Connecting People, Places, Adventure and Lifestyle
HARBORS The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
Alaska Adventure Cabins
Paddling the Inside Passage
Gorge Harbour
Cortes Island, BC
Blind Channel Marina USD $6.95 CAN $7.95
Dragonfly Tuna Rampage Waterfront Living
Get your financial plan in shape this summer
Just as you’d prep your boat for the season, it’s smart to assess your financial situation well before tax time. With longer days and lighter workloads, summer is ideal for reviewing the state of your finances. April 15th is in the rearview mirror—and now is a great time to see what you can do to make an impact on next year’s burden. When you’re ready to revisit your financial plan, we can help. For 50 years, our mission has been to put clients first, tailoring our services to what works best for each individual, family or institutional client.
Read about fresh topics in financial planning and wealth management on our blog.
badgley.com/blog
FLYING AT A HIGHER STANDARD
Alaska Seaplanes is the premier commuter airline of Southeast Alaska with scheduled, year-round passenger and cargo services. Operating from a hub in Juneau, Alaska Seaplanes serves the markets of Skagway, Haines, Gustavus, Hoonah, Kake, Sitka, Angoon, Tenakee Springs, Pelican, Elfin Cove and Excursion Inlet.
SCHEDULED & CHARTER FLIGHTS Schedule your flight anytime with 24/7 online booking!
(907) 789-3331 www.flyalaskaseaplanes.com info@flyalaskaseaplanes.com
SAFE & RELIABLE SERVICE
Many of our aircraft are IFR certified so that you can count on safe and reliable service to anywhere we fly, even with the challenges of Alaska weather.
COLD STORAGE
For your convenience, we have freezer/cooler baggage storage available in the Juneau Airport.
GREAT CONNECTIONS IN ALL DIRECTIONS. WHERE WILL YOU GO?
WWW.FLYALASKASEAPLANES.COM
ALASKA SEAPLANES
Open Letter To Anyone Who Cares About Wild Sustainable Salmon “There used to be millions of wild salmon in the waters of the Pacific Northwest. Now, there’s only a fraction of that. Where have all the salmon gone? That’s the question I, Duke Moscrip, owner of Duke’s Chowder House have been asking lately, and we want to know the answer. That’s why we at Duke’s support the non-profit organization, Long Live the Kings, who are committed to answering that question. Their mission is to restore wild salmon and steelhead. Think about this: one of our most important food sources is endangered and is threatened with extinction. And, without salmon, there will be no Orca Whales. Now is the time to support the efforts of Long Live the Kings. I urge you to give now to support the restoration and preservation of our wild salmon. If we don’t do it, who will? Let’s not take the risk that our salmon disappear forever. Help me by helping Long Live the Kings. Together we can move mountains and restore our wild salmon back to our waters.” Visit http://lltk.org/support-us to donate today and support our salmon!”
Searching For The World’s Finest Seafood Is Duke’s Passion. “Sustainability is personal to me. I will do everything I can to make sure that we have Wild Seafood for our grandchildren and our grandchildren’s grandchildren forevermore. I know you are hungry for better seafood. That’s why I go to Alaska and fish with the fishermen and women in order to bring you the best seafood on the planet. I want you to personally experience the taste of the best and invite you to visit any of our six locations where I guarantee sustainable seafood with exceptional flavor.” ALKI 206-937-6100 LAKE UNION 206-382-9963
GREEN LAKE 206-522-4908 SOUTHCENTER 206-243-5200
KENT STATION 253-850-6333
P.S. Receive two free dinners at Duke’s by joining our VIP Club. Join for free on our website below.
TACOMA 253-752-5444
www.DukesChowderHouse.com
Friday harbor Seaplanes
San Juan Island FLIGHT TOURS AVAILABLE SCHEDULED SEAPLANE SERVICE to and from RENTON on SOUTH LAKE WASHINGTON
COMPLIMENTARY SHUTTLE to and from SEATTLE–TACOMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
425-277-1590
www.FridayHarborSeaplanes.com 6
SISTERwww.harborsmagazine.com COMPANY OF NORTHWEST SEAPLANES - PROVIDING SEAPLANE SERVICE SINCE 1988
| HARBORS
You’re there. 15 minutes. 89 bucks.
14th Annual Tour de Lopez
Martinis & Jazz
A Whale of a Time
Prepare to pedal at this non-competitive bicycle tour of Lopez Island. A great way to kickoff the spring!
Enjoy a martini and the soothing sounds of island favorite Martin Lund at Rosario Resort on Orcas Island.
San Juan Island Outfitters’ whale watch & wildlife tours leave daily from Roche and Friday Harbor.
April 29, 2017
Every Thursday, 6-9 pm
Tours begin March 3rd
Daily flights from B’ham and Anacortes | 800-874-4434 | SanJuanAirlines.com The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
7
volume 8 issue 2
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 / EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Katherine S. McKelvey BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT George V. Bivoino EDITOR Russ Young editor@harborsmagazine.com ART DIRECTOR Karen Johnson COPY EDITING Biff Burns ADVERTISING SALES Mark McLean, Senior Account Executive mark@harborsmagazine.com CONTRIBUTORS Alison Gardner Sean Griffin Deane Hislop AJ Hunt
HARBORS
View the most sought- after adventure destinations around the waters of the Pacific Northwest.
Adventure & Lifestyle Videos Articles & Photography Fishing Lodges Resorts & Spas
| HARBORS
Sean Griffin, pgs. 57 (bottom), 60 Matt Pranger, pgs. 62-63 Tom Tripp, pgs. 70-71 AJ Hunt, pgs. 74-75 Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa, pgs. 76-77 The Majestic Inn and Spa, 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 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
SUBSCRIBE TODAY www.HARBORSmagazine.com
8
PHOTO CREDITS Deane Hislop, pgs. 14-18 Alaska Adventure Cabins, pgs. 20-27 Terry W. Sheely, pgs. 28-33 Don Larkin Architect, pgs. 40-43 Ester Strijbos, pgs. 48-50, 52 (bottom) Alison Gardner, pgs. 51, 52 (top) Richard Glickman, pg. 53 Susan Conrad, pgs. 54-56, 57 (top), 58, 59, 61
Terry W. Sheely Tom Tripp Russ Young
© 2017 by All Ports Media Group
HARBORS Magazine is printed on recycled paper.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
www.harborsmagazine.com
www.harborsmagazine.com
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.
HAR B O R S
Welcome to HARBORS The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
A Note from the Publisher
Harbor Lights Greetings, We just wrapped up the 2017 Seattle Boat Show and—as usual —we had a great time! It was a terrific show for us: copies of HARBORS were flying off the table, and our boat-show special for subscriptions was a big hit. There was record attendance at the show, and the boats and gear were fabulous. Ranger Tugs, Cutwater and Ocean Alexander had their usual parade of boats displayed. We found a “newbie” in the North Hall: Fish On Boats, an outstanding, reasonably priced boat that has just hit the market. The Fish On brand is new to the USA market, but not new to the marine industry. Fish On Boats are designed in Europe and built in Asia, using only the finest materials and name-brand accessories. The company has been building boats for over 25 years. Their attention to superior building methods, computer-aided design tools, craftsmanship, and unsurpassed attention to detail makes these boats a great long-term investment. We are excited to have them advertising in HARBORS in 2017. As I’m writing this, it’s snowing heavily in Seattle. Was the groundhog right, and we have another six weeks of winter ahead? Perhaps, but don’t let the cold weather cause you to hibernate … there are lots of reasons to get out and enjoy the winter months in the Pacific Northwest. A short, off-season getaway can be relaxing and fun. Numerous Northwest destinations offer cozy hospitality and plenty of winter recreation. There is nothing like a weekend in Victoria, or the San Juans, or the Olympic Peninsula—snuggled up with a good book in front of a fireplace to help remedy a hectic lifestyle. This is also a good time to plan your adventures for the 2017 season. Many lodges are telling us they are filling up already for the 2017 season. So, you may want to take advantage of shoulder-season rates. You never know what adventure awaits you. Whatever you do, enjoy the magazine, the journey and your destination!
Katherine S. McKelvey Publisher
Scan to Subscribe
P.S. If you’re a fan of the CBS television show Hawaii Five-O you may want to pay particularly close attention to the episode on March 31. In fact, the first person who e-mails me (kat@harborsmagazine.com) and tells me why that episode is significant to HARBORS will win a one-year subscription or renewal. We’ll be watching; hope you will too!
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
9
Get on board with
HARBORS RBORS 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.
NA
OCEA
RINE
A ER M
ND
LEXA
VISIT er mm Our Su in Office rbor, Ha Roche -SEPT.! JUNE
le Seatt
ffice
er o
m sum
Y
RM
tory
Inven
85’
ANDE
AN
OCE
ALEX
2014
rbor,
he Ha
2014
| NEW
Evan
Roc sign |
| Classic
31’ TIA
satile
n, Ver
Desig
Use |
UIT SC
PURS
N OPE
Roche
r! Deale
| NEW
rbor,
he Ha
| Roc
WA
L
DE W MO
NE
r, WA
Harbo
ll Line
NEW
er Fu
xand n Ale
36’
WA
RA
all De
Marsh
ttle, WA n! | Sea
ng Soo
| Comi
2014
2014
PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE
C.
S IN
SALE
me er. Co ss us! n’t mi Septemb sultants r? Do e to con e! summer from Jun le yacht adventur r this ab Harbo che Harbo knowledge xt boating r ne g Roche at Ro our OA Visitin l be open play, ask you start you on dis help ice wil mer off tory boats us, & let us sum en r h inv UPE Ou wit r CO boat rd ou RA aboa ing your ’ TIA list 44 t abou
HT YAC
R MY w ANDE t Sho l Boa ALEX rnationa EAN 2014 OC ving Fall ale Inte 100’#001- Arri Ft. Lauderd
L
MODE
Ocea
Stock g at the Debutin
R MY
DE
AN ALEX n EANconstructio
MY
OC er 112’#001- und
ER PH XAND - SOLD ALE EAN #112, #115
Stock
R MY ANDE AY! ALEX ize TOD EAN Custom OC D ction120’ 1- SOL Constru
ER XAND ALE SOLD EAN, & #022-
er #00 Stock #002- Und Stock
ER MY
XAND
ALE EAN OC 85’ #E05- Sold TLE k - SEAT Stoc #E07 Stock
MY D DER - SOL
AN , #015 ALEX , #012 EAN #009, #010 OC 90’ #007, #00,STOCK k - IN
der exan an Al | Oce le, WA Seatt .1400 . N., Ste
Stoc #011 k Stoc
1001
MY
& OC 72’ #109, #110 r Today k - Orde Stoc #116 Stock
OC 78’ #020, #021 r Today k - Orde Stoc #023 Stock
ine
Mar
CE RT
r.com
ande
nalex les t Sa w.ocea Yach 66 | ww 44-85
| 206-3
Seat 3201 tle Seat Fairvie tle, WA w Ave 9810 East 2
IF IE
D PR E-
Fife 7700 Milt Pacific on, WA Highw 9835 ay Ea 4 st OW
NE D
| BR O
KE RA
GE
| US ED
Belli 2121 ngham Belli Roed ngha er Av m, W enue A 98 225 | PA RT
ew Ave
Fairvi
S& SE RV IC
E
ww
888-
w.L ak
eUni
onSe
aRay .com
340-
2788
ADVERTISE
BE SEEN IN THE MARKETPLACE Book Stores I Marina Stores Seaplanes I Island Aircraft I Resorts Lodges I Yacht Rendezvouses Boat Shows | Subscribers
HARBORS Magazine: an affluent audience with purchasing power!
10
| HARBORS www.harborsmagazine.com ads@harborsmagazine.com
| www.harborsmagazine.com
2017 March/April
Features
14
Blind Channel Resort
20
Alaska Adventure Cabins
28
Dragonfly Rampage
34
Travel Maps
40
On the Waterfront
48
Gorge Harbor Marina Resort
54
Paddling the Inside Passage Alone
62
HARBORS Happenings
70
Gear Guide
74
Seaplane & Boating Destinations
All in the Family
Unique Accomodations on the Kenai Peninsula “Tuna Crazy” in the Land of Salmon Pacific Northwest Coastal Waterways Gig Harbor, WA
(photo by Susan Conrad)
Butedale Falls, 110 miles south of Prince Rupert, BC.
A Hidden Oasis for Boaters on Cortes Island One Woman’s Remarkable Kayak Journey Roche Harbor 2017 Salmon Classic Curiosities for Boat Cabin and Cottage San Juan Island, WA • Central Saanich, BC • Anacortes, WA
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
11
ZVOUS. E D N E R . N O I T A C U BOAT SHOW. ED
PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREMERTON MARINA
JUST A FERRY RIDE FROM SEATTLE!
IN-WATE
R BOAT S
MAY 18-2 0
HOW
FEATURING 50+ CRUISING POWERBOATS MARINE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CRUISING FOCUSED SEMINARS
SEMINARS: MAY 16-20 VISIT WWW.TRAWLERFEST.COM TO REGISTER (410) 990-9086 x22 l TrawlerFest@PassageMaker.com
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
13
Blind Channel Resort All in the Family by Deane Hislop
D
uring the summer of 1969 the Richter family—Edgar and Annemarie, along with their son Phil—were cruising their 30-foot boat, Pamar, through the area and stopped at the Blind Channel resort on West Thurlow Island, BC for a loaf of bread. When Edgar saw the “For Sale” sign he was intrigued. And after considerable family discussion, the Richters packed up their home in Vancouver 14
| HARBORS
and moved to Blind Channel in 1970. Using his background in engineering and construction, Edgar worked tirelessly to transform what had been a bunch of old buildings into his vision of a beautiful resort—now spanning four generations of the Richter family. We’ve visited the resort many times while cruising to and from the Broughton Island area, and we have always enjoyed our stay. Only accessible by boat or seaplane, it’s known
www.harborsmagazine.com
as the “cruising crossroads” for anyone boating north of Desolation Sound, transiting Johnstone Strait or exploring the Discovery Islands. It is located close to both Cordero Channel and Johnstone Strait, which makes it a convenient layover. It’s also known by generations of boaters for its hospitality, thanks largely to the ongoing presence of the Richters. The first thing boaters should know visiting Blind Channel is to slow down
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
15
16
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
By Seaplane or Boat. . . However you arrived – We’ve already been there. From Washington to Alaska, Your Source for Marinas, Restaurants, Services, Points of Interest and much more.
To get your copy call
(425) 488-3211 or visit
www.BoatTravel.com to “no wake speed” once entering Mayne Passage. This was a lesson we learned the hard way, with much embarrassment: on our first visit many years ago when our wake rolled all the way into the dock, rocking all of the boats. The second thing to be conscious of is the direction of the current. When you hail the resort on the VHF channel 66A for your slip assignment you will be given a heads-up on the current direction, as it flows perpendicular to the docks. A friendly member of the Richter family will provide your docking assignment and meet your boat at the slip to assist with your lines. There are 2,400 feet of sturdy moorage with 30- and 50-amp power, Wi-Fi, cellular boosters, and plenty of clear, clean, UV-treated spring water for filling your tank. The fuel dock offers gas, diesel and propane, and is operated by third-generation family members. Phil suggests reservations during July and August.
Laundry and shower facilities are conveniently located close to the docks, and garbage is burned in a commercial incinerator for a minimal fee per pound. There is a well-stocked general store, gift shop, post office, and liquor store, all rolled into one. Fresh produce is delivered twice a week during the summer. The mail plane arrives twice a week. During July and August, the store is where you will find Jennifer’s (Phil’s wife) freshly baked cinnamon buns, bread, muffins and cookies. In July and August pull up a chair on the patio overlooking the docks, relax and enjoy lunch. The menu choices include beef brisket, halibut tacos, jumbo bratwurst, pulled pork and cold beverages. Our last visit was in June and the patio service wasn’t being offered then, but it was still a great place to put up our feet and relax. There is also a unique glass-roofed gazebo that overlooks the marina and
Mayne Passage for those days of inclement weather. The gazebo is also equipped with a cell-phone booster for those inescapably important calls. Annemarie Richter was the driving force behind the elegant high-quality Cedar Post Inn Restaurant, open from early June until Labor Day. The unique mosaics and wall hangings she created are comprised of items she collected on local beaches. Annemarie served as the chef for the first 12 years and many of her signature German recipes are still being served today. Before her passing, Annemarie would greet boaters and often sit down at the table to chat a while. Now it’s her grandson Eliot who serves dinner. Improvements and expansion continue today with the addition of a water-taxi service to Discovery Harbour in Campbell River three times a week. It provides boaters a convenient way to get errands done in town without having to detour all
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
17
the way into Campbell River with your boat. It’s a one-hour ride in a new 12-passenger taxi equipped with reclining seats and a stand-up head. And non-boaters can now enjoy Blind Channel Resort with the addition of a pair of new cottages. Each has two bedrooms, kitchen, a covered deck with fir posts and beams, and spacious bathrooms with heated floors. On a clear day, they offer stunning views of the marina, Mayne Passage, East Thurlow Island and the Coast Mountains. To work up an appetite for dinner, go for a hike on the nearby forestmanagement trails leading away from the resort. They offer varying degrees of difficulty. One pleasant loop climbs in elevation through a forest that includes a Western red cedar that is more than 800 years old and 16 feet in diameter. The next loop intersects with logging roads that meander up the valley and around the island. A third trail leads out to a viewpoint overlooking Mayne Passage. During certain times of the year, salmon fishing around Blind Channel can be excellent. If you’re interested in a guided fishing trip, or need some tackle and bait, the resort is a great location to try your luck. There’s live music on weekends in July and August, which makes for a fun and entertaining evening. Other popular events are the Father’s Day barbeque lunch, a Canada Day celebration, and the annual Pooch, Hound and Doggy show held in late July. Check the resort’s website for an event schedule. The resort is a great location for your guests to meet you mid-cruise or to depart from. A number of seaplane operators service Blind Channel. Over the last 47 years Blind Channel Resort has built a reputation for delicious food, creative artwork, relaxing atmosphere and customer service. We can hardly wait until our next visit this summer.
www.blindchannel.com
18
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
When you go: Blind Channel Resort, 50.24’82” N/125.30’00 W Canadian Chart 3543, Cordero Channel Marine Weather Radio: VHF Ch. 21B/WX8
Seaplane Service From: SEATTLE: Northwest Seaplanes Kenmore Air VANCOUVER: Corilair Charters CAMPBELL RIVER: Corilair Charters Vancouver Island Air
Phil Richter
Owner of Blind Channel Resort
Your oasis on British Columbia’s wild coast Blind Channel Resort is the perfect base for your BC island vacation. The Richter family invites you to enjoy deluxe, ocean view cabins with kitchenettes and barbecues, premier moorage facilities, and casual fine dining in the seaside restaurant and patio.
info@blindchannel.com
VHF Channel 66A
www.blindchannel.com
When his parents decided to move from Vancouver to an upcoast island in 1970, Phil Richter had a choice: to continue his studies or join them in their new endeavor. “I decided to take a break to lend a hand at Blind Channel—a break which turned out to be permanent. The beauty of the natural environment was what lured us from the city, but the varying skills needed to transform our very primitive living conditions and minimal business into the resort that is here today became a life-long learning experience.” Phil met his wife Jennifer during a visit to Vancouver in 1972, and she joined him at the resort the following year. Their lives continued to change with the arrival of their two sons, Eliot and William, in 1979 and 1982. “The boys did well with homeschooling, but when Eliot reached secondary school we decided to build a house in Campbell River to get them into regular classes.”
1-888-329-0475
There was no way the Richters were going to abandon Blind Channel, though. “I did quite a bit of commuting during the winter, spending part of the week in both places. The boys boarded with a neighbor to finish their school year when boating traffic started to pick up in the spring,” said Phil. Eliot and William both went on with their education and careers in Vancouver. However, that wasn’t the path Eliot wanted to take, and one day he and his wife Laura asked if they could join in the business. “We were very pleased to say yes. They moved here and started their own family. We lost Laura to cancer in 2014, when their children Jonah and Charlotte were four and two, and Eliot had a tough decision to make. He finally decided that Blind Channel was still where he wanted to raise his kids. “Jonah approached me once when he was six, and said ‘Grandpa, I never want to see a For Sale sign on this place.’ I think we’ll be here a while longer.”
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
19
Alaska Adventure Cabins by Russ Young
Life is good aboard the Double Eagle.
W
e’re relaxing on deck after a successful day of fishing for salmon and halibut out on Alaska’s Kachemak Bay. We’ve just finished dinner that we purchased on shore: a huge wood-fired pizza from Fat Olives in the Kenai Peninsula town of Homer. It’s a wonderfully warm and sunny
20
| HARBORS
late-August evening, so Kat and Shyla are in short sleeves, sitting in deck chairs while sipping wine and talking about our upcoming floatplane trip to see the bears at Katmai National Park. George has climbed the mast to take in a higher-profile view of Kachemak Bay, and the glaciers of the Kenai Mountains.
www.harborsmagazine.com
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
21
I’m carefully creeping along the starboard rail, snapping pictures and taking great care not to fall overboard. If I do, I’m going to land in some thick brush, which may be the only thing that will keep me from rolling down the steep hillside. Wait a minute, you might be thinking—what did he just say? Fall overboard and roll down a hill? Oh ... that’s right. I may have failed to mention a couple of important details. The Double Eagle, a 75-foot Gulf Coast shrimp boat, is no longer afloat. It’s permanently moored—perhaps “drydocked” is a more appropriate term—on Baycrest Hill, several hundred feet above Kachemak Bay. Double Eagle is the flagship (pun intended) of one of, if not the, most unique accommodations in the Homer area: the Alaska Adventure Cabins. The 17-acre property is home to seven cabins that sleep between five and 12 guests. While they’re not all as distinctive as the Double Eagle—the Moose Caboose, a converted Pullman car, is a close second—each and every rental unit offers comfort, privacy, warmth and vacation memories. The owners and innkeepers are Karen and Bryan Zak (see sidebar), who have not only engaged in building the structures on the site, but who have also taken on the monumental tasks of relocating a 95-ton shrimp boat and 54-foot-long rail car to steep slopes far from their more common surroundings. The Zaks have succeeded in providing first-class accommodations for families, groups and couples that want to experience all that the Homer area has to offer. They range from the semi-secluded Canyon Creek cabin, which sleeps five on a wooded creekside location that still offers great views of the beach, bay, mountains and glaciers, to the spacious and luxurious Bear’s Den lodge. The latter is 2,400 square feet and sleeps up to 12, with three bedrooms, three full baths, a chef ’s kitchen, big dining 22
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
VIP Charters to Canada’s West Coast Resorts Executive Class Comfort and Safety for Seven Pax www.vihexecujet.com
Pick Ups From: • Washington State Airports and Lakes • E.G. Boeing Field • Lake Union • Lake Washington
1-800-277-5421
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
23
24
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
area and comfy living room. (Thanks to Karen and Bryan, we had the good fortune of spending one night in the Bear’s Den when our plan for an overnight camping trip fell through at the 11th hour. It was wonderful; so wonderful that we thought about barricading the doors and not leaving the next morning. But since we had Double Eagle reserved for the following two nights, we relented.) You can also choose from the Bear’s View, the Dovetail and Glacier View log cabins, and the aforementioned Moose Caboose. Regardless of your choice, you’ll find all the comforts of home, including fully-outfitted kitchens and baths, WiFi, satellite TV, barbeque grills, and decks with outdoor furniture and great views. If you’re like us, you may struggle a bit with trying to decide whether you want to sit outdoors enjoying the vistas, stay inside to appreciate the comforts of your cabin, or leave the grounds to explore Homer and its surroundings. We stayed long enough to do all three—and more— although it was hard to reach consensus on which we enjoyed the most. The Zaks have relied on their respective strengths in building their business; Karen says that Bryan is the visionary and innovator, while she is the decorator. And perhaps there is no better showcase for those strengths than the Double Eagle. Although its history is still somewhat uncertain, it’s believed to be more than 100 years old. Although it was originally built as a cruise/tour boat, it was converted for shrimping later in its life. Following the massive Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, it was brought to Alaska to serve as floating quarters for cleanup workers. However, it had been idle in a boatyard for a number of years, and was scheduled to be scrapped when Bryan bought it in 2002. Its final journey to the hillside required some very impressive engineering and transportation planning, but Double Eagle now rests on 44 metal pilings driven 40 feet The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
25
into the ground. Aboard Homer’s most distinctive vacation rental-—it’s quite a sight from the air when flying on a floatplane in or out of nearby Beluga Lake—you’ll find two full bedrooms, two and a half baths, a kitchen, breakfast nook and living room. The wheelhouse is still intact, and a great setting for photos. There are two ship’s decks, as well as a private wooden deck that is off the lower bedroom. We’ll never forget our time aboard Double Eagle, but for that matter it’s unlikely we’ll ever fail to remember staying in the Bear’s Den. Based on our stay, we’d say the Alaska Adventure Cabins are aptly named; they’re more than just a place to stay ... they’re an adventure.
26
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
Owners Karen and Bryan Zak
Maynard Gross, photographer
If the town of Homer, Alaska had to identify its “power couple,” it would be hard to argue against Karen and Bryan Zak, owners of Alaska Adventure Cabins. She’s the executive director of the chamber of commerce; he’s the mayor. But, like most everyone in the Kenai Peninsula town, the Zaks are friendly, down-to-earth and very approachable. And, like many of the locals, they took an interesting path to Homer. Born in Nevada and raised in California, Bryan was a career Air
Force officer who was stationed in Texas, Washington and Alabama, and at the Pentagon. He hoped to be stationed in Alaska, having fallen in love with the state while there for a military exercise in 1984. But that never happened. Karen is a native Virginian who began working in travel and tourism they lived in her home state. Fast-forward to 1998, when Bryan retired from the military and began looking for opportunities in Alaska. After “much persuasion” from her husband, Karen agreed to
move to the 49th State ... for three years. And, they’ve been there ever since. They’ve adapted well to Alaska. Bryan enjoys fishing year-round, hunting and hiking to the beach from the cabins. Karen enjoys fishing, decorating and event planning. Although three seasons are occupied by their resort, the Zaks find time during the winter to travel; recent trips have included a river cruise in Europe, and Hawaii and Mexico. They also enjoy visiting family in Texas and Virginia.
Plan your trip: Alaska Adventure Cabins 2525 Sterling Hwy Homer, AK 99603 907.223.6681 www.alaskaadventurecabins.com
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
27
Dragonfly Rampage:
“Tuna Crazy” in the Land of Salmon by Terry W. Sheely
28
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
W
e slip away from the wet docks of Westport, Washington at 8:00 p.m. on a sultry summer evening, heading across Grays Harbor into the fading orange twilight. Bulky pelicans, flapping auklets, and gray whales flush away from the rise and plunge of the 55-foot Rampage and we push into the open Pacific. Forty-two miles into the night is the edge of the California/Japanese Current, a distinctly visible line in the ocean where cold green meets temperate blue and enters a wavering stream of 60-75 degree offshore water. The warm current mass is more than 500 miles wide, a super-corridor filled with streams of sub-tropical fish that follow it northward on an annual summer invasion into the salmon waters off Oregon, Washington and
British Columbia—sometimes reaching Southeast Alaska. The southern invaders include yellowtail, marlin, sailfish, mackerel, dorado, opah, saury, sea turtles and even stranger aliens— but only one matters. The eight anglers in our boat, like hundreds of other Northwest saltwater hounds, are focused only on Thunnas alalunga, or dragonfly tuna: better known as albacore. They’re the summer heartthrob of legions of coastal fishermen. Anxious, nervous chatter drifts from the cabin. Outside, I lean on the railing, stare into the blackest dark of night and listen to the soft whoosh of waves breaking under the bow. Platoons of brown pelicans come into the ship’s spotlight, sea ghosts glowing white in the glare before passing into darkness. The second skipper takes the wheel, the crew finds places to sleep
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
29
and fishermen pile into sleeping bags on padded bunks. We’ll run most of the night to a promising spot somewhere in warm blue water, then shut down and drift until dawn. An hour before light, owner/ skipper Randy Ratliff is searching the
30
| HARBORS
Rampage’s glowing panel of electronics for 62.5-degree water—tuna water. Trolling rods loaded with plugs, plastic squids and feathered jigs are skittering a fast 7 knots in the wake. Trolling rigs are fished to locate moving schools of albacore and when they connect we’ll
www.harborsmagazine.com
heel over, stall out and switch to live bait. One hundred and twenty pounds of live anchovies are tanked for bait and chum. We’ve been assigned seven-foot rods, loaded with pink 25-pound test line. Pink is important. Reel drags are set at
a light eight pounds; heavier, and the impact of explosive tuna strikes snap the line. Hooks are tiny for tuna-sized fish: No. 2s, small enough to allow the anchovy to swim, large enough to sink into the corner of an albacore’s mouth and hold like ticks. When the boat stops, we grab rods, hold lines above hooks, line up like school kids at cafeteria and file past the bait tank where the deckhand impales slippery anchovies through the gill collar. Free-spool upwind of the drifting Rampage—put the wind in your face—or the panicked anchovy will hide under the boat. And never lose the first fish; if a tuna breaks off it’ll dive deep and take rest of the school with it. Feed the swimming anchovy into the water on freespool. When an albacore strikes, let it run. Count to seven ... slowly. Flip on the drag and hold tight. Impact drives the hook home. Shout “fresh one’ and rotate down the railing. Stay over the
fish until it banks into tight tuna turns, tires and spirals upward. Fight the fish to the deckhand’s gaff. Then start over. That sounded simple enough— before the first hookups. We fork scrambled eggs, sip boat coffee and scan for free-jumping tuna. Ocean albatross and shearwaters skate the waves. Shark fins raise welts on the water. Porpoises pass. Small birds we’ve never seen before dart and dive like wet mosquitoes. A bulbous ocean sunfish loafs past. It’s different out here. Flickers of distant boat lights come and go. The Rampage is one in a widely scattered fleet of sport tuna boats, an eclectic mix of private and commercial charters. Some are on one-day runs from mainland ports. Others, like us, are on multi-day adventures. All of us are have come to the offshore tuna grounds from ports in southern Washington and northern Oregon: Westport, Ilwaco, Astoria, Garibaldi, Newport, and Depoe Bay.
We’re 50 miles offshore from Westport and well south along the Oregon coast when Randy spots scattered schools. He spins the boat and works the trolls. His instrument panel looks like a 747’s. It is lit up with five video screens and more knobs and buttons than I can count. Three radios are chattering—often at the same time. Pink light is jabbing the eastern sky when a trolling rod slams, the deckhand screams “fresh one!” The boat skids, coffee spills, eggs fly, and it goes crazy on deck. “Poke ‘em and soak ‘em,” someone shouts from the bait tank. Everyone moves, some actually in the right direction. Albacore, 10 to 30 pounds, with metallic blue backs, chrome bellies and fighter-jet pectoral fins, are torpedoing under the hull, slashing at panicking anchovy chum, flying out of the water, inhaling tiny hooks, bending thick rods and pinning strong anglers
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
31
to railings. Everybody hooks up. We holler, shuffle to avoid each other, as the gaffs fly. Albacore bounce on metal decking, rigid scimitar tails beating staccatos around our feet. The pre-bite drill collapses and the skipper is grinning. Welcome to “tuna crazy.” From the first fight it’s obvious why the blitz pace of wide-open tuna action is eclipsing unpredictable salmon seasons with one- or two-fish limits. There’s no catch-limit in Washington; 25 tuna in Oregon. Most anglers stop with between seven and ten fish, which at four big fillets per fish is more than enough prime protein for freezer, relatives and friends. Dragonflies blast into our baits at upwards of 50 mph fueled by an 80-degree internal body temperature that increases muscle efficiency and metabolism. Perfect predators evolved to feed near the surface in vast schools up to 20 miles wide, attacking anchovies,
32
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
squid and sardines but capable of diving to 1,250 feet in a heartbeat. Our bite is blowing up. Eight fishermen are scrambling from port to starboard and back again, ducking, slipping, sliding, guiding tight lines past the next guy, dancing the “under, over, under, go over” shuffle. It’s crazy chaos at the back of the boat—crazy, bordering on insane. The skipper grins, drops a CD in the music system and the Creedence Clearwater Revival is suddenly blasting “Run Through The Jungle”—a rhythmic roar to add to the craziness. Thick rods horseshoe and reels pour pink monofilament into blue water. The deck gets slick enough to skate on, as gaffed 20-pounders vibrate across decking, sickle tails pounding like snare drummers gone mad, whacking our legs. One deckhand gaffs, and gillcuts on the run, while his partner is flinging anchovy chum into the wind as fast as
he can dip and flip, and still bait hooks. When the end comes, it’s welcomed. The refrigerated 28-degree hold is wedged with iced albacore, our arms throb, our wrists ache, our backs moan. We call it quits an entire day early. We’ve caught enough. Ratliff ‘s average haul over 21 trips is 154 tuna per trip, with a high of 202 last August. Washington Fish & Wildlife pegs the state’s average daily catch at nine tuna per angler. “Tuna crazy” arrives off southern Oregon in late June and moves steadily north, hitting Washington in early July and continuing as deep into September if the weather holds. By August albacore are being caught west of Neah Bay and Vancouver Island. The all-important California/Japanese Current is in constant wobble, sometimes less than a dozen miles from
port towns, sometimes swinging 100 miles out. Unless you’ve got an oceanworthy private boat, there’s a choice of three commercial bookings: highspeed small cruisers on out-and-back runs; night departure one-day trips; or multiple-day sleep aboards. Because of possible weather complications and tuna movements, I’ve learned to prefer multi-day charters. Charters provide rods, reels, tackle and bait, or lists of tackle specs if you prefer to bring your own. Some provide meals and bunks. Ocean-worthy private boats are increasingly showing up on the tuna grounds, especially when the current swings close. Lasagna and garlic bread are baking in the oven when the Rampage turns east, and throttles up into the dark. Deckhands clean and bag. I fall asleep in my bunk, the engine rumbling in
my ears, waves slapping against the hull, and my brain still dancing with dragonfly fights. I’m tired. Tuna-crazy tired.
When you go: Westport Sport Fishing P.O. Box 816 Westport, WA 98595 360.268.1080 866.964.8862 www.westportsportfishing.com Westport Chamber www.westportgraylandchamber.org
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
33
Skagway to Ketchikan
Alaska
34
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
376
your orcas coworking space
A place to work, meet and stay connected • • • • •
Shared workspace Private offices Flexible meeting space Super-fast internet Membership plans available or just pay-as-you-go
Learn more at 376group.com 596 Main Street | Eastsound | 360-376-6093
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
35
Inl
et
Port alice
et
t
Inle
za Inlet
Nootka islaNd
t Tlupana Inle
Critter Cove
tahsis
m I.
Wo
S
W
r
Inl et
ughto n
N. Bro
Eden I.
I.
ow n
led
Ha rb I.
Tur n r I.
ou
Baker I.
ton
gh
br ou
Blackfish lodge
Bonwick I.
nd
Sou
i.
sullivan bay
Jennis bay
Inle t
son
Ali
E
N
Port Harvey
Gilford island
Tribune
sayward
W. T hur low I sla
ke I .
wic
and Chn
l.
Inlet
Kn i ght
blind Channel
Har d
Sunderl
Port Neville
Call
knight inlet adventures lagoon Cove
Thompson Snd .
CamPbell
nd
Cor de
Quadra
t
d
d n Isla
Maurelle Island
Sonora Island
el ann Nodales Ch
Okisollo
nle
rm Ram
Raza I. Pr sage yce r Pas
Stuart I.
knight inlet lodge
East Thurlow Island
gh rou hb o
Inlet
g Lou
kwatsi bay
Pierre’s at echo bay Paddler’s inn
Channel
Kingcome Inlet
shawl bay Frank’s Fishing lodge
Nimmo bay
nd.
disCovery islaNds & desolatioN souNd
Joh w. Cra nst cro on ft i. e
Hanson I.
alert bay
Farewell Harbour laton lodge
Vernon Lake
Psge.
sund’s lodge
Pacific Outback resort
telegraph Cove
trai t
Ma lcol
ton S
lls We
ize
Sey mou
Bel
GreeNway souNd
Numas I.
un d
t So
Nu gen
duncanby lodge
l
Bligh I.
Strange I.
esperanza
Esperan
Zeballos
Deserters Group Is.
False Head
Peel & Deer Is.
Hardy Bay
Hakai lodge
Walker Group Is.
Port mCNeill
Port Hardy airport
Zeballos In l
et
kyuQuot souNd Fair Harbour
Drake I.
Neroutsos Inl
Port Hardy
Lake
Victori a
Lake
Alice
Ho lbe rg
Inl et
Tahs is
osa
Nigei I.
ish Lake Nimpk
Hope I.
ss
www.harborsmagazine.com
Esp in
el
h ug Bro
Lak e
ann
. n Is Wakeman S
rdo
h en C Passage
Go
Que it Stra e t t o arl I
Dr
a it Str
ne Chan
Calm Chnl.
s Ch
et
Bute
* seaplane service available at all destinations by charter.
broughton islands desolation sound discovery islands Nanaimo North vancouver island sunshine Coast west vancouver island
bC seaplane service*
Cortes island denman island Hornby island Galiano island mayne island Pender island Powell river Quadra island salt spring island saturna island sunshine Coast southern Gulf islands vancouver victoria
bC Ferries service
toba wildernest
t
| HARBORS
eta
Inl
Inle
36
Gol
ury
f t I. E. Cracro
ro
say A
Port Hardy to Nanaimo
British Columbia
C
Channel
Nootka souNd
Pe
nin
a sul
Flores Island let
Long Beac
h
Haggard Cove
i ern Alb
Parksville
vaNCouver islaNd
t
Gillies bay
r.
Hrb
a Tob
e ll Pow
sakinaw lake lodge
Nelson I.
Jerv is In let Hardy I.
Powell river
Lake
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine riol
a I.
ic Cow han
Galiano I.
Silva Bay
I Narrows
eGmoNt
Pt. Grey
Burrard Inlet
Pt. Atkinson
el
Anvil I.
Horseshoe bay
How e So und Keats I.
Gambier I.
ough Chann el n br
suNsHiNe Coast
bowen island
GibsoNs
sechelt
malibu Camp
Princess louisa inlet Chatterbox Falls
Princess Royal Reach
Salmon Inlet
PeNder Harbour Garden bay madeira Park
Strait of Georgia
N. & S. Thormanby Is.
ach Wales Re
d Hotham Hea Sound Foley of nce Pri
Inle t
toba wildernest
Goat Island
on Red
t Eas
n el
seCret Cove
Gab
Nanaimo Airport
NaNaimo
ose
Nan o
QualiCum beaCH
Hornby I.
lund
I.
Pachena Pt.
bamField
rtus I.
Tza l Trevor Channe
el
Inle
Cameron Lake
Horne Lake
Denman I.
blubber bay
West Redondo Island
o n S o u nd olati Des Mink I.
eti
Henderson Lake
eaGle Nook lodGe
Port alberni
S pr oat La ke
Elsie Lake
Twin Is.
Harwood I.
Savary I.
Hernando I.
Marina I.
D
Ram Raza I. P ge ryce assa eer P
Stuart I.
qu Las
hann agle C rial E Impe
Cen tra
Cape Lazo
Mittlenatch I.
Cape Mudge
Comox
CourtNey
ox Lake Com
oyster river
Campbell River Airport
Cortes Island
Rea
nd
la d Is
Maurelle Island
Island
el
broken Group is.
Lou
.
Gr
el hann don C
dy Lk
Kenn e
ea t
ke La
nn
barkley souNd
Tofn
o In
ClayoQuot wilderNess resort
Gold river
Lower Campbell Lk.
nd Sou
a Ch
Amphitrite Pt.
Inlet
Upper Campbell Lk.
Quadra Island
Okisollo
Sa e bin
uCluelet
Tofino-Ucluelet airport
toFiNo
ClayoQuot souNd
Vargas I.
t
In ert
chal a
b Her
Shelter Inlet
boat basin
Mu
CamPbell river
Passage Discovery
t Tlupana Inle
ahousat
Hot springs Cove
Hes qui at
Bligh I.
Lake Buttle
Calm Chnl.
Sutil Chnl.
rm say A
nl. Wad dington Ch
Strange I.
el
Cha nn
Mil lar
do I.
Critter Cove
I.
Me are s
d un So we ll Be d
let
Ho mfr ay Channel
disCovery islaNds & desolatioN souNd
Island
Sechelt
islaNd
Penin sula
l
Inlet
Baynes
Texada
Sechelt
Ma Strait
t
sula Penin
ina lasp
nle
Channel Malaspina
Reach
Mon t a g u Ch an n
C ha n ens
Thor
Que
e Lak
HARBORS |
37
Cape Flattery
Neah Bay
Tatoosh I.
Bamfield
False Bay
Lopez Airport
Friday Harbor
Clallam Bay
Sekiu
SAN JUAN ISLANDS
Lime Kiln Pt.
Roche Harbor Airport
Speiden I.
LOPEZ ISLAND
o ait f an u J d
Fidalgo I.
Sooke
Freshwater Bay Angeles Pt.
Sinclair I.
r.
Hrb
C
Maple Bay Duncan
Discovery I.
VICTORIA
Butchart Gardens
Inner Harbour
Sooke Lake
Valdes I.
Kuper I.
Ganges
Sidney I.
James I.
Sidney
Lopez I.
Shaw I.
I
Decatur I.
Blakely I.
Str
Anacortes
Guemes I.
Birch Bay
Samish Bay
Portage I.
Lake Samish
BELLINGHAM Lake Whatcom
Bellingham International Airport
Abbotsford
an Indi
White Rock
Blaine
Bellingham Bay
Sandy Pt. Lummi Bay Lummi I.
Sinclair I.
Cypress I.
Boundary Bay
Boundary Bay Airport
Richmond
Semiahmoo
Matia I.
Sucia I.
Patos I.
Pt. Doughty
Waldron I. l anne nt Ch e Presid
Speiden I.
Iceberg Pt.
Cattle Pt.
Saturna I.
Lyall Harbour
Point Roberts
Tsawwassen
Westham I.
Burrard Inlet
Squamish
VANCOUVER Coal Harbour
Pt. Grey
Pt. Atkinson
Bowen I.
el
Horseshoe Bay
Gambier I.
Anvil I.
CO AS T ough Chann el n br
Thor
How e So und
Keats I.
BEDWELL HARBOUR
Johns I.
Griffin Bay
San Juan Island
Henry I.
Gibsons
Vancouver International Airport/ Fraser River
Mayne I.
Miner’s Bay
GULF ISLANDS
Stuart I.
Moresby I.
Port Washington
Sechelt
Strait of Georgia
Galiano I.
Telegraph Harbour
Thetis I.
Silva Bay
MONTAGUE HARBOUR
Chemainus
Ladysmith
Nanaimo Airport
Nanaimo
ose
Nan o
VICTORIA INTERNATIONAL N. & S. AIRPORT/PATRICIA BAY Pender Is.
Anacortes
a
uc F e
Lake Crescent
a ad n es t a a C St d ite n U Pillar Pt.
Rosario
Mt. Constitution 2,407 ft./734m
Eastsound
Matia I.
Sucia I.
VANCOUVER ISLAND
Allan I.
Burrows I.
Sperry Peninsula
Decatur I.
Blakely I.
ISLAND
ORCAS
Camp Orkila
West Sound
Fisherman Bay
Shaw I.
Jones I. SAN JUAN Deer Harbor ISLAND
Roche Harbor
Henry I.
Waldron I.
d
Johns I.
Skipjack I.
ss I. Cypr e
Soun
Patos I.
s I.
Stuart I.
me Gue
East
Parksville
Bay Sa an ich Inlet
nd
an ich ow
d sula
Sou Barkley
Islan
Orca s
www.harborsmagazine.com ng
rait
West Sound
nel
spri
io St
Stuart Chan
Salt
l anne San Juan Ch
Ros ar
a I.
nd o I.
riol
sla alg
Gab
ich P enin
t
Saan
s Coa ay
ne
Mon t a g u Ch an n
| HARBORS S hi uns
INS NTA Arm
38 U MO
Haro Strait
Nanaimo to Olympia
Puget Sound
* Seaplane service available at all destinations by charter.
Bellingham Gulf Islands Nanaimo Puget Sound Salt Spring Island San Juan Islands Seattle Vancouver Island Victoria
WA Seaplane Service*
Gulf Islands Vancouver Nanaimo Victoria Salt Spring Island
BC Seaplane Service*
Anacortes Bainbridge Island Bellingham Bremerton Clinton Coupeville Edmonds Fauntleroy Kingston Mukilteo Port Angeles Port Townsend Southworth Vashon Island
WA Ferries Service
OLYMPIA
Olympia Regional Airport
I.
I.
et Gig Inl Harbor
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine American Lake
Fox I.
each lly R ua
Nisq
on ers
And
r Car
Sequim
Dungeness Spit
I
Maury I.
nd a sl
in
I.
Kingston
Lake Tapps
Auburn
Lake Youngs
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Issaquah
Lake Sammammish
o Kirkland n gt shi Bellevue
Renton
nd ou
Kenmore Air Harbor
Lake Union
SEATTLE
Edmonds
S ion
Hat I.
Langley
Port Susan
Paine Field
ss sse Po
Clinton
Possession Pt.
Scatchet Pt.
Double Bluff Useless Bay Pt. No Point
Freeland
Port Gamble
Elliott Bay
Boeing Field
Blake I.
Ba
id br
ge
Poulsbo
Bangor
Keystone
Cove
Oak Harbor
Pt. Wilson
Bush Pt.
Hood Canal Br.
Port Ludlow
Di Port Hadlock
Deception Pass
Decatur I.
NAS Whidbey Island
Smith I.
Iceberg Pt.
Coupeville Penn
Port Townsend
Protection I.
Kiana Lodge
TACOMA
Tacoma Narrows Br.
n ho s Va
Bremerton
Seabeck
bo
Da
y
a bB
Quilcene
Sequim Bay
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Tacoma Narrows Airport M cN eil
let
e In Cas
Belfair
A SUL
Brinnon
NIN
P PE
A KITS
Hoo
l
NS
NT AI
OU
M
na d Ca
C
PI
OL YM
Port Angeles
Alderbrook
Lake Cushman
let
Nanaimo Sidney Vancouver Victoria
e I.
sco very Bay
Puge t
Inle
io o I.
Anacortes
Guemes I.
Cypress I.
alg LaConner
Everett
Arlington
S
W
Burlington
Lake Samish
Mount Vernon
Samish Bay
Lake Stevens
Lake Goodwin
Skagit Bay
Fid
Freshwater Bay Angeles Pt.
Lake Wa rcer I.
assage
BC Ferries Service
Harts tin
Indian I. Marro wston e I.
S o u nd
d
t Whi d b ey Isl an
Ho lm
es H arbor
n ma
Bay lla Pad i
Lopez I.
CA
Ros ar
o I. Ca
Saratog a
Lake Crescent
d In Bud
lag
E
N
lley
y
Lake Whatcom
Val le
uam ish V a
git
Ska
DE
Adm iralt y
Me
OU
Cattle Pt.
NS NT AI M SC A
P
a ay Oak B
n
l Sti
HARBORS |
39
On the Waterfront Waterfront Living in the Pacific Northwest
40
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
Refined Over Time Gig Harbor, Washington by Russ Young
As you come up the driveway of the Gig Harbor, Washington home of Mary Dicke and Jeff Robinson, it’s hard not to notice the brightly colored kids’ play-structure near the bottom of the hill. Considering that their two children are grown—their daughter is an attorney; their son is working on an MBA—and they do not yet have any grandchildren, it might seem to be out of place. Actually, it’s indicative of the approach the couple has taken toward remodeling and refining the waterfront house they’ve owned since 1985. Although Mary and Jeff seem to be aging quite gracefully, some of the changes they’ve made to their home are in anticipation of the limitations that old age may well bring. And they’re also thinking ahead to the potential joys the future may hold, such as grandkids. At the same time, they’ve paid gentle homage to the past, particularly to when their children were kids. Consider their son’s former bedroom. A railroad train that was painted on the wall when he was very young is still featured, although its surroundings have been painted and repainted, and are now mostly covered with an impressive collection of sports memorabilia, including a collection of baseballs that have been autographed by some of the game’s greats. There’s also a selection of Jeff’s collection of bobblehead dolls—he’s not sure how
Homeowners Jeff Robinson and Mary Dicke The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
41
many he owns, but says there are “hundreds.” Although Jeff is a lifelong New York Mets fan, two of his favorites are of Seattle Mariner icons Ken Griffey Jr. and Ichiro Suzuki. (The most unique bobblehead in the collection is one of Mary, dressed in the robes she wears as a juvenile-court commissioner. That one resides in her office, though.) Although the bedroom that was their daughter’s doesn’t look like it was when she was living at home, Mary shows the back of the door to reveal the way the entire room looked back then: covered in photographs, as well as bits of memorabilia from childhood through adolescence. And Jeff and Mary like to point to the concrete floor of the utility room, where they have applied a protective coating to preserve notes written on it by their children and their friends. Many are joyful; some are wistful. They all make it clear that this was the house that the kids and their friends liked to hang out at the most. Originally from New York—she grew up on Long Island, he’s from Brooklyn and they met while both were in law school at Hofstra University—the couple moved to Gig Harbor 40 years ago. “A family member asked if UPS delivered this far out,” Mary recalled. They rented a small house until the opportunity to purchase their current house from a friend came along eight years later. There was a major remodel in 1993, in which they maintained the footprint of the original 1962 house, but rearranged the floor plan, took walls down to the studs, relocated stairs and vaulted the popcorn ceilings, among other changes. Over the last couple of years, Jeff and Mary have worked with architect Don Larkin and designer Autumn Donavan (see sidebar) on what started out as a relatively small project—a larger nook off the kitchen— that morphed into an impressive 42
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
You’ve
worked hard to attain all that you have
COMMERCIAL INSURANCE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Let us
protect it with a custom insurance solution
PERSONAL INSURANCE RISK MANAGEMENT SURETY
www.psfinc.com A L A SK A // OR EGON // WA SHINGTON
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
43
addition to the home in the form of a sunroom. It is indeed a sunny space. “Boy, do we get sun,” said Mary. “Major sun,” added Jeff. Those aren’t complaints; they’re acknowledgement of the importance of sunshine in the often-gray Pacific Northwest. The couple marvels at how the atriumstyle roof and the NanaWall folding window-wall, and the primarily southern exposure, allows them to see the sun rise and set most of the year. They have a view that stretches across Carr Inlet as far as Oregon’s Mt. Hood on a clear day. Closer in, they can watch the eagles, seals, otters and the occasional orcas that may fly or swim by. What appears to be hardware flooring in the sunroom is actually a ceramic tile product. It lends itself
well to the heating element that lies beneath it. That makes it a favorite place for the couple’s pair of burly Labrador Retrievers (one black, one yellow) to stretch out and snooze after being outside on a drizzly afternoon. The floor tiles are sturdy enough to handle repeated cleanups of muddy paw prints and wet dog hair. The kitchen and the lower level of the home have also been substantially remodeled, and that’s where some of the changes that Autumn Donavan refers to as “aging in place” become evident. That means thinking about the dimensions, fixtures and materials in recognition that the homeowners are getting older, and allowing for some of the possibilities it brings. That ranges from making sure the kitchen aisle is wide enough for a wheelchair (strictly just in case) to
AUTUMN DONAVAN
Autumn Donavan Design LLC
Redmond, WA
Although they are both married to someone else—her husband is a builder; his wife a human resources manager who dabbles in photography—designer Autumn Donavan refers to her collaboration with architect Don Larkin as a “husband and wife approach.” While they both have their own businesses and take on many projects independently, Autumn and Don discovered their ability to effectively work together while employed by the same firm more than ten years ago. It was one of their collaborative efforts—a house on Washington’s Lopez Island—that convinced Mary Dicke and Jeff Robinson to hire them both for remodeling at their Gig Harbor home. 44
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
the use of single-handle plumbing fixtures, doors with levers rather than knobs, motion-activated lighting and a curbless shower entry. The lower level has a small kitchen, with a bedroom and bathroom that would accommodate live-in help should that become a requirement in the future. This is all in recognition of Mary and Jeff’s desire to stay in their home for the long term. “We’ve worked a lot of hours for many years,” she said. “And we haven’t always had much time to enjoy being here.” That’s not to say that their home is only about its future and its history. Some of the recent changes are about today’s desires; Jeff got the Toto toilet that he saw while visiting Japan. It has several electronic features, including a heated seat, auto-flush, an automatic
DON LARKIN
Don Larkin Architect PLLC Newcastle, WA
While it’s not uncommon for an architect to engage in a project long before a designer is brought in, Jeff and Autumn, along with Tacoma-based builder John Bekker, were brought in at the outset. The three shared a group e-mailbox with Jeff and Mary, so that they could see, comment upon and make alternative suggestions to each other’s ideas. “Sometimes we’re testing and redefining the boundaries between architect, designer and contractor, including what ‘designer’ even means,” said Autumn. “There are some obvious distinctions, but we work well by listening carefully to the homeowners—never forgetting that it’s their house—and by being open to each other’s ideas about space planning, materials, features and fixtures.”
What do you say to the best room in town in one of the world’s most perfect harbours?
HELLO VICTORIA.
4 MOORAGE LOCATIONS FOR VESSELS UP TO 375 FT SHORT & LONG TERM MOORAGE PRIVATE LAUNDROMAT, WASHROOM & SHOWERS
30, 50 AND 100 AMP AVAILABLE WI-FI ACCESS FULL DOCK SECURITY WITH GATE ACCESS
R
E S O R T
& S
P A
Where luxury meets adventure!
STAY 4 PAY 3
Stay 4 days for the price of 3!
Package Includes: • 4-night stay for the price of 3 nights • 20% off any treatment in our Susurrus Spa • 10% off any land or water rentals which included Kayaks, Canoes, Paddle Boards, Bikes etc.
POETS COVE RESORT & SPA
FOR INFO ON YEAR ROUND EVENTS VISIT GVHA.CA 250 383 8326 EXT. 265 | 1 877 783 8300 | RESERVATIONS@GVHA.CA
To book this package, please call the hotel directly at 1.888.512.POET or email info@poetscove.com PENDER ISLAND, BC, CANADA
lid and a night-lit bowl. Mary had wanted an indoor barbeque during the latest remodel— she ultimately didn’t get it—but admits that a NanaWall window system between the dining area and outdoor deck works well for yearround grilling. Although both of their children currently live in Southern California, they have provided input on changes and refinements to the home in which they grew up. The process even extended to the “Custom Made For ...” placard on the front of the new Bluestar range in the kitchen. After considerable back-and-forth between Mary, Jeff and their son and daughter, they drew on a Van Morrison lyric. It now reads “... Where The Water Runs Clear.” Jeff and Mary’s home is a reminder of the past, and a reflection of the present, while recognizing what the future may hold. Perhaps we can all learn from that. The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
45
HARBORS
PACIFIC SALMON IDENTIFICATION
Spawning Phase
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Available online at www.wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/salmon/identification
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
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
Female
Male
www.dukeschowderhouse.com
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
Gorge Harbour Marina Resort A Hidden Oasis for Boaters on Cortes Island by Alison Gardner
48
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
W
ere it not for a good nautical map and a lot of “must visit” recommendations from fellow boaters, it would have been easy to cruise right past the narrow entrance to Gorge Harbour and its Marina Resort. The gateway to the large, protected bay is defined by sheer, treetufted cliffs, but once through, it is obvious that this ocean oasis is an ideal anchorage to ride out adverse weather or to spend a perfect summer day. Arriving on one of those gorgeous summer days in late August, we congratulated ourselves for having reserved a slip. Many yachts, modest to megasize, were at anchor toward the back of Gorge Harbour, with an equal number moored close by at the marina that has been welcoming guests for 40 years.
As one of British Columbia’s ten Discovery Islands, Cortes Island sits across the northern rim of the Salish Sea, positioned strategically at the entrance to Desolation Sound with its spectacular fjords, mountains and wildlife. Cortes is also a favored stopover en route to Alaska through the protected waters between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland. “Even though we’re tucked away, most marina guests come to us by word of mouth,” said General Manager Bill Dougan. “The volume of boaters has increased a lot over the last five years so the word is getting out there.” He has worked for the resort since 2004, when it was purchased by current owners Richard and Michelle Glickman, who live in Victoria.
“We run at maximum capacity for most of July and August,” Bill said, “which is often a time when vessels more than 90 feet anchor in the bay and dinghy into our facility. Vessels over 65 feet are not a market I actively pursue, but they do come by in droves. On the larger yachts, our overall guest split is 30 percent Canadian and 70 percent American; during the quieter seasons we get more local boaters and weekend traffic, being open year round.” Families and friends often choose to holiday with those staying aboard their boats at the marina, while others rent a self-catering cabin or one of several spacious RVs. They may also stay in the resort’s full-service campground. Since Cortes Island is served by a
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
49
car ferry from neighboring Quadra Island—which in turn links to a tenminute ferry trip to the Vancouver Island town of Campbell River—it is a popular option to bring a recreational vehicle to the resort and create a vacation to suit everyone. Kenmore Air also has a regular scheduled floatplane service between Seattle and Gorge Harbour, landing twice a day during the peak season. Other floatplane operators come to the
50
| HARBORS
dock, but not on a regular basis. While the marina and its full range of marine services remain a key focus of the destination, it is easy to see why this well-tended property is called a resort. Groomed pathways and flower beds lead to the popular Floathouse Restaurant, with indoor and deck dining and nightly musical entertainment during the summer. The manicured grounds beyond the restaurant lead to modern family cabins, a large
www.harborsmagazine.com
swimming pool overlooking the bay, and a well-stocked store and service center. Facilities are open to all guests, including the visiting deer that are often so still they could be mistaken for lawn ornaments. The resort rents kayaks, canoes, bicycles, paddleboards and power boats or—absolutely free—there are well-marked hiking trails that lead to impressive old-growth forests, amazing sand beaches, tidal pools at low tide and brilliant lake swimming. I strolled the resort property with Tammy Allwork, assistant general manager (as well as partner to Bill in life and work) while she told me about her own deep connection with Gorge Harbour Marina Resort. “My parents purchased the resort in 1974 when I was a child, and even though we only stayed here for three years before they sold it, this is where some of my greatest memories lie. I lived on Vancouver Island and the BC mainland until early 2009, when I decided to use a dating website to find my true love. I stumbled upon a handsome man who said he lived on Cortes Island—a pretty uncommon place, with only 950 residents—so I told him about my own childhood connection.
When he replied that he was the general manager of the resort, it was a bit overwhelming. I returned to Cortes in 2009 as assistant GM to support Bill … and the rest is history! Now I have the special privilege of making great memories for our guests.” Shelley Scott and Rick Kosolofski have been visiting Gorge Harbour for ten years in their 34-foot Wellcraft Express Cruiser Shelley said, “We have personally witnessed the changes and growth of this resort, and made some lifelong friends among the staff and fellow boaters. Since we live across the water on Vancouver Island’s east coast, the resort is our summerweekend escape six to ten times a year. “We can tie up our boat, have full power and Internet, enjoy brunch or dinner at the restaurant, sit by the fire and roast marshmallows, or enjoy live entertainment and dance the evening away under the stars. At the Saturday morning market, we can purchase local arts and crafts or enjoy a massage, and on Sunday morning join in a free yoga class. A favorite thing to do is walk the local hiking trails and then relax in the pool or hot tub. It’s our oasis across the Georgia Strait.” Jeff Messmer from Woodinville, Washington, visited the resort for many years with his parents. Now as an adult skippering his own 31-foot Ranger Tug—he’s vice president of the boatbuilding company—Jeff has been bringing his wife and children to what he calls “Gorgeous Harbour Marina” for the past eight years, building a family tradition. “Gorge Harbour Marina is a worldclass marina with the friendliest staff in the islands,” he said. “From the moment you pass through the Gorge entrance, you know you’ve entered a magical place! Our kids love all the activities, including the amazing swimming pool, and it’s a great place to provision before exploring other islands.” I asked the general manager what he is most proud of in his 13 years on the The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
51
When you visit: Gorge Harbour Marina Resort: www.gorgeharbour.com Discovery Islands Tourism: www.discoveryislands.ca Cortes Island Tourism: www.discoveryislands.ca/cortes_island Kenmore Air: www.kenmoreair.com BC Ocean Boating Tourism Association: www.ahoybc.com
52
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
job. “It’s transforming Gorge Harbour Marina from ‘another marina’ to one that is considered the vanguard of those on the BC coast,” he said without hesitation. “We have gone from a staff of 25 to 65 at peak; all our employees come from the island, making us the largest employer on Cortes. “From a guest point of view, increasing the restaurant patio and bringing in a sit-down bar as well as the nightly entertainment on the waterfront are other areas of success. We have recently purchased land behind the campground that we hope to turn into a farmers market with all locally grown produce and other local foods, including fresh oysters. “All that said, I am most proud of the talented team that is as dedicated to the customers as I am. You could take Tammy and me out of the picture and it would still be a success. For some people that’s not something they strive for, but for us it is,” Bill said.
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
53
54
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
Paddling the Inside Passage Alone by Sean Griffin
S
usan Marie Conrad never meant to write a book about her solo kayak trek through the Inside Passage; that was going to be Jim’s job. Jim Chester was her mentor: a man who had kayaked the Inside Passage in 1992, and whose annotated navigation charts from that journey guided Susan, then 49, on hers. He had streamed the progress of her voyage to a global
audience on the Internet. At one time Jim had been her husband. During the spring of 2010, in the midst of Susan’s 1,200-mile solo kayak trek from Anacortes, Washington to Juneau, Alaska, he began having serious heart trouble, requiring multiple surgeries. Jim had been expected to recover, but did not. He died exactly two weeks after Susan’s trip ended.
“When Jim died, that’s when my whole life went haywire,” she said. “I couldn’t bear to look at 4,000 pictures from the trip. I didn’t look at my journal entries for a long time.” But eventually she did. Inspiration came in part from a piece of laminated paper taped securely atop Chamellia, her 18-foot kayak. Printed on it were Jim’s words:
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
55
“The conditions of the mind must interact with the conditions of the sea; the result is a good paddle versus a terror-stricken one.” For the first time, she saw there was wisdom in Jim’s words that went well beyond kayaking. Hers had been a voyage of healing, of self discovery, of striving for the self acceptance that had eluded her during a life punctuated with episodes of selfdestructive behavior. Moving forward required both attitude and adaptation, no matter what surprises or challenges life had in store for her. Since Jim wasn’t around any longer to write the book, she began looking through the diaries of her journey, and sorting through the photographs, then sat down to write. The effort resulted in 2016 with the publication of Inside: One Woman’s Journey Through the Inside Passage. The Inside Passage is a water route, traditionally connecting Seattle with 56
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
57
Ketchikan, Alaska, plied by touristladen cruise ships, salt-encrusted fishermen and container ships. As a result, people think of its waters as placid. “Nothing,” Susan said, “could be further from the truth.” Long stretches, such as that connecting Port Hardy at the north end of Vancouver Island with Shearwater, BC, cross open ocean, where she contended with six-foot swells. On a typical day, Susan paddled a marathon—26 miles, at a rate of 1,000 strokes per mile—an exertion that required her to consume 4,000 to 58
| HARBORS
5,000 calories a day just to maintain her weight throughout her 66-day trek. But one day she went far beyond marathon distance. After entering Grenville Channel, a long strait through towering mountains, Susan found either mother bears and cubs, or fresh bear scat, at a succession of potential beaches suitable for camping, and ended up pulling ashore during a gale at an inadequate campsite ... after paddling more than 40 miles. “The campsite I ended up at was going to be flooded during the night.
www.harborsmagazine.com
I thought about quitting; I was exhausted almost to the point of hallucinating. I was hypothermic. There were gale-force winds,” she said. “I literally had my hands on my radio and was about to call for help. What saved me was my rage. I was so pissed at how everything had deteriorated and how dire my circumstances were.” At other times, the seas calmed and the air stilled. Beauty was everywhere: in the mixture of blue water, green foliage and gray-brown beaches; in
the arcing fluke of a humpback whale surfacing beside her. In the stillness and quiet. Yet it was life on the edge. Mortality was possible, and at times seemed too close for comfort. Rising seas; surging waves. Extreme weather and wild
animals. Most people wouldn’t put themselves in such conditions willingly. So is she crazy? “People ask that all the time. I think I was just very driven. I was very definitely a woman on a mission. That was kind of the mother of all goals.”
Excerpts from Inside: One Woman’s Journey Through the Inside Passage
“Fear is a wily enemy, and as a woman paddling alone on the Inside, I entertained many fears. I feared big seas and swirling currents and whirlpools and boomers; I feared cantankerous waves that go ‘HISS’ as they break beneath my hull; I feared bears; I feared capsizing, hypothermia and drowning; I feared getting run over by big ships; I feared getting run over by small ships; I feared getting lost; I feared men with ill intentions; I feared what was at the other end of that snapping twig deep in the forest as I lay alone in my tent at night; I feared poor choices that could render me uncomfortable—or dead. I soon realized that my body could do this trip, but that my mind controlled it—a mind that was scared shitless at times.” “My kayak slid over the robust swells of Dixon Entrance, and my surroundings, I thought, were beginning to take on a different look and feel. The sea exploded against the cliffs, and I pulled harder on my right blade to move further out. Chamellia and I skidded around the next point, and there it was: an alive, wide-awake ocean.”
60
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
What did Susan learn during her 66 days on the water? That she can do anything she sets her mind to. That she can live in the moment and be patient with it. And she learned how stubborn she can be—and that she can let go when appropriate.
Thinking of Kayaking the Inside Passage? Here’s what you’ll need: ...... 1 ...... Lessons—No matter your level of experience. Conrad is a kayaking instructor, but she still takes lessons from world-renowned coaches. ...... 2 ...... Practice—Eskimo rolls may be fun to learn, but they’ll never right a fully loaded kayak in treacherous conditions. Learn to re-enter an overturned kayak in calm water, then increase the degree of difficulty until you reach a level where you can capsize your kayak in a place like Deception Pass, Washington, where tides and currents are strong. ...... 3 ...... Preparation—A kayak can only hold so much. Conrad spent a year dehydrating foods, and then shipping them and other supplies to remote post offices along the route. ...... 4 ...... Equipment—Wetsuit, navigation charts, compass, flare gun, bear spray, VHF radio, SPOT satellite tracker and a GPS (not a substitute for navigation charts, but a backup, because electronics can fail). Conrad includes a detailed gear list as an appendix to her book.
HARBO R S happenings HA RB O R S happenings H A R B O R S happenings
Roche Harbor Salmon Classic Photos: Matt Pranger
2ND PLACE WINNER
Tim Linderman of Bellingham, WA took home $5,000 for his second-place fish (15 lbs. 15 oz.).
1ST PLACE WINNER
Congratulations to derby winner Jerry Thomas (18 lbs. 12 oz.), and his fishing buddy Larry Quesnell, who held on to both 4th (13 lbs 4 oz.) and 5th place (12 lbs. 8 oz). Jerry’s winning fish was first fish weighed in on Friday and held on to the top spot and $10,000 the entire derby!
62
3RD PLACE WINNER Miles Harris of Federal Way, WA held third place by one ounce to put $3,000 in cash in his pocket.
HARBO Rwww.harborsmagazine.com S happenings HA RB O R S happenings H A R B O R S happenings
| HARBORS
HARBO RS happenings HA R B O R S happenings H A R B O R S happenings
HARBO RS happenings HA The R BSeaplane O R S happenings HARB O R S happenings HARBORS | and Boating Destination Magazine
63
64
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
Don’t Miss Our Next Issue May/June 2017
Connecting People, Places, Adventure and Lifestyle
HARBORS The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
Alaska Ultimate Safaris
Execujet Amphibian Floatplane
Bear Creek Winery
Waterfront Living Genoa Bay Marina
Vancouver Island, BC
USD $6.95 CAN $7.95
1
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
65
ANNUAL AUCTION!
SCLERODERMA FOUNDATION WASHINGTON EVERGREEN CHAPTER INVITES YOU TO OUR AUCTION AND HOLLYWOOD PARTY!
SATURDAY MAY 13, 2017 RAINIER GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB SEATTLE, WA
For Tickets and to View Auction Items, Visit http://scleroderma.maestroweb.com www.scleroderma.org/washington
Gift Cards Available Are you looking for a SMASHING and AWARD-WINNING Trade Show Exhibit or Display?
Dine, Play, Stay and Live.
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
www.dukeschowderhouse.com
Pacific Northwest Celebrity Chefs
featuring
Chef Kirsten Dixon
Chef Kirsten Dixon is an awardwinning chef, lodge owner and author, who has been living in the wilds of Alaska for more than 25 years. She owns Within the Wild Adventure Company along with her husband Carl and two daughters, Mandy and Carly. Together they operate three boutique wilderness lodges and a cooking school, all located in south-central Alaska. Kirsten has successfully built her culinary reputation on the coupling of two themes: world-class cuisine and America’s Last Frontier. Acclaimed by Bon Appetit, the James Beard House,
Food Illustrated, the House of Blues, and Esquire, among many reviewers, Kirsten’s elegant regional cuisine continues to generate international enthusiasm. Kirsten writes about food, travel and the art of hospitality. She believes that the most important reason to travel is to capture those small, perfect moments in life that can only come along by being in that place at that time. She is a passionate culinary student, educator, and an avid gardener. Kirsten spends most of her time at Winterlake Lodge, where she frequently teaches cooking classes in the
kitchen or gives tours of the herb garden. Kirsten was named the 2004 “Best Female Chef USA” for The Winterlake Lodge Cookbook at the Gourmand International Cookbook Awards. She attended Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris, and earned a master’s degree in gastronomy from Adelaide University in Australia. Kirsten continues to travel around the world in search of culinary inspiration and adventure. When she is at home, she works hard to share with her guests those experiences that inspire she and Carl to live in the Alaska wilderness.
Rockfish Fritters with Creamy Horseradish Dipping Sauce From the Tutka Bay Lodge Cookbook. Makes 24 fritters. Our creamy horseradish dipping sauce makes a nice accompaniment.
INGREDIENTS 4 small red potatoes Extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 bunch green onions, minced 1⁄2 yellow onion, peeled, halved, and minced 1 cup whole milk 1 pound rockfish, boned and skinned Salt and freshly ground black pepper Ground nutmeg 1 lemon, cut in half 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, minced Canola oil for frying 2 large eggs 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup panko Coarse sea salt (optional) Creamy Horseradish Dipping Sauce
1 cup sour cream Juice of 1⁄2 lemon 1⁄4 cup grated horseradish 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons chopped chives Salt and freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Heat a medium stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Wash the potatoes and quarter them. Boil the potatoes until they are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place the potatoes into a medium mixing bowl. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan. Add in the garlic, green onions, and yellow onion. Sauté over low heat until the onion is soft and translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add in the milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cut the fish up into pieces
that fit easily into your pan. Add the fish into the milk mixture. Poach the fish for about 5 to 7 minutes. 3. Lift the fish out of the milk mixture and place it in the bowl with the potatoes. Season the potatoes and fish with salt and pepper. Add in a few gratings of nutmeg, the juice of 1⁄2 lemon, and the parsley. Mix the mixture lightly. You can vary the texture of the batter here either by blending well or leaving it a little chunky. Add in one egg and mix well. Refrigerate the fish mixture for about 30 minutes. 4. In the meantime, bring the deep fryer up to 360°F. 5. Crack the other egg into a small mixing bowl and mix with a fork. Place the flour and panko separately into two small mixing bowls. 6. Shape about 1 ounce of the fish batter into a round ball. Dip the ball into the flour, then the egg, and finally the panko. Repeat with as many balls as you want to make. Drop one fish ball into the fryer to check the temperature. It will take about 2 to 3 minutes to cook, turning a light golden brown. Repeat. 7. Cut the remaining 1⁄2 lemon into wedges. Sprinkle the rockfish fritters with chunky sea salt if you prefer and serve with our creamy horseradish dipping sauce and lemon wedges.
Creamy Horseradish Dipping Sauce Place the sour cream, lemon juice, horseradish, garlic, mustard, vinegar, and chives into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to meld. Sauce can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2 to 3 weeks. Makes 1 cup of sauce.
The Winterlake Lodge Cookbook: Culinary Adventures in the Alaskan Wilderness In The Winterlake Lodge Cookbook, Kirsten divides the year into seasons, then commingles memoir and cooking lessons, inviting readers into this adventurous life. Lavishly illustrated with images of food, wildlife, and unsurpassable landscapes, this cookbook is as visually sumptuous as are her inspired recipes. Available on amazon.com “ For fans of good eating and the Alaskan wilds, Winterlake is as good as it gets.” – New York Post
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
69
Curiosities for Boat Cabin and Cottage by Tom Tripp
Inevitably, our love of the nautical world—and our boats, adventures and island homes—spills into our decorating sense. We’ve got some ideas to help you make your boat and cottage curiosities unique to you. Modern digitalproduction technology can take, for example, a nautical chart of your home waters, or your favorite vacation destination, and turn it into personalized clocks, furniture, dishware and entertainment. Here are some suggestions for you as you contemplate the lengthening daylight and coming warmer weather.
Underwater Relief No—this is nothing to do with drinking too much water to before you went swimming. This is a singularly unique way to explore the topography of the sea bottom around your coastal or island home, or home port. Raul Carranza at Bella Maps sells intricate, laser-cut 3-D maps of the sea bottom. These are beautiful bathymetric charts, carved in Baltic Birch wood in individual layers, which are then colored and assembled by hand. One of my favorites covers the San Juan Islands. The major depth gradients are labeled, as are the more wellknown coves and harbors. It’s a big piece—24.5 by 31 inches—and would be a great way for youngsters and visitors to appreciate all the “hills and valleys” that lie beneath the serene surface of the water. The company currently offers more than 80 different maps, so the odds are they have you covered. The maps come framed in dark-stained sassafras wood frames with clear acrylic, the standard “glass” for fine artwork. There’s also an LED backlighting option. Your map will arrive on your doorstep ready to hang, with all the hardware attached. You can see some examples at Bella Maps’ website: www.3dwoodmaps.com. 70
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
A Puzzling Approach Perhaps you need something to while away the hours on a rainy day or dark late-winter evening. So let’s take another map of your home waters and turn it into a jigsaw puzzle. These come from that other northern state with evergreen islands and cold, dark water: Maine. Designs by BDB makes several unique items and I’d love to run through their website with an open checkbook, but one thing I’ve personally enjoyed is the custom jigsaw puzzle. Mine is made from the NOAA nautical chart of my home peninsula and I must say, there’s nothing like having to figure out which numbered buoy goes where to really learn about an area. You can pick which NOAA chart you’d like and they’ll make a highquality puzzle just for you. It’s a great gift, but don’t forgo the chance to get one or two for your own coffee table. Check out the puzzles and some other special possibilities, like tray tables, clocks, coasters, cutting boards, pillows, and another favorite of mine—the custom logbook, with covers made from your local map. Check them out at www.designsbybdb.com. The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
71
Curiosities for Boat Cabin and Cottage (continued)
Enjoy the Coast(ers) A classy way to dress up drinks on the boat deck, or the house deck for that matter, is with marble coasters from Screencraft Tileworks. Again, you can choose your map, but this time put it on a beautiful set of marble coasters. They really are marble, imported from the Mediterranean; not some polymer that will warp and fade. The tiles are cut and tumbled, then cleaned. The maps are imprinted with durable inks and can be made with maps that cover nearly any address in the US and Canada. Screencraft also sells clocks made with the marble tiles. In fact, you can pick a map you like and have it made, using marble tiles of various sizes as large as 10 inches, into trivets, coasters that can be printed as identical images or as elements of a mural, or both time and tide clocks. Have a look at the various ways you can put your nautical neighborhood on marble tile at www.screencraftgifts.com. (If you place an order, add the promo code “HARBORS” and you’ll receive free shipping.)
72
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
PUZZLE SOLUTION (complete puzzle on page 82)
HAR B OR S
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
73
Destinations
Seaplane & Boating
Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes, San Juan Island, WA
Hidden in the center of Washington’s San Juan Island, is one of the state’s best-kept secrets: Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes. Accessible by ferry, private boat or floatplane, this island resort is located on 82 acres between Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, which is the second-largest of the more than 400 islands that make up the archipelago. Lakedale is a wonderful destination for workshops, meetings and retreats, providing a motivating setting in which to have fun and accomplish your goals. Friday Harbor Seaplanes offers scheduled flights during the season, which adds additional excitement and adventure to the start and end of any trip to the islands. The resort takes its name from the 74
| HARBORS
three lakes located on the property. They are Neva Lake, Dream Lake and Fish Hook Lake. All three lakes are shallow and warm up quickly on summer days, making swimming one of the most popular sports. (The summer water temperature in Puget Sound averages 52 degrees, so the inland lakes are a true joy!) Lakedale offers a variety of activities in addition to swimming, including fishing and canoeing. Guests can rent boats and fish. Neva Lake is stocked with Kamloops and rainbow trout; Dream Lake and Fish Hook Lake have resident largemouth bass. There is also a small sand beach for sunbathing or launching rental paddle boats. Take a short trip into Friday Harbor and you’ll find a wide variety of adventures to undertake, including
www.harborsmagazine.com
by AJ Hunt
whale watching, sea kayaking, saltwater fishing, bicycling, wine tasting and browsing art galleries. The resort features a variety of accommodations, including a ten-room lodge, private log cabins, canvas cabins for an extraordinary “glamping” experience, and camping. For a particularly memorable vacation, stay in one of the resident Airstream trailers. Lakedale welcomed its first Airstream trailer in 2009, and more recently introduced a fully renovated 1978 Excella. Located on a scenic lakefront campsite, this retro accommodation is available May through September. Its amenities include a double bed; a kitchenette with a cooktop, refrigerator and microwave; a dinette table with extended sofa that converts into a
full-size sleeping option for kids or guests; a TV/DVD player; private bathroom with shower, toilet, vanity and sink; and heat and air conditioning. Airstream guests are invited to a complimentary continental breakfast in the campground mess tent. Guests at the lodge are invited to a complimentary breakfast in the dining room. Choose from a daily egg dish, Lakedale signature granola, hearty oatmeal, Greek yogurt, pancakes, choice of cereals, fresh fruit, English muffins and various breads, peanut butter and jams, coffee, hot chocolate, teas and juice, all served by the cheerful staff. In-room amenities are offered in four distinct lodge guestrooms: luxurious lake-view rooms that offer either two full-size beds or one queen bed; deluxe rooms with a lake view and a wet bar; and a two-room suite with a woodland view. All rooms in the lodge have a gas fireplace, a deck or balcony, and jetted tubs. You can also to enjoy the resort’s DVD library, which offers a wide selection of complimentary DVDs. On a sunny day, the large open deck off the lodge is the perfect setting to relax on cushioned deck furniture and unwind. The main lodge has a refreshing, rustic island ambiance with a comfortable sitting area that sports a wine bar and cozy fireplace. It’s perfect for sitting inside on an occasional rainy day, but when the sun is out you will have an abundance of opportunity to explore the property in and out of the water.
Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes 4313 Roche Harbor Road Friday Harbor, WA 98250 360.378.2350 www.lakedale.com The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
75
Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa, Central Saanich, BC
At the time, it struck us as odd. After telling several people about our upcoming visit to the Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa, they all said the same thing: “Make sure you try the sushi!” So upon our arrival, we tried it at a fireside table with a great view, accompanied by a nice British Columbia Pinot Gris—and we quickly understood what the fuss was about. The sushi was fresh and delicious; the preparation was impeccable, as was the service in the Dining Room. What I’m even happier to say is there are many other things to love about Brentwood Bay. (That includes those of you who don’t yearn for sushi—the menu that rainy evening 76
| HARBORS
included seafood, chicken, pork, beef, lamb and a vegetarian gnocchi.) Nestled along the bay it is named for, Brentwood Bay features 33 well-appointed rooms, along with one of Canada’s best spas, a yearround pool and hot tub, and its own private marina. We settled into a Deluxe OceanSuite with a king-size bed, a fireplace, two comfy leather chairs and floor-toceiling windows that provide a view of the bay from the jetted soaking tub. Like every other room, we had a private terrace furnished with table and chairs. While my companion was pampered in the spa—which has its own
www.harborsmagazine.com
by Russ Young
poolside lounge and fireplace—I explored the property. The hotel was built 11 years ago, but is maintained with such care that it looks brand-new. That’s why it’s even more surprising that a major refresh of the rooms and common areas began last year. The decor is both contemporary and casually elegant, while feeling inviting and comfortable. The extensive use of glass and natural wood keeps guests in touch with the natural beauty of the setting. The entire building is a gallery for Canadian artists; everything on display is available for sale. As I chatted with hotel employees, I kept hearing words like “family,”
“culture,” “warmth” and “human element.” Actions speak louder than words—and the staff demonstrates that these are no buzzwords; they truly enjoy their work, and appreciate each other. Although Central Saanich is 20 minutes from the heart of Victoria, Brentwood Bay offers unique access to one of the area’s major attractions: Butchart Gardens. You can make a visit even more memorable by taking the resort’s EcoCruising boat to the gardens’ back entrance—often referred to as the “VIP entrance”— avoiding a wait in line that can be up to an hour during the summer. The boat is also used for tours of the bay, Saanich Inlet and the surrounding shores. The marina also offers kayaking and scuba diving. If you come on your own boat to stay ashore, or intend to stay aboard, there are 50 slips. There are washrooms with showers, a laundry facility and a fitness room on the dock. Back inside, you’ll find the Brentwood Pub, which is a favorite of friendly local residents. We found it well suited to enjoying a Sunday-morning Caesar—when in Canada, treat yourself to the north-of the border version of a Bloody Mary—while discussing hockey and football with a genial bartender. We hung around long enough to take in a casual meal, complete with a fine selection of BC beers and wines. We recommend taking an opportunity to visit the Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa, and enjoying everything it offers. (Oh—and don’t forget to try the sushi!)
Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa 849 Verdier Avenue Victoria, BC V8M 1C5 250.544.2079 www.brentwoodbayresort.com The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
77
The Majestic Inn and Spa, Anacortes, WA
The town of Anacortes, Washington is known to many as a maritime destination ... and as the main entrance to the San Juan Islands. It is a historic and scenic town with 360-degree views of Puget Sound and mountains. Located in the heart of Old Town Anacortes, the Majestic Inn and Spa is conveniently located just a short walk away from Anacortes Museum and Maritime Heritage Center, the Cap Santé Boat Haven, the Anacortes Community Theatre and Cap Sante Park—all within one mile of the Cap Sante Marina. It’s a refined retreat. Each of the Majestic’s rooms and suites provide a partial or full view of the 78
| HARBORS
Guemes Channel, the San Juans, Mt. Baker, historic downtown Anacortes, Fidalgo Bay and/or the Cap Sante Marina. Inside them you’ll find the sort of tastefully appointed amenities one expects from an upscale boutique hotel. A full-service spa, a steam room and a 24-hour fitness center are available at this smoke-free inn. There’s free WiFi in the public areas; free selfparking is also provided. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the 5th Street Bistro, and there is a full bar that’s home to a terrific happy hour. The Rooftop Lounge offers wine, beer and cocktails ... and magnificent views, both
www.harborsmagazine.com
by AJ Hunt
during the day and after dark. (Don’t worry about the evening chill; there are space heaters and a firepit, as well as blankets.) All 52 rooms offer free WiFi, minibars, and LCD TVs with cable channels. Other amenities available to guests include DVD players, room service and premium bedding. In a world filled with stressful demands on your body and time, you won’t be disappointed with the award-winning Apothecary Spa. Visiting mariners are welcome to enjoy the relaxation of several spa treatments on site. The Apothecary provides a unique path to wellness through services, workshops
and professional care—all within a relaxed and nurturing environment that inspires a healthy attitude toward life. The team will take care of you with professional, quality care that is likely to keep you coming back. Another feature of the Majestic is the grand ballroom, which is wellsuited for events and weddings. And if you’re looking for a more intimate space to celebrate with family and friends, the Majestic features six indoor and outdoor event spaces designed to accommodate parties of varying sizes. The building itself, originally known as the McNaught Building, was built by the McNaught Land Co. in the late 1800s in anticipation of Anacortes becoming a booming railroad metropolis. Not only did Anacortes fail in that regard, but the city’s business district shifted to across town. So the building was moved in 1904, pulled by horses to its present location. It then spent nearly 80 years as home to the Anacortes Mercantile Company, before eventually falling into disrepair, being condemned and scheduled for demolition. Saved by a new owner and conversion into a hotel in 1983, the building was gutted by fire in 2001, when a cat knocked over a space heater in the library. Local investors repaired and renovated the building before it was sold and re-opened in 2001 under its current name. As a destination Anacortes has much to offer—and your stay at the Majestic Inn and Spa will add some wonderful memories of your visit.
Majestic Inn & Spa 419 Commercial Avenue Anacortes, WA 98221 www.majesticinnandspa.com 360.299.1400 877.370.0100 The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
79
HARBORS A D V E NTUR E S
REWARD YOURSELF AND FRIENDS WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME!
LET US CUSTOM BUILD A FISHING, SPA OR WILDLIFE RETREAT, YOUR GROUP WILL NEVER FORGET … From luxurious resort spas to rustic fishing lodges, it all depends on what you are looking for ...
There are so many lodges and resorts out there that it is hard to decide which one is right for your group. Let us help make your adventure plans easier and customized to what you want to do and spend. We have great partnerships with lodges and resorts in WA, BC and AK.
Call for a quote today!
Each unique package will give you the experience you want at the best price available. All packages are inclusive with seaplane airfare out of Seattle or Vancouver, meals, boats, tackle and lodging.
Host a group of 5 or more and your trip is FREE (some restrictions may apply)
80
Just tell us what you want and we will do all the research and planning for you. We handle groups from 5 to 20+. We can customize your meals and activities to satisfy all your hospitality needs.
HARBORS Adventures | adventures@harborsmagazine.com | 360.821.1047
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
GHNWHarborMagAd16F.ai 1 11/21/16 11:12 AM
A full-service graphic design firm in Seattle, WA
advertising, art, boat graphics, books, blogs, e-books, branding, identity, illustration, finanicial reports, flyers, magazines, marketing material, newsletters, photography, retouching, signage, stationery, wall decor, web design
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
www.level29.com 206 343 7916 karen@level29.com
K
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
81
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Solution on page 73
HAR BOR S
ACROSS: DOWN: 3 Home of Roche Harbor 8 Tug boats made in Washington 11 Largest seaplane operator in BC 16 Capital of Alaska 17 The back of a vessel 18 Island off Nanaimo 20 Coho and chinook 21 Strait of _____________ 22 Seaplane activity 25 Harbour in Gulf Islands 26 Where boaters cook 27 Sound of the Discovery Islands 28 Popular shellfish 29 The right side of a vessel 82
| HARBORS
www.harborsmagazine.com
1 2 4 5 6 7 9 10 12 13 14 15 18 19 23 24 25
Boston Great BC snow skiing Largest park in Alaska Alaskan crabs Where one buys boating gear Strait by Port Hardy Home of the Flying Otter Grill Transportation to a floating lodge Famous BC Gardens SE Alaska cruise-ship destination A small paddle vessel A way to cook salmon Seaplane dock on Salt Spring Island Canadian marine transporter Largest resort on Orcas Island Sand dwellers A popular seaplane model
Two New
Neighbor hoods
Open
PLAY in Port Ludlow...
It’s All Here. THE RESORT AT PORT LUDLOW, is nestled on the shores of the Puget Sound, less than 10 minutes from the west
end of the Hood Canal Bridge. The Resort is home to beautiful residential neighborhoods, a 37-room boutique waterfront inn, a 300-slip marina, and a championship 18-hole golf course, recognized as the “Most Scenic in the World” by Esquire Magazine. Whether you’re looking for a get-away or a new place to call home, explore Port Ludlow.
golf.
marina.
inn.
home.
THE RESORT OFFERS: • • • • •
Free shuttle from the marina to the golf course 26 miles of hiking trails Kayak, boat, and stand-up paddle board rentals Food & beverage served all day at The Fireside Farm-to-table dining
PORT LUDLOW WASHINGTON
Chartered flights from Lake Union and Bothell on
www.PortLudlowResort.com | 1.800.455.0272
W E C A N TA K E Y O U H E R E You’re not just buying a boat, you’re joining our family.
Learn more at:
RangerTugs.com Tugnuts.com