvic fins. Large angular blotches on sides of body.

Photos courtesy Vicky Okimura; WDFW

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REV. 2016

Quillback Rockfish

Copper Rockfish

(Deep indentations in dorsal fin)

Variants

Variants

Light colored band along the last 2/3 of lateral line.

Freckles on head and/or throat.

Yellowish saddle markings do not extend to tail.

Yellowtail Rockfish

China Rockfish

Fins yellowish, large mouth. May have pale patches or spots on back. May be confused with Olive Rockfish.

Widow Rockfish

Broad yellow stripe starting on dorsal fin, along lateral line. Yellowish white freckles.

Brown Rockfish

Dark brown patch or spot on gill cover. Underside of throat and lower jaw pinkish. Fins may be pinkish.

Small mouth, anal fin slanted posteriorly.

Kelp Greenling

Cabezon

Lingcod

Flap of skin above eye and on snout. Huge mouth, small teeth.

Body marbled. Smooth skin.

Large mouth and large teeth. Deep notch in long dorsal fin. Elongated body.

Smooth skin.

Male Female Small mouth, small teeth. Blue spots may be faint except when breeding, when they become almost neon. Reddish spots on female. Smooth skin.

wdfw.wa.gov

dfw.state.or.us

wildlife.ca.gov Photos courtesy Vicky Okimura; WDFW

The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

psmfc.org REV. 2016

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Skagway to Ketchikan

Alaska

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Cape Flattery

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Sinclair I.

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Boundary Bay Airport

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MONTAGUE HARBOUR

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NS TAI Arm

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Nanaimo to Olympia

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HARBORS |

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Waterfront Living in the Pacific Northwest

by Jean Groesbeck

Waterfront vs.

Water View

42

| HARBORS

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Afraid of heights? Afraid of water?

Afraid of what damp weather does to your hair? Really?

Yes, those are some of the considerations of buyers searching for “a place in the islands” or a “retirement home on the coastline.”

The decision between locations, such as a drive-on island, a ferry island, or an island that is only accessible by boat or water taxi, is quickly narrowed by logistics for most people. However, the choice between a view or waterfront property can be a surprisingly difficult decision, especially when trying to select a property to meet the needs of everyone in the household today and for the next decade.

No-bank and low-bank waterfront Having a home directly on the water is not the best fit for everyone. After the tsunami in Japan several years ago, some waterfront homeowners were so frightened by the images they saw in the news that they actually sold their homes and moved. The risk of a tsunami remains a serious concern by some waterfront homeown,ers, although most islanders do not worry about a catastrophic tidal event. Instead, they prefer the ability to walk out their back door to launch a kayak, harvest clams, or

watch the birds dig for food at the shoreline. The sights, sounds, and residents of the sea and changing tidal views provide daily breathtaking wonderment.

Children and pets can present different challenges living on a no- or low-bank waterfront. You may want a view of the beach from the yard so you can keep an eye on the kids playing, or you might want to block access to the water altogether so adult supervision is always required. If you have a dog, especially if it is a retriever, you might end up blocking access so you

are not constantly dealing with a wet dog and sandy paw prints. Be prepared for higher maintenance costs if you live on the water. Hardware will rust, your home will require paint more often and windows will need to be cleaned frequently, but it is worth it!

Medium bank If you have a boat, a medium bank could be optimal. Your options are to buoy, dock, or to secure a small boat on shore. Because you want some depth underneath the dock and do not want to limit kayak launching to just low tide, the land from shore needs to slope down. The topography on shore usually mimics the topography extending under high tide, so medium-bank waterfront provides the best option for some island dream catchers. Friends can visit by boat and children or grandchildren can fish or dangle a crab pot from the dock.

Properties with docks are expensive to purchase and are even more expensive to maintain. Your view is likely to be the view of a quiet bay since low-energy environments are best for docks. Some people prefer the active view of yachts, international commercial freighters, or even whales in some cases.

The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

HARBORS |

43

High-bank waterfront You may wonder, “Why pay for a waterfront property if the shoreline is not easily accessible?” High-bank waterfront property often offers a more expansive view. If your grandchildren are shrieking with joy at the beach, it warms your heart—but you may not feel the same way when it is someone else’s family. High-bank waterfront provides more privacy while allowing you to experience the sounds and smells of the sea.

It is easier to find high-bank waterfront property, and often these homes are wider with more linear feet of waterfront, which again offers privacy. There are often community beach-access points nearby.

If you are uncomfortable with heights, high bank may not be the best option for you.

Ceiling and Visiblity Unrestricted (CAVU) The most expansive, some consider the best views higher up and further back from shore where brilliant colors can be seen lighting up the Olympics or reflecting off Mt. Baker’s snow.

If you are not going to use the waterfront, a panoramic view from a property further inland might be the best choice. Pilots seem to prefer an elevated view, and view properties are more abundant than waterfront, are more affordable, have lower taxes, and are more economical to maintain overall.

Which part of the island?

Boaters and pilots are keenly aware of weather patterns and predominant winds, but not everyone is so fortunate. Each island will have microclimates with the actual air temperature varying as much as five to ten degrees, as wind can make the temperature feel much cooler.

West-facing properties have magnificent sunsets, but the intense glare off the water could require that you keep your shades down so you will only get 44

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to enjoy the afterglow. West facing is preferred on some islands like San Juan Island because of the ability to see adjacent islands, but on other islands, west facing may be subjected to daily winds.

South facing is generally believed to be the most desirable since it provides the most sun, but depending on the island, south facing may not provide the best views.

East facing can actually be the warmest direction, depending on the island.

For example, on Fidalgo Island, near Anacortes, Washington, east-facing views are on the south end of the island and are the warmest properties with protection from the wind.

North-facing properties off the coast of Washington are ideal on some islands, as active views on certain islands are coupled with wonderful evening views of Victoria, BC, which backlight the San Juan’s. North-facing homes in the Gulf Islands have views of Vancouver, BC across the water.

If you are looking for a magnet away from the city for family and friends, there is nothing like a place on an island or waterfront town to provide adventures and create memories that leave a legacy for generations.

Jean Groesbeck is a licensed real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Bain and was raised in the Northwest. She and her husband Paul live in Anacortes with their two dogs, Jingles and Belle.

The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

HARBORS |

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WOODENBOAT.ORG

photo by Irving Mortensen

46

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A very rare offering! 4 waterfront parcels, 2 homes & a private extended deep water dock! Located on Brown Island with easy access to the Town of Friday Harbor, the southwest-facing adjacent homes are each flanked by separate waterfront parcels for a total of over 3 contiguous acres & 480 +/- feet of medium bank waterfront.

The spacious & well-built main home is designed with the enjoyment of gatherings at heart. Community marina, seasonal swimming pool & full-time island caretakers. MLS#1131205 $3,595,000

SAN JUAN ISLAND to connect

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Captivating. Private. Distinct. Unparalleled & unobstructed 180 degree views sweeping across Haro Strait; south from the Olympic Mountains, west to the twinkling lights of Victoria, B.C. & up north to the Canadian Gulf Isles from this pristine estate sited on nearly 11 private acres. Watch the eagles soar, hear the Orcas play, relish in breathtaking & dramatic sunsets, & entertain guests from several thousand sf of decking overlooking the very best the San Juan Islands offer. A sight to behold.

MLS#1094224, $2,300,000

Create your personal fishing camp!

Everything needed to enjoy a sojourn to this island paradise is included: Furniture and furnishings, linens, bedding, fully equipped kitchen, guest cabin, golf cart, 7ft inflatable dingy, 1 person kayak, crab & shrimp pots, large barbecue, 2 hammocks, 4 deck chairs and umbrella, tools, community dingy dock & beaches, barge ramp.

MLS#763963, $250,000

This exceptionally beautiful 3 acres, 350 feet low bank waterfront boasts a 3 bedroom, 1.75 bath with a well, septic and private beach. Sunshine abounds from this sheltered beachfront point which also includes a hangar lot steps away from the 2000 feet grass runway.

Close to the prime Canadian fishing waters, Stuart Island Airway Park offers a dingy dock, boat launch, barge ramp, two community beaches.

MLS#970920, $555,000

Roche Harbor airport home with hangar!

Charming 3 bedroom 2 bath 1,700 sqft home located in a peaceful neighborhood near Roche Harbor. 1.6 sunny acres.

Property features a 30 x 60 Airplane Hangar suitable for 2 small planes.

Large 2 car detached garage with ample space for a shop. No more need to take the ferry to get to the San Juans, just take your plane!

MLS #1081182, $525,000

Waterfront rental in Roche Harbor neighborhood. Unobstructed views of Spieden Channel boat traffic. Close to Roche Harbor amenities. Lg deck, hot tub, community beach.

MLS#634782, $869,000

Located on .48 acres, there’s 215 ft of waterfront with a 40 foot year round dock that leads directly to the front door. The 2 story, 3 bed/3 bath south facing, sunny home has separate living quarters downstairs. Plenty of space for entertaining family & friends. A mere boat ride away from the town of Friday Harbor.

MLS#1110532, $1,795,000

WindermereSJI.com

The Seaplane and Boating Destination

Perfectly-placed waterfront home.

Meticulously kept and tastefully updated to preserve its timeless appeal, the main house features an open design, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing w/f views from the gourmet kitchen, master suite (w/fp) and library. The detached 3-car garage has full guest accommodations.

The natural landscape is easy to maintain.

Septic and well on 2nd lot. Lots total 2.28 acres and 448'w/f.

MLS#930097, $2,100,000

Charming light-filled 3101sf home with water & mountain views. Tucked away on 2.7ac. It is in one of the most coveted island neighborhoods known for southern exposure, sandy beach & National Park access. Remodeled, this 3 bed/2.5 bath home features an open kit. w/granite counters & professional grade gas stove, office, stone patio w/fire pit, deck w/hot tub, fruit trees, mature landscaping & a separate 628sf studio/work/guest space.

Impeccably maintained & move-in ready.

Vacation rental permit. | HARBORS Magazine MLS#1123703, $729,000

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PACIFIC SALMON ID

Spawning Phase

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/salmon/identification.html

CHINOOK (K ING)

Female

• Olive-brown colored body • Large spots on back and both lobes of tail • Mouth is black with black/grey gum line

Male

Female

COHO (SILV ER) • Greenish-black head with red to maroon colored body • Spots on back and only upper lobe of tail • Mouth is black with white gum line

Male

www.dukeschowderhouse.com

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PINK (HUMPY) • Vast majority return during odd-numbered years • Large oblong spots on back and both lobes of tail • Males develop pronounced hump

CHUM (DOG) • No spots on back or tail • Greenish to dusky mottling on sides • Males have reddish-purple vertical markings

SOCK EY E (R ED) • No distinct spots on back or tail • Greenish head • Brick red to scarlet red colored body, female coloration is more dull

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

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Fish, Fun ‘n Sun Tackle the Northwest’s King of Salmon Runs, Fight a Sturgeon, Smallmouth, or Steelhead, Then Discover the “Other” Columbia River Gorge

by Terry W. Sheely

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T

he sun comes up low and warm over the eastern desert, converts the glacier ice at the 11,240foot summit of Mount Hood into a pinkish-orange pyramid, and inches down the plunge of the Columbia River Gorge, purging shadows, lighting up the river water and finally finding a spot between my shoulder blades that needs warming.

Steam is drifting out of my coffee cup, there’s a quiet hum from the trolling motor, and a gurgle of water along the hull. I’m about as relaxed as I ever get when Dub shouts “hit him!”, Willie jumps for the throbbing rod, Brenda beats him to it and I spill my coffee. Braid line is pulled so tight that it hums, diving into the dark green water toward an invisible 22 pounds The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

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of bad-eye Chinook salmon wrestling a thin red hook. By lunch we’ll have Brenda’s king and five more in the fish box, a testimonial to this most unlikely of recreational destinations.

We’re 180 miles inland from the ocean on the arid side of the Cascade Mountains. The river is a mile-wide and flanked on both sides by highways and railroad tracks, and wind-scoured hills punctuated with stark volcanic obelisks and dark basalt cliffs, sagebrush, tumbleweeds, and dusty coulees. Both banks lie inside the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Wildlife is at home here with sightings of deer and bighorn sheep; salmon seem out of place.

My friend Dub Burnum is smiling. His prediction was dead on; we are having a red-hot day catching king salmon in the warm desert sun. And it’s not just salmon I’m finding here.

Yesterday it was bang-bang smallmouth bass action (102 fish to the boat), tomorrow I’ll hook into a sevenand-a-half-foot white sturgeon that torpedoes out of the water—three times—and the day after that it’s either summer steelhead, walleye or a driftboat float down the Klickitat River for salmon and steelhead, followed by local exploration.

Upriver is the rock fortress replication of England’s mysterious 5,000 year-old Stonehenge. West are the manicured grounds and peacocks at the castlelike Maryhill Museum of Art, a galactic observatory and a first-cork winery with an amphitheater featuring summer concerts by ZZ Top, Santana and others. Music and wine after a day on the water wrestling salmon, sturgeon and bass. Nice.

This east-slope destination may be one of the best kept go-see-do secrets in the Northwest. Sunny outdoor days that wind down in the campground of a riverfront peach orchard, or “roughing” it in Hood River’s historic Columbia Gorge Hotel, basking in upscale Skamania Lodge luxury or moteling in The Dalles or Hood River.

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When I need to poke the devil there are options. Whitewater careens down the White Salmon, Klickitat and Deschutes rivers. There’s hiking, biking, rock-climbing, wind-surfing, kite boarding, and summer skiing on Mount Hood.

Less adrenalin is required to wander the pioneer-era buildings downtown in The Dalles, photograph the wildflower blowout at Tom McCall Nature Preserve, soak in history at Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, sip a Thunder Island brew, or watch Yakama tribal fishermen dip-net salmon from precarious platforms dangling above the churning caldron in the Klickitat River Gorge. Or just lie back in tall tan grass and watch golden eagles circle.

The edgy scenery, gamefish variety, range of accommodations and sunstroked summer weather on the east end of the National Scenic Area are a surprise to most Northwesterners.

The country looks sparse and barren compared to the 80 miles in the central gorge, where 4,000-foot high walls split the Cascade Mountains, soak it with waterfall spray, hemmed in by volcanoes, shaded by conifers, cooled by ferns and lit up by wildflowers.

But it’s anything but barren here.

Where conifer green meets desert brown hides a cornucopia of outdoor superlatives.

Bordered north by Washington and south by Oregon, the Columbia River is a pipeline for recreation, history, geology buffs and more than a million chinook, coho, chums and sockeye salmon, including the biggest Chinook runs in both states. Chinook numbers this year are predicted to be 307,016, almost twice as many as expected in the entire Puget Sound.

The fall kings, 10- to 40-pound chinook, are big draws. Fleets of smallboat fishermen pack the Columbia near tributary mouths where cool,

oxygenated mountain water sidetracks migrating kings headed upriver.

Sportfishing boats crowd the mouths of the Wind, Little White Salmon (aka Drano Lake), Klickitat and Deschutes rivers.

Gunwale to gunwale, the fleets gather in August and fish late into September, often while kiteboarders and windsurfers catapult into aerial acrobatics in the background, barges plow upriver, and the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler chugs into a twohour champagne brunch.

Most trollers use big wobbling plugs—Kwikfish, Flatfish, MagLip, SuperBait—sweetened with sardine or tuna. Bait fishermen “hover fish:” drifting quarter-size clusters of cured salmon eggs inches off the bottom, ‘hovering’ as long as possible over kings schooled belly-down on bottom. Nets wave, motors stutter, hook-ups create chaos, salmon leap, sturgeon swirl, boats bump—a wonderful circus.

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Salmon bites are punctuated by incidental hookups with white sturgeon, up to eight feet of pure line-wrecking terror blowing through crowded salmon lines.

In the deep pools away from the salmon frenzy, these prehistoric fish are plentiful and to fight a big one is beyond description. Hook a sevenfooter and you’ll know what it’s like to argue with a dinosaur. Rounded boneless bodies, armor plated with scuts, a smooth cold skin, mouths that extend like vacuum hoses, and powerful sharklike tails. I fought an 11-footer for more than an hour, chased it two miles downriver and watched it explode three times through the surface like a rocketing torpedo. Eleven feet of fish standing on its tail in backlit spray, then crashing like a cedar log falling from the sky is an unimaginable moment.

While regionally overshadowed by salmon, the Columbia’s smallmouth bass are world class and the envy of anglers from other parts of the country. One- to six-pounders are common in the riprap, reefs, islands and coves.

Casting with light spinning rods, plastic worms or grubs resembling shad minnows and crayfish will often deliver dozens of smallies. I’ve caught more than 100 and been back at the boat ramp before the afternoon wind came up.

July into September is hot for bass, and it’s legal to keep a few for campfire dinner.

Campgrounds are on both sides of the river. My favorite is Peach Beach, a private riverfront complex in Washington near the Highway 97 bridge. Tents and RVs spread on a grassy lawn between the namesake orchard adjacent to Maryhill State Park. The neighboring state park offers shade, boat launch and good camping.

Peach Beach offers juicy fresh peaches!

Watching campfire flames under a desert sky soaked with stars, while fresh fish sizzle, river boats rumble and coyotes screech just means that tomorrow I get to do it all over again.

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SOUTH WHIDBEY HARBOR A Boating Paradise

Located on Saratoga Passage on beautiful Whidbey Island: • Moorage for vessels up to 130’ • Dockside assistance 7 days a week • Restaurants, Shops, and Galleries • Ideal for clubs and groups • Spectacular views • Reservations recommended www.portofsouthwhidbey.com

360.221.1120

Port of

South Whidbey

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The light of a full moon usually overwhelms the much fainter Northern Lights. But on Oct. 16, 2016, an intense aurora display, even as a full supermoon lit up the landscape, appeared north of Fairbanks, Alaska.

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The Elusive Search for the

Northern Lights

by Sean Griffin

Northern Lights over an illuminated tent in Lapland.

O

ne of the Pacific Northwest’s best-kept secrets is that several times a year on average the Northern Lights—technically known as the Aurora Borealis— glisten overhead.

If only we could see them. (Sigh...)

The aurora-watching season overlaps the rainy season in the Northwest, and the Northern Lights aren’t visible through cloud cover.

The good news: on rare occasions, the skies clear just as the Northern Lights appear. On May 16, 2016, an unusually brilliant display above Seattle was captured by the National Weather Service, which distributed a photograph via social media, triggering a rash of “Wish I’d known about this” responses.

That’s the bad news. While we understand the various conditions that are

conducive to producing aurora displays, scientists can’t predict the exact time, place, or quality of a Northern Lights display.

I am listed as a co-author of a number of astrophysics papers in leading scientific journals (an honor that overstates my actual contribution), and I pay attention as much as anyone I know to what is referred to as “space weather”—the dynamic conditions

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Illuminated by the supermoon of Oct. 16, 2016, a yurt glows beneath a green aurora band.

between the sun and the Earth’s upper atmosphere that determine when the Northern Lights appear. Yet I am also a long-suffering aurora-hunter, more often than not cursing the infernal cloud cover near my home in Puget Sound.

Still, I’ve managed to see them several times. But doing so hereabouts requires ongoing research and a bit of preparation. There are easier ways of course—flying to near-certain aurora destinations, such as Fairbanks, Alaska or Tomsø, Norway, where clear skies are the norm and chambers of commerce claim a 90 percent chance of seeing them at least once during a three-night stay.

But if you want to boost your chances of seeing an aurora display in the Pacific Northwest, here’s what you need to do: ——————————————

1*

Pay attention at least every day or two to what’s going on with the sun. My favorite resource is www.spaceweather.com, edited by NASA’s Dr. Tony Phillips. You’ll see current solar conditions, a real-time depiction of the circumpolar aurora “oval”—and a chart giving the odds for a geomagnetic storm—the kind that produce the strongest display— over the next 48 hours. Pay attention to phrases such as “solar flare,” “coronal hole” and “coronal mass ejection.”

All three can trigger geomagnetic storms leading to dramatic displays on Earth, usually two-to-three days after they occur. As I write, there is a five percent chance of a minor geomagnetic storm and a one percent chance of a severe geomagnetic storm over the next 48 hours at mid-latitudes, which is where Seattle, Portland and Vancouver reside. So, I’m not going to lose any sleep tonight watching the skies for a display that won’t materialize. (Besides, it’s raining.)

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A wonderful night with Kp 5 index Northern Lights at Aurora Village in Yellowknife, Canada.

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Colorful Aurora Borealis over the night forest.

2*

While aurora displays occur yearround, our hours of daylight in summer and extended twilights mean that aurora watching is primarily a September through March affair. For reasons that are far more complex than you want to know, solar activity and aurora displays seem to jump in activity around the spring and autumn equinoxes. During those seasons, it’s important to pay attention to the forecast.

——————————————

3*

Try getting above the clouds. If your job involves travel, book a window seat on nighttime flights. Because the aurora will always be to the north, choose a seat on the left side of the plane for an eastbound flight, and on the right side if your plane is flying west. Or, if you’re piloting a seaplane, head north and enjoy the view.

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Green Aurora Borealis over the sea.

www.harborsmagazine.com

THE AURORA BOREALIS Curious mule deer among an awesome display of green Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) over moon-lit boreal forest taiga.

Technical term: Aurora Borealis (Its mirror image—the Aurora Australis—is a feature of the Southern Hemisphere.)

What causes them? Collisions between highly charged subatomic particles flung off or flowing from the sun and atoms or molecules in our upper atmosphere. Collisions with oxygen molecules will produce green aurora, nitrogen atom collisions release blue colors and nitrogen molecules purple. The same principle works in a fluorescent light, where gas is excited by electricity, releasing photons of light.

Where they occur: Most reliably around the Arctic Circle, but depending on the severity of the geomagnetic storm, aurora displays occur just about anywhere on Earth. Two exceptions: they don’t occur above the North and South Poles and there’s

never been a display seen along the Equator. In 1859, during one of the most intense geomagnetic storms of the past few hundred years, Hawaiians saw curtains of color dancing across the sky.

Lingering mystery: Aurora displays tend to be especially rigorous around March and September, near the spring and autumn equinoxes, when both hemispheres experience about 12 hours of daylight and nighttime. NASA scientists say the phenomenon is not fully understood, but is likely related to both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres being equally exposed to the solar wind at those times of year—in other words, a simple matter of geometry.

Potentially damaging: What keeps scientists awake at night is the possibility that much of our telecommunications infrastructure could be wiped out by a geomagnetic storm such as the one that struck the planet in 1859. The Carrington Event storm knocked out telegraph lines—the only telecommunications technology of the day, left so highly charged they sparked fires and shocked operators. A similar event today could wipe out satellite communications, the power grid, GPS systems and the Internet. Fortunately, a Carrington-level event has been determined to happen only about once every 500 years on average. But far lesser events in modern times have had their effects. In 1989, the entire province of Quebec was plunged into darkness 92 seconds after the onset of a geomagnetic storm. New England and the Northern Atlantic states barely escaped a similar fate, and damage occurred to power grids as distant as Los Angeles and Seattle. In 2003, a series of assaults from the sun knocked out power in Sweden, forced air traffic controllers to reroute aircraft to more southern routes, damaged satellites and interfered with radio transmissions.

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H A RBO R S happenings HAR B O R S happenings H A R B O R S happenings

BOAT SHOW . E D U C A T I O N . R E18-21, N D E Z V2017 OUS. Bremerton, Washington—May

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H A RBO Rwww.harborsmagazine.com S happenings HAR B O R S happenings H A R B O R S happenings

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HARBO R S happenings HA R B O R S happenings H A R B O R S happenings

2017

BOAT SHOW. EDUCATION. RENDEZVOUS.

HARBO R S happenings HA The R BSeaplane O R S happenings HARB O R S happenings HARBORS | and Boating Destination Magazine

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OUR MISSION • Protect and grow seaplane access to Washington waters • Promote safe and responsible seaplane operations • Foster communications among owners, operators, service providers and the community • Facilitate events sharing the joy of seaplane flying in Washington and the Pacific Northwest

2017 EVENTS

• August 21-23 – Oregon Eclipse Trip • Sept. 8-10 – Priest Lake Idaho – Splash In www.washingtonseaplanepilots.org

DON’T MISS OUR NEXT ISSUE

September/October 2017 Connecting People, Places, Adventure and Lifestyle

HARBORS The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

ICON A5 Up Close and Personal Alaska’s Capital Fall Coho

Ranger Tugs by Fluid Cove, Motions Halibut AK

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Northern Lights

Chef The Broughton Tom Douglas Archipelego

USD $6.95 CAN $7.95

1

Waterfront Living Princess Louisa Inlet Poulsbo Marina

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Gift Cards Available

Sails, ales & happy trails

www.dukeschowderhouse.com

Are you looking for a SMASHING and AWARD-WINNING Trade Show Exhibit or Display?

RedLine Exhibits located in Lakewood, WA can design, build and deploy one to match your budget. Since 1995, RedLine Exhibits has created “Best of Show” designs for major companies throughout the U.S. Please find us at www.redlineexhibits.com (253) 507-8712

Dine, Play, Stay and Live.

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Pacific Northwest Celebrity Chefs

featuring

Chef Tom Douglas

Seattle-based chef Tom Douglas has been cooking up Pacific Northwest cuisine since 1984, opening his first restaurant, Dahlia Lounge, in 1989. For the last 30 years, he’s made a name for himself by opening 13 full-service restaurants; an event space, Palace Ballroom; a cooking school, Hot Stove Society; and a product line including spice rubs, sauces and knives. The James Beard Outstanding Restauranteur award winner has long been an enthusiastic booster of regional food sources, such as local organic farms, Washington wines, and Pacific Northwest fish and seafood.

As one of the executive producers of the 2014 film, “The Breach,” a documentary about wild salmon and their delicate environment in the Pacific Northwest, Tom continues to champion the species and educate customers with the phrase, “Eat wild, save

wild.” The company’s goal of “deliciousness served with graciousness” includes a commitment to the future of wild salmon and dedicated chef teams within each restaurant kitchen.

“Wild salmon is a treasured, sustainable resource that this company considers to be economically, ecologically, and culturally essential to the Pacific Northwest region,” said Douglas. “If you don’t create a strong economy around this quixotic fish, then suddenly, copper and gold mining become more appealing to job and investment seekers. That’s how we end up with a ‘Pebble Mine’ scenario in the head waters of the last, great sockeye salmon run left on earth,” Douglas added.

Wild salmon is spotlighted at almost all of Tom Douglas’ restaurants, including Etta’s Seafood, Seatown Seabar, Palace Kitchen and Dahlia Lounge.

“ Wild salmon is a treasured, sustainable resource that this company considers to be economically, ecologically, and culturally essential to the Pacific Northwest region.”

—TOM DOUGLAS

Featuring the Northwest’s abundant seafood and shellfish, Tom Douglas’ Etta’s restaurant offers guests the essential Seattle dining experience alongside views of the Pike Place Market bustle.

Grilled Salmon with Cherry Walla Walla Onion Relish or Nectarine-Basil Relish Tom Douglas (from Tom Douglas’ Seattle Kitchen) In the summer, there’s nothing better than a plate of grilled salmon served with a simple, seasonal fruit or vegetable relish. For this dish, award-winning chef Tom Douglas gives you two options for relish. You can choose either sweet red Washington cherries paired with Washington’s famous sweet onions, or go with juicy summer nectarines enlivened with fragrant fresh basil. This straightforward, flavorful, and unfussy treatment is the best way to make the most of perfect salmon and peak-season produce.

For the cherry-onion relish: 1 medium Walla Walla onion (about 8 ounces) Olive oil as needed for brushing ½ pound sweet cherries, pitted and halved (1¼ cups once halved) 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper For the nectarine-basil relish: 3 medium nectarines, thinly sliced 1/3 cup thinly sliced basil 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 servings

2020 Western Ave. Seattle, WA 98121 (206) 443-6000 www.ettasrestaurant.com @ettasrestaurant

First, choose which relish you’ll serve with the salmon.

If you are making the cherry-onion relish, fire up the grill for direct heat. Peel and thickly slice the onions in rounds about 1/3” thick. Brush the onion slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides, over direct heat, until partially charred and just cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove the onions from the grill and coarsely chop. In a bowl, combine the onions, cherries, and balsamic vinegar.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature.

If you are making the nectarine-basil relish, combine the nectarines, basil, honey, lemon juice, and oil in a bowl.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature.

To cook the salmon, fire up the grill for direct heat. Brush the salmon fillets and the grill lightly with oil, season the fish with salt and pepper, and grill the fish on both sides until nicely marked and just barely done in the center (about 10 minutes total grilling time, depending on the heat of the grill).

To serve, transfer the salmon to plates and top each portion with the relish of your choice. Serve immediately.

For the salmon: 6 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each) Olive oil as needed for brushing Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

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Why Don’t Some Boaters Wear Life Jackets?

by Tom Tripp

We don’t wear them because they don’t fit, they’re uncomfortable, expensive, and make any activity difficult.

So in return, we risk dying in boating accidents.

According to an annual study of boaters in the US, in 2015 only 11.2 percent of all adults on boats were wearing a Personal Flotation Device (PFD), as they are called by the US Coast Guard, who has conducted this study for several years. The reasons for this are likely somewhat complicated—see above—but a poor excuse. According to the 2015 USCG data, where cause of death was known in fatal boating accidents, 76 percent of victims drowned.

Of those drowning victims, 85 percent were not wearing a life jacket. This clarifies things tremendously. Any dangerous boating accident will likely involve a risk of drowning, but if you’re wearing a life jacket you have a better chance of survival. So, gather life jackets for everyone, including the dog, and wear them.

All those reasons we give for not wearing life jackets are really just excuses because you actually can find a PFD that not only protects you but isn’t too much of a hassle. There are different types of PFDs and you need

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to know enough about the differences to make the right choice.

The Coast Guard uses five classes for PFDs, dependent on their intended use and the type and amount of flotation they provide. Class I PFDs are the thick and orange, similar to ones you see on whale-watching boats and other Coast Guard-registered vessels. They provide the most buoyancy and turn a victim so they are face-up in the water, giving them the best chance to breathe. But they’re bulky, awkward to store and often uncomfortable, especially if you’re trying to do something while wearing it. So, they’re not very practical for recreational boaters.

Photos provided by West Marine

We can also dismiss Class IV, since it is a “throwable”—a cushion, ring or other floatable designed to assist a swimmer in the water. You need one at hand on the boat (but not on a kayak or canoe), but it doesn’t supplant a life jacket. That leaves us with Class II, III and V to look at, but the most important idea is that you find something that you will actually wear, that fits you properly, and is appropriate for your intended activity.

Most people in kayaks and canoes, as well as on personal water crafts (PWCs) and paddleboards will choose a type of vest. They often have large arm holes to allow for paddling and fishing. For water skiing and PWC use, these vests often have additional padding for impact protection. The varieties of vests are nearly endless, and often have many special pockets, attachments, and features for special activities, such as fishing and hunting.

One thing you will notice is that some PFDs are inflatable, which means that they can be worn comfortably and without interfering with your activity, but when needed for flotation can be inflated either manually or automatically upon entering the water. These are popular with boaters who don’t intend to go in the water but need the safety

protection. There are some “hybrid” life jackets that provide some level of flotation, but can also be inflated for additional flotation. If you buy an inflatable, be sure to buy extra CO2 inflation cartridges and learn how to check the status of your PFD to make sure it’s ready to go. The best practice is to try it under controlled conditions, in a pool perhaps, so you understand how it works It’s not difficult, but it’s also something few of us do regularly.

In the end, the best life jacket or PFD is the one you will regularly wear. Get into a store, try several on and make sure it fits properly. These are modest investments that could easily save the life of someone you love.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Always wear a properly fitted life jacket.

Always operate your boat at a safe speed.

Be sure to have the proper safety equipment on your boat and maintain it.

When operating a boat never drink alcohol.

Know the laws “rules of the water” for boat owners.

Take a boating safety course.

Learn to swim. Know how to rescue yourself and others.

Be conscious of environmental issues: fueling, habitat damage, and wildlife harassment.

Avoid making too much noise. Boat operators need to hear signals and warnings of danger.

At all times be aware of your surroundings, including weather conditions, waves, currents, storms, fog, etc.

Check the weather forecast for your destination.

Plan clothing, equipment and supplies accordingly.

Travel responsibly on designated waterways and launch your watercraft in designated areas.

Comply with all signs and barriers. This includes speed limits, no-wake zones, and underwater obstructions.

Make every effort to always go boating with a partner.

Make sure you have your owner’s manual and registration on board in waterproof containers.

Make sure you have enough fuel and oil for the entire trip.

Always have a designated lookout to keep an eye out for other boaters, objects, and swimmers.

Always carry a Coast Guard approved working fire extinguisher.

Know your limitations. Apply sunscreen, drink lots of water, and watch your energy level.

Know the distress signals and warning symbols.

Always travel slowly in shallow waters and avoid boating in water less than 2.5 feet deep. High speeds near shorelines lead to large wakes which cause shoreline erosion.

Do your part by leaving an area better than you found it, properly disposing fuel, oil and waste, avoiding the spread of evasive species and restoring degraded areas.

Join a local boating enthusiast’s organization.

Boater education prevents accidents and saves lives. Whether or not their state or province requires it, all boaters have a responsibility to learn about boat operation, communications, navigation, and lifesaving techniques before taking to the water. Statistics bear out what logic suggests—those without boater education put themselves and others at risk.

—American Boating Association | HARBORS www.harborsmagazine.com

photo by: Doug Wilson

BOATING SAFETY TIPS

PUZZLE SOLUTION (complete puzzle on page 82)

HAR B OR S

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Destinations

Seaplane & Boating

MoonDance Inn Bed & Breakfast, Bellingham, WA

Flee the city, and relax in the privacy of your own designated room and make yourself at home. Located just outside downtown Bellingham, Washington a small, charming, 5-star review, bed and breakfast on Lake Whatcom welcomes visitors from around the world.

MoonDance Inn Bed & Breakfast is owned by high school sweethearts, Linda and Gary Fuller. The couple lived in Bellingham, and spent six years remodeling and moving furniture 74

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from North Carolina before the grand opening in August, 2010. Just 45 miles from Vancouver, BC, and 90 miles from Seattle, its unique location draws in people with a comfortable lakeside deck setting and Whatcom Falls Park within walking distance.

As guests enter the Inn, blooming flowers cover a wooden archway above the walking path entrance alongside a waterfall. The MoonDance Inn consists of five cozy suites with free Wi-Fi and 7:30 a.m. coffee, tea, and pastries

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by Alanna Wight

for early risers. A daily-changing breakfast is provided to guests in the Lake Room, a lobby area that overlooks the lake.

Looking for a romantic getaway? The Inn accommodates a variety of special occasions, weddings and family vacations. In the summer months, guests are invited to tie up their boats at the MoonDance Inn dock. Rental kayaks and canoes are available for those looking to explore or perhaps those in search of a day trip on the water.

Lake Whatcom is home to many, and a friendly place for boaters and seaplane pilots. This crystal clear lake is 10 miles long, with a maximum depth of 350 feet, outflowing into Whatcom Creek. The activities near the lake are endless. During the day some residents spend time swimming and fishing for Kokanee, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and yellow perch. However, these aren’t the only kinds of fish found in Lake Whatcom; it’s home to 13 different species of fish.

Lake Whatcom also has three-acre island known as Reveille Island important for its Native American ceremonial history. An eye-catcher for those visiting Bellingham, Lake Whatcom is truly spectacular. At the head of the Inn’s dock, a special fire pit is arranged with lounge chairs for a relaxing night of stargazing and s’mores.

MoonDance Inn is surrounded by an array of activities, including vast hiking trails, theaters, the Lightcatcher Museum, 20th Century Bowl Family Fun Center, and the Vinostrology Wine Lounge & Merchant. The Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is located an hour and a half from the Inn, making it a good choice for guests involved in skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports.

Home to wildlife, migratory birds soar over the lake and deer can be spotted roaming in the yard and resting in Linda’s flower beds.

From the moment you arrive, this small bed and breakfast is breathtaking and worth a trip for your next getaway.

MoonDance Inn Bed & Breakfast 4737 Cable Street Bellingham, WA 98229 360.647.2997 moondancebnb.com The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

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Sidney Pier Hotel, Sidney, BC

The town of Sidney on Vancouver Island’s Saanich Peninsula is a charming spot for a family adventure, weekend retreat or romantic getaway. Located 30 minutes north of British Columbia’s capital city of Victoria, it’s a popular retirement community, but with an upbeat flair and flavor appealing to all ages. Known as Sidney-bythe-Sea, it features two miles of waterfront, along with stunning views of the Gulf Islands and Mount Baker rising high above the Salish Sea. Anchoring one end of town is The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa. The boutique hotel opened in 2007 and is sleek and contemporary in design, but old-fashioned in comfort and service. From the front-desk clerks to the concierge, the staff is friendly and accommodating. The 55 spacious guest76

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rooms and suites have either town or water views and many feature balconies. Amenities include complimentary WiFi and local phone calls, coffee and tea maker, mini-fridge and plush robes. The hotel is dog-friendly. You can take your companion to meander along the Sidney Seaside Sculpture Walk. The Walk starts at Beacon Park, located in the front yard of the hotel and continues along the waterfront promenade.

There are a couple of dining choices on site. Haro’s Restaurant & Bar overlooks Haro Strait and has a seasonal, heated outdoor terrace for alfresco dining. The West Coast menu features locally sourced food from the peninsula, Cowichan Valley and the Gulf Islands. Just off the lobby is the Georgia Cafe & Deli, which is also a local

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By Sue Frause

hangout for coffee and lunch. Room service is available if you prefer soaking up the view in your guestroom or suite upstairs.

Also located off the lobby is Haven Spa, featuring Aveda products and offering massages, facials, body treatments and aesthetics. There’s an oceanview mani/pedi room and hair salon, and the his/her guest lounges include showers, lockers and steam rooms— plus there’s a 24-hour fitness center.

Also located in the hotel is the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, the “Aquarium of the Salish Sea,” featuring tanks and exhibits for a hands-on, handswet adventure. For shopping, there are more than 100 independently owned shops in Sidney, from Baden Baden Boutique to Muffet & Louisa. Sidney has the distinction of being Canada’s

only “book town” with seven independently owned bookstores downtown. Each one is unique, from The Children’s Bookshop to The Haunted Bookshop, Vancouver Island’s oldest antiquarian bookshop.

In addition to Haro’s Restaurant & Bar at the hotel, other dining options include the 3rd Street Cafe for a traditional breakfast; Fish on 5th, featuring tasty fish ‘n chips; Chef Lucien Frauenfelder’s Bistro Suisse for authentic Swiss cuisine such as fondue, rosti and schnitzel; and the 109-yearold Sidney Bakery for traditional “breads and buns.” The hip little Toast Café is also close by for a quick bite. Beacon Landing, just across the street from the Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa, is a good spot for a pint or glass of your favorite libation. Then take a stroll and soak up Sidney-by-the-Sea, one of Vancouver Island’s finest walking towns.

The PierGardner Hotel & Spa InnSidney at Port 9805 Seaport Place 1700 W Marine View Drive Sidney, 4X3 Everett,BC WAV8L 98201 866.659.9445 425.252.6779 www.sidneypier.com innatportgardner.com The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

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Outlook Inn, Eastsound, WA

Wave to the Seattle Seahawks practicing at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center or soar above Safeco Field, and if you’re lucky you’ll catch a glimpse of a Mariners game. The views are nothing but spectacular on a clearblue-sky day. Every second of the 50-minute flight from the Northwest Seaplanes terminal in Renton, WA to Deer Harbor on Orcas Island is picture worthy. One moment you’re above busy streets of downtown Seattle; the next you’re taking in views of Port Townsend and the Whidbey Island shoreline. Jason Winters, pilot for Friday Harbor Seaplanes, has been flying since his teens and makes flying a seaplane look easy, pointing out destinations along the way.

I am on my way to the Outlook Inn located on Orcas Island, flying 78

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into Deer Harbor Marina—a longtime destination for boaters and seaplane pilots of the Pacific Northwest.

The landing is smooth, and as I step onto the dock and walk through the Marina, I am greeted by my host, who will take me to the Outlook Inn in the village of Eastsound.

The Outlook Inn, is located just a 25-minute drive from Deer Harbor Marina, along the water’s edge of Orcas Island. The Inn’s hospitality is a first-class experience; it is perfect for a family getaway with bayview suites, including private balconies, overlooking Eastsound. The Inn is situated in the heart of town with gorgeous views of Crescent Bay. The Outlook Inn is walking distance of art galleries, boutiques and cafes. Crescent Bay is an ideal place

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by Alanna Wight

for a picnic and when the tide is low, a sandbar opens as a walking path to Indian Island. Eastsound hosts farmers markets, kayak and bicycle rentals, and whale-watching adventures. One local bakery, Brown Bear Baking, provides sweet cinnamon rolls that are transformed into cinnamon-roll French toast at the New Leaf Café, the restaurant at the Inn. The cafe serves breakfast, dinner, and happy hour to locals and guests alike. I had the pleasure of sitting down with executive chef Steve Debaste, after finishing a delicious and delicate rockfish dinner.

Steve has been cooking since he was 18 years old and brought his Frenchinspired Northwest cuisine to Orcas Island seven years ago. The service is outstanding and brings back familiar faces every day.

The historic main building is a grand old dame and an Orcas Island landmark. “She” was built in 1888

by William Shattuck and originally served as the jail, post office, general store, dance hall and house of ill repute (or so the rumor goes). In the 1970s it was the only building on the property and was home to a spiritual commune—The Louis Foundation— complete with guru, celebrity followers and plenty of controversy. The main building is pet-free. However, pets are welcomed in specific rooms in the east wing.

CEO and owner Sara Farish and her husband Adam create a comfortable place for all their guests. Their special wood-fenced garden located behind the Outlook Inn historic building, has become a delightful spot for weddings and special occasions. “My goal is to share comfort, beauty and deep rest in this busy world. I want to help guests get the most out of their trip to Orcas—the most value, the best food, the best ‘new you’ after returning to the life you live when you’re not on vacation,” she said. Sara and Adam believe the Outlook Inn is a combination of mom-and-pop old-time inn, sophisticated foodie haven, and an art project with layers and layers that keep revealing something more beautiful than what was there before.

Comfort, beauty, and rest—that’s their motto to guests.

So, whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, or looking to meet some friendly island natives, hop on a seaplane and make your next destination the Outlook Inn.

Outlook Inn 171 Main St. PO Box 210 Eastsound, WA 98245 360.376.2200 www.outlookinn.com The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine

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