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PHOTO CREDITS Gordon Baron, pgs. 14-21 Terry W. Sheely, pgs. 22-23, 24 top, 25 top, 26 bottom, 28 Sandi Calvert, pg. 24 bottom, pg. 27 bottom R.E. Johnson, pg. 25 bottom John Yeager, pg. 26 top, 27 top, 28 bottom right
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Welcome to HARBORS The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
A Note from the Publisher
Harbor Lights Greetings, Spring is fully here—and we’re all starting to get ready for adventures in the Pacific Northwest. Boats are being prepared to go back in the water, while fishing tackle is coming out of storage in anticipation of the upcoming seasons. “Salmon, halibut or crab tonight?” will be asked more and more as dinner plans are made. Vacations that were planned months in advance grow closer by the day. The spectacular beauty of Alaska, British Columbia and Washington will be revealing itself to visitors from the region, from far-reaching corners of the US and Canada, and from all over the world. And the team here at HARBORS Magazine shares that excitement about spring (and summer!), although we have a bit of a confession to make: here in the Seattle area we had record rainfall this winter. So, like so many Pacific Northwesterners, we left the region for some winter sunshine. Business Director George Bivoino and I spent a sun-drenched week in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Art Director Anika Colvin and family headed to Maui, as did Editor Russ Young and his girlfriend. As much as we all truly love living north of the 45th Parallel, we do need to get away sometimes! But now we’re back, and our full attention is on the wonders of the Pacific Northwest. Our May/June edition has plenty of ideas for destinations and adventures you might want to consider this year, or in the future. This issue will take you fishing in Wrangell, AK; on a historic visit to Bella Coola, BC; and mooring at the Bremerton (WA) Marina. We are also celebrating 30 years of innovation of the work done by Long Live the Kings in preserving the salmon runs in Puget Sound. Wherever you decide to explore this spring, we want to remind everyone to please practice safety first and to keep our waters healthy. Think about the environment and the wildlife that share these waters, and do your part to protect them and keep them around for future generations to enjoy! In the spirit of the Pacific Northwest, safe travels and enjoy the journey.
Scan to Subscribe Katherine S. McKelvey Publisher
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2016 May/June
Features
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Bella Coola Waterfront
22
Wild Wrangell Alaska
30
Long Live the Kings
34
Air-Hart Aviation
40
Travel Maps
46
On the Waterfront
54
Port of Bremerton
68
Gear Guide
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Seaplane & Boating Destinations
A Journey through Time
A Place Yet to be Discovered Celebrating 30 Years of Innovation Seaplane Pilot Training and Tours Pacific Northwest Coastal Waterways Kirkland, WA
No Longer Just a Navy Town
(photo by Phillips/Baron)
Cover Photo: Barry and Irene McPhee’s motor vessel Honu from Maui, entering the marina in Bella Coola, BC.
Watts on the Boat! Vancouver, BC • Gig Harbor, WA • Orcas Island, WA
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A Journe y throu gh Time
Bella Coola Waterfront by Cindy Phillips and Gordon Baron
L
ocated 280 air-miles north of Vancouver, BC, the remote fishing village of Bella Coola has been home to the First Nations “Nuxalk” people for thousands of years. It wasn’t until the summer of 1793 that this area was mapped and charted by European explorers Capt. George Vancouver and Sir Alexander Mackenzie, thus opening up this hidden jewel to the outside world. In the fall of 1894, a colony of Norwegians came from Minnesota and Wisconsin to settle in the Bella Coola valley; the landscape reminded some of them of their families’ original homesteads in Norway. The government granted the Norwegians 160-acre plots of land to cultivate. Some could not handle the extreme living conditions that first winter, and left on the next steamship out to Vancouver. But the majority stayed, and made a living from fishing, farming and logging. And so the Norwegian settlement of Hagensborg was created.
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Commercial fishing on the west coast of British Columbia started to boom in the late 19th century; hundreds of salmon canneries were built on the coast, employing thousands of people. This started an economic boom for small coastal communities, and Bella Coola was no exception. Boatloads of people and supplies moved into the harbor front. Bella Coola Cannery was built in 1900, on the south side on North Bentinck Arm. A few years later, a mile-long pier was constructed on the north side of the estuary for an easier access to carry supplies up the valley by horse and wagon. In 1953, the people of Bella Coola constructed their own road through the steep mountain valleys to the interior, forming British Columbia’s third outlet to the Pacific Ocean (the “Gateway to Adventure”). Over the years, the economy has changed, but Bella Coola’s main source of income is still from the ocean. In summer months the waterfront comes alive with boats and sports fishing enthusiasts. The government’s Harbor Front has increased dock space for boats, and enlarged the boat-ramp area to handle the increasing number of boats and trailers coming from the interior of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Mountains in the Bella Coola Valley and the steep fjords of North Bentinck Arm, Labouchere and Burke Channels create their own weather systems, bringing summer inflow winds to the harbor’s waterfront. Commercial fishing boats and pleasure boats must be prepared to handle the afternoon rough sea conditions getting to the fishing grounds. Left: The Bella Coola Cannery, built in 1900 and Bella Coola Cannery net loft in 2015. Right: Kayaking the ruins of the one-mile pier.
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Over the decades, the weekly commercial fishing openings for gillnet boats have been cut from five days of fishing to one or two days a week. To diversify their income, the fishermen began sport fishing with their gillnet boats for the rest of the week. On Wednesdays, they load their fishholding tanks with ice from the commercial ice plant and head off for fourday sports-fishing adventures on the open ocean. As the fish move, so do they, so the boats come back loaded with seafood. The totes are loaded into the back of pickups and are taken to Bella Coola Valley Seafoods to cut and package the catch. This unique fishing adventure is not for everyone, but when you see the smiles on their faces unloading fish, you know they will be back next year and the year after. Spending extra time in Bella Coola is a must. Visitors arrive by Pacific Coastal Airlines from Vancouver on daily flights, from BC ferries in a roundabout way from Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, drive in from BC’s interior, or cruise in with their boats to the Government Wharf. A charter flight from Bella Coola Air was high priority on our list. Flying through the valley and over the tops of the 7,000-foot-plus glaciated mountain peaks or over the Bella Coola estuary, out the fjords to the white-sand beaches of Calvert Island, is stunning. The village of Hagensborg is ten miles inland from Bella Coola. A visit to the village and up valley to Tweedsmuir Park was also on our priority list. Drifting down the river, viewing the bears in their natural habitat or watching grizzlies from the BC Parks platform was a thrilling wildlife experience. It was also an Opposite: As the St. Augsburg United Church is being built in 1904, the Ovesen family is moving hay from their field. The church, in 2015.
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Above: Historic fantail motor yacht “Thea Foss” visiting Bella Coola. Steamship tied up on the waterfront at Bella Coola Cannery.
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historical learning experience seeing the old homesteads, restored homes of the Norwegian families and visiting the 1800s-era Norwegian Heritage House Museum with guide Peter Solhjell. At the Rip Rap Campground in Hagensborg, you can stay in an original Norwegian home of one of the first settlers in the valley. Owners Jim and Amber Knudsen have transformed the 1890 home of the Ovesen family into accommodations for visitors. The scenery around the homestead is spectacular with the Bella Coola River on one side, and glaciated mountain peaks and St. Augsburg Church in the background on the other side. During lunch in the Valley Restaurant in Bella Coola we could hear chatter from the round table. This table is set aside for the locals to eat, have coffee and share their stories of the day. Visitors are welcome to listen in and share stories. It’s one more example of Bella Coola offering everything you need for the memorable wilderness adventure in the air, over land or at sea. It is a journey through time.”
If you go: Pacific Coastal Airlines www.pacificcoastal.com 250.392.2225
Rip Rap Campground www.riprapcamp.com 250.982.2752
Bella Coola Air www.bellacoolaair.com 250.982.2545
Pacific’s Edge Charters 604.444.4678
Bella Coola Car Rentals 250.982.2146
Kynoch Adventures www.bcmountainlodge.com 866.982.2298
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Wild Wrangell Alaska by Terry W. Sheely
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J
ohn hands me a salt-crusted hatchet, nods at the blue glacier and says to chop off a chunk for my drink: “It’s the coldest ice you’ll ever have.” That was either before or after (there was so much going on I lost track) tightening a seatbelt for a wide-eyed jet boat ride, bonking double-digit king salmon, watching bears gorge and spotting garnets in a cliff wall, Renowned water-colorist/jet-boat guide Brenda Schwartz-Yeager is at the helm. She takes her jet boat— replete with hot-rod blue flames— roaring up shallow shifting channels around unseen gravel bars into the Stikine River, one of the most powerful flows in North America. This is a Wrangell I was not expecting. A flannel-shirted, rubber-booted port town in Southeast Alaska, Wrangell sits on the northwest tip of Wrangell Island, hundreds of miles south of the hacksaw peaks in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Five miles away is a 16-mile delta of glacial slurry where 330 miles of the powerful Stikine River gushes into saltwater. It’s North America’s fastest free-flowing navigable river. In spring and fall the delta fills with thousands of migrating birds—120 species, I’m told—and the April concentration of eagles is the second-largest in the world. It’s a magnet for carnivores. In spring when The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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the Stikine is washing out a smorgasbord of winter dead and spawning “hooligans” (smelt) it attracts the greatest concentration of bald eagles in North America, along with 500 Steller sea lions, and countless seals, harbor porpoises, black and grizzly bears, and wolves. At the mouth we’re 35 miles downriver from British Columbia and a 200-mile boat run to a bellychurning gorge where mountain goats cling to 1,000-foot vertical walls above a maelstrom. With a population of 2,300, the town is small enough to be out of the congestion and trinket shops of mega-cruise ships (small cruise ships land here), and big enough to have scheduled airline service, 15 B&Bs and hotels, ten charter outfitters, and a visitor center. And there’s more outdoor recreation than I can pack into a week with John Yeager’s Alaska Charters & Adventures. Wrangell is in a place yet to be discovered by time, tourists and destination fishermen. It’s old-school Alaska, a place that Ohio-born John Yeager found a decade ago, and where he launched his fishing business, married artist Brenda Schwartz and now lives to hunt salmon in Sumner Strait or between the mist-wrapped islands. Both Brenda and John run charter trips. John concentrates on salt- and freshwater fishing; Brenda jets up to the Anan Bear Observatory to watch the black and brown bears gorging on salmon. She also leads nature trips describing the Stikine’s glaciers, tributaries and wildlife; Tlingit native history; gold and garnet mines; and historic Hudsons’ Bay Company settlements. Brenda also shuttles kayakers into a wild slice of North America. And she fishes. Wrangell Island has its share of adventures. There are 100 miles of graveled road for mountain biking. You can hike, camp, fish in small The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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streams, photograph wildlife and pick succulent berries. One of Wrangell’s biggest draws is the concentration of bears and birds in Anan Creek, 35 miles southeast of town in the Tongass National Forest. Accessible by boat and floatplane, then a half-mile walk, the Anan Wildlife Observatory is worldrenowned for bear viewing. Black and grizzly bears, hundreds of eagles, seals, otters and other proteincraving wildlife are attracted to one of the largest pink-salmon feasts in Alaska. The big predators rarely pay attention to two-legged visitors. If bears are on your agenda, plan to visit in July and August when salmon surge up Anan Creek. Federal permits and reservations are required; charter outfits can make arrangements. That timeline also dovetails into Wrangell’s July-September peak for silver and pink salmon, halibut and ling cod, and freshwater cutthroat, Dolly Varden and salmon. Stikine kings salmon are huge: 30- to 50-pounders. The best success comes at the front edge of summer, in May and June. I was there in July, but John still put us into several double-digit kings. A regional Chinook enhancement hatchery program provides Wrangell anglers with one of the most liberal non-resident king areas in the state. Most of Southeast has a conservative Chinook limit for nonresidents of one per day. However, in the Stikine Delta area between May 1 and July 15 non-residents are allowed two kings per day and six in possession. Kings in this area weigh from the low 20’s to 50-plus pounds. John’s first love is king salmon— big kings. His 35-foot sport-fisherman, Timber Wolf, is set up for salmon and halibut, but refined for kings with a roomy back deck for long fish fights; downriggers; new electronics; twin 250-hp outboards; comfortable seating; a refrigerator; coffeemaker; The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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and a cabin heater. My fishing partner Jim Goerg and I are trolling the deep-water rocks off Elephant Nose, towing flashers and plastic squid for silvers, hoping to pull a late king off the wall. We’re close enough to the bank to see bears, moose and black-tailed deer. The fish finder marks a small ball of bait, and then the bigger blob of a salmon, tracking the herring. We’re riveted to the game of tag-and-eat until someone happens to look at the rods and yell “fish on!” A silver is rolling across the surface in the wake, wrapped in flasher and leader. Day Two is dedicated to Brenda and her flaming blue jet-boat; we’re about to get a Stikine adventure. The river mouth is a shifting delta with a twisting swath of gray glacial water gushing at 20,000 cubic feet per second into the transparent blue salt chuck. Upriver are the Boundary Mountains marking the US/Canada line. A monstrous ice field encases peaks from south of Wrangell to the Fairweather Mountains above Glacier Bay National Park. With long blonde hair flying, Brenda hurtles around bends between walls of hemlock, spruce and the white skeletons of dead trees, dodging drifting chunks of blue ice, and looking for moose and bears. We slide past several remote and mostly empty Forest Service rental cabins. Brenda noses the boat into willows and sends the boat dog on bear patrol. It’s gorgeous trout water. In August when a fresh run of silvers hits here the light-tackle action is explosive, John says. Back on the main river we travel through wild Alaska, zig-zagging and snacking on smoked sockeye and Dungeness crab. We skitter around a bend and—poof!—we’re into Chief Shakes Lake. Floating icebergs clog our route; some are the size of trucks. Brenda noses the jet boat up to a berg. We climb out with
a hatchet, and return with ice that’s older than all of us combined and dense beyond description. In the afternoon, I watch through snifters of steam for moose while soaking in a 120-degree hot spring. The next day we take a serious shot at kings. Mist has flattened the water, clouds hang in swags and hide mountain tops. We slide into the Narrows—a tight fjord where moose, bears, deer, and wolves occasionally swim. I’m staring at an eagle on the starboard side when the port rod bounces, jerks free of the downrigger and folds over. Jim takes on a 25-pound king that ate a chrome-and-red Hot Spot flasher towing one of John’s tail-less herring baits. “We’ll keep looking,” John says. “Should be a big one around here somewhere.” www.wrangellalaskafishing.com The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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Long Live the Kings Celebrating 30 Years of Innovation by Natasha Dworkin
1986 1986 was, in many ways, a year of technological firsts. Voyager completed the first nonstop circumnavigation of the earth by air. The United Kingdom and France announced plans to construct the Channel Tunnel. Matt Groening created the Simpsons. Here in the Northwest, Expo 86 took place in Vancouver, highlighting leadingedge innovations in transportation and communication. Microsoft held its initial public offering of shares of stock. In a rain-soaked corner of southeastern Washington, work was beginning on another first. A group of salmon enthusiasts, wondering if hatcheries might be reimagined as part of the solution to declining salmon runs, broke ground on a pioneering new type of salmon hatchery. The Wishkah River Hatchery’s central program, aimed at restoring wild Chinook in the Chehalis Basin, would also serve to answer a new question: Could a 30
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hatchery, working in concert with habitat recovery, help rebuild wild salmon populations and support sustainable fisheries? Bill Wilkerson, director of the Washington State Fisheries Department at that time, referred to the Wishkah Hatchery as “the wave of the future.” That early project on the Wishkah would set a precedent for a new way of managing hatcheries to help recover Northwest salmon. Those initial questions posed by the project’s founders would form the basis for a new nonprofit called Long Live the Kings (LLTK), which would eventually grow to include two additional conservation hatcheries, on Washington’s Hood Canal and Orcas Island. What makes at least two of these hatchery programs unique is their use of wild salmon as broodstock. Adult fish are harvested as they return upstream toward their spawning grounds to be used as sources for eggs.
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1990 Those eggs are then reared in the protected environment of LLTK’s hatcheries, which, unlike more traditional steel-and-concrete facilities, mimic the experiences of fish in the wild, with earthen ponds and natural offchannel rearing areas. By rearing in this protected environment, young salmon are better equipped to handle the myriad challenges they face after being released back into their natal streams. The result is more fish surviving, and thus returning home to spawn. This means that, ultimately, there are more salmon available to support sustainable fishing, without jeopardizing wild populations. The success of LLTK’s three hatcheries, led the organization to spearhead, in 1996, a major independent rethink of the region’s vast salmon-hatchery programs. The Puget Sound Hatchery Reform Project tasked an independent science panel from leading agen-
cies and universities to investigate the status of Puget Sound salmon hatcheries, and make recommendations to managers about how these facilities could be better leveraged to restore wild fish and provide sustainable fishing, all without further threatening weak populations. The effort is credited with dramatically changing and improving the ways that Washington’s hatchery system (the largest in the nation) is managed. Long Live the Kings is now celebrating its 30th anniversary. The organization’s two conservation hatcheries, on Hood Canal and Orcas Island (management of the Wishkah River Hatchery was returned to the state in 2007), continue to serve as innovative fish-rearing laboratories, as emergency rooms for imperiled fish, and as centers for community involvement and education. But LLTK’s scope of work and impact on salmon recovery has grown far beyond the important contributions of these foundational projects. The organization now works closely with state, federal and tribal partners on a multitude of scientific research projects, salmon-recovery planning and community outreach efforts, and the development and implementation of many new management tools. In 2005, LLTK partnered with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish the Hood Canal Steelhead Project. The project is the first-of-its-kind experimental study to assess the effectiveness of low-impact, innovative wild steelhead supplementation techniques in streams throughout the Hood Canal basin, where sufficient habitat exists to support much larger wild steelhead populations than currently survive. As a co-founding lead of the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project, a massive US-Canadian partnership begun in 2013, which seeks to improve understanding about salmon in Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia,
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2015
LLTK has broadened its mandate to address salmon recovery in an international context. Over three decades, LLTK has grown from a single communitybased salmon enhancement project on a coastal river to become an international leader in salmon science, management and recovery. The organization celebrated these accomplishments, along with 200 supporters and friends, at their Spring Fling, a festive benefit dinner held at the Seattle Aquarium on April 28. To connect with LLTK and view a gallery of event photos, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/longlivekings. To learn more about Long Live the Kings, including how you can get involved and support this important work, visit www.lltk.org.
Jacques White Executive Director of Long Live the Kings Jacques White grew up on Budd Inlet in Olympia, WA and spent most of his childhood either fishing or swimming. He earned bachelors’ degrees in Oceanography and Zoology from the University of Washington, a masters’ degree in Marine Science from Louisiana State University, and a PhD in Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Science from the University of Maryland. He has conducted research in the deep sea and along three major U.S. coastlines. For the last 20 years Jacques has worked on critical conservation issues in the Pacific Northwest, and has focused on being a catalyst for improved health of salmon and the ecosystems they share with people. As the executive director of Long Live the Kings, Jacques now works with the organization’s staff and board of directors to bring new approaches to solving complex endangered species and natural resource problems—combining leading-edge technology, engaging scientists and the best available science with stakeholder input to achieve positive outcomes and a lasting legacy for fish and people. Jacques serves on several committees and boards, providing support and guidance for Washington Sea Grant, the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council of the Puget Sound Partnership, and the Washington State Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office. In his spare time, Jacques enjoys travelling with his wife Beth Koutsky. They like hiking, fishing and crabbing in and around the Salish Sea, and sharing food with their adult children when they are visiting the area.
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Join us for our first annual VIP fishing derby. June 18-21, 2016, on Vancouver Island’s beautiful Esperanza Inlet. Hosted by Nootka Marine Adventures at the new Newton Cove Resort. Enjoy world-class fishing and luxury accommodations while competing with 40 of Long Live the Kings’ most generous donors for more than $25,000 in prizes. You‘ll get an insider’s view from LLTK staff on our work to restore wild salmon and steelhead and provide sustainable fishing in the Salish Sea. Funds raised will directly support our efforts.
For all the details, call Daniel Poppe at 206.382.9555, x21 www.lltk.org
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Air-Hart Aviation by Pat Awmack
T
he city of Kelowna—located in south-central British Columbia—lies on the shores of Okanagan Lake. A mecca for boaters, it is surrounded by provincial parks, high-altitude lakes, forests and mountains. It’s also home to B.C.’s only certified flight school specializing in floatplane training, Air-Hart Aviation. The company’s owners, Dave Stein and Deb Beck, describe it as a small business with a family-like atmosphere. Deb states, “Many of our students come here for a month or more and we really get to know them. We’ve made friends with people from all over the world.” The business was in 1993 by original owner Trevor Erhardt, who had just retired from a career as a hockey player in Frankfurt, Germany. Before hearing the back-story of the company name, I originally wondered if it was a play on Earhart (as in Amelia). It wasn’t; I found out that Trevor chose to call it Air-Hart rather than use the more difficult spelling of his own last name. Fifteen years ago, Dave—who is originally from Alberta—completed his commercial pilot’s license at the school and said as he left, “One day I’m going to own this thing!” Deb, who he was dating at the time, thought he was joking, but approximately seven years later his prediction came true. While Deb is responsible for many of the logistics, including the weekly flying schedule, Dave is one of three full-time instructors. In addition, he
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is one of only three examiners in the country who are certified by Transport Canada to oversee floatplane testing. When asked why Kelowna is such a fantastic place to learn how to fly a floatplane, Dave explains, “We have everything from Lake Okanagan, which is 89 miles long, to tiny alpine lakes which are only 5,000- to 10,000feet long.” Landing on these smaller lakes offers advanced, real-life challenges which one might experience in a flying job. Students are introduced to situations such as high-density takeoffs and irregularly shaped lakes, such as one shaped like a candy-cane that requires maneuvering the curve while gathering speed. The instructors expose them to everything they can to keep them safe and help them learn to make good decisions. Dave explains that other factors contributing to the school’s ideal location are the varied topography which offers good practice for floatplane pilots who have to learn to fly using both their hands and feet, and the relatively mild year-round climate, which allows them to have the most flyable days in the country. Still, the school closes for a couple of months each winter due to temperatures that sometimes go below freezing. The business owns three planes: a Cessna 172 XP, a Cessna 180—both floatplanes—and a wheelplane, a Cessna 150. A number of different courses are offered. Pilots who are already licensed but are looking to gain their seaplane endorsement can take the seven-hour program, or they can further hone their skills in a 15-hour proficiency course. The most popular course at the school is the 50-hour bush-pilot program. Aimed at students who are seeking a career as a bush pilot, this course includes 25 dual hours and 25 solo hours. While many training courses don’t offer true solo time, Air-Hart does, as they believe it’s an important component in preparing for a career as The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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a bush pilot. Many bush pilots go on to successful careers with large airlines, as their bush experience is held in high esteem in the industry. Some students enroll for the complete commercial pilot’s course, while others are merely interested in attaining their private pilot’s license so they can fly their own plane. One of the school’s former students now teaches a seaplane course on a loch (lake) in Scotland—one of the few places in Europe to offer such training. They explain that their students who enroll in the advanced training really want to be full-time pilots. Dave stresses, “It’s a good time to be a float pilot right now. Due to older pilots retiring, there’s actually a shortage of experienced floatplane pilots; this has been the hiring season they’ve been promising for the last 20 years. While we obviously can’t guarantee employment, in the last couple of years, 100 percent of our grads who were seeking 38
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employment have got jobs.” While the flight school constitutes approximately 85 percent of the business, sightseeing tours and charters make up the rest. Planes are docked at the centrally located dock behind the Grand Okanagan Lakefront Resort, but tours can depart from any lakefront location in the area. They’re equally happy to pick you up from your beachfront campsite or houseboat. The most popular excursion is the 30-minute Kalamalka Lake Tour and Ogopogo Search. Flying over Okanagan Lake, passengers experience magnificent views of vineyards and orchards, and are told to keep their eyes peeled for a sighting of the mythical Ogopogo lake monster as they continue north to Kalamalka Lake. Named one of the ten most beautiful lakes in the world by National Geographic, this breathtaking marl lake changes color from dark blue to emerald green.
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Charters include fly-in fishing at alpine lakes, flights to nearby Osoyoos for wine-tasting, or special occasions such as delivering a bride to her beachside wedding. I sense that no request is considered too strange. While there are a number of private pilots living along the lake who have their own planes and docks, there isn’t a lot of dock space for floatplanes in Kelowna. Air-Hart will, if there’s space, allow private pilots to tie up at their dock. There is a rumor that a seaplane base may be built in Kelowna, but for now, that’s all it is—just a rumor. Both Dave and Deb express how much they love living in scenic British Columbia and it is apparent that they love the work they do. By training the pilots who can take you high above Canada—or you—as their own passenger, they help provide lasting memories of the region’s beauty. www.air-hart.com
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Ketchikan to Skagway
Alaska
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bC seaplane service*
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Neah Bay
Tatoosh I.
Bamfield
False Bay
Lopez Airport
Friday Harbor
Clallam Bay
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SAN JUAN ISLANDS
Lime Kiln Pt.
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Samish Bay
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Lake Samish
BELLINGHAM Lake Whatcom
Bellingham International Airport
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Blaine
Bellingham Bay
Sandy Pt. Lummi Bay Lummi I.
Sinclair I.
Cypress I.
Boundary Bay
Boundary Bay Airport
Richmond
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Sucia I.
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Pt. Doughty
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Miner’s Bay
GULF ISLANDS
Stuart I.
Moresby I.
Port Washington
Sechelt
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Galiano I.
Telegraph Harbour
Thetis I.
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MONTAGUE HARBOUR
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VICTORIA INTERNATIONAL N. & S. AIRPORT/PATRICIA BAY Pender Is.
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ISLAND
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INS NTA Arm
44 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
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Gulf Islands Vancouver Nanaimo Victoria Salt Spring Island
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Anacortes Bainbridge Island Bellingham Bremerton Clinton Coupeville Edmonds Fauntleroy Kingston Mukilteo Port Angeles Port Townsend Southworth Vashon Island
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SEATTLE
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Scatchet Pt.
Double Bluff Useless Bay Pt. No Point
Freeland
Port Gamble
Elliott Bay
Boeing Field
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id br
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Bangor
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Oak Harbor
Pt. Wilson
Bush Pt.
Hood Canal Br.
Port Ludlow
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NAS Whidbey Island
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Iceberg Pt.
Coupeville Penn
Port Townsend
Protection I.
Kiana Lodge
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Lake Samish
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Lake Stevens
Lake Goodwin
Skagit Bay
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On the Waterfront Waterfront Living in the Pacific Northwest
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52 Weeks of Vacation Kirkland, WA by Russ Young
Sometimes the best way to address a very complex task—for instance, designing your own home—is to establish a very simple core premise, then work your way out toward the details. At least that’s how Lisa and Dale Christian took on the process of designing their lakefront home in Kirkland, Washington. Their core premise was rather simple: they wanted a house that felt like coming home to a resort every day. “We thought that life can feel like being on vacation 52 weeks out of the year, instead of working all year in anticipation of spending two weeks off at a resort,” says Lisa. Architect Dave Thielsen (sidebar) recalls that Lisa came to an initial design session with a picture of the garden at a Japanese inn as inspiration. He points to the lakeside patio area and the home’s courtyard/entryway as evidence that the inspiration was translated to reality: “It’s a place of refuge, with calming spaces, while at the same time reflecting the way the family really lives.” Lisa likes to reiterate the latter when she shows visitors the house. “We thought a lot about details like coathooks, and cubbies for shoes and backpacks. Jackets don’t always get hung up in closets, and soccer cleats may not make it very far past the door. So we wanted to acknowledge The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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this is how we live.” To that end, there’s an area known as “comms central” for car keys, cell phones and posting reminder notes, and an “amazing” amount of storage space near the side door that the family generally enters through. (Dale and Lisa have two daughters—ages 19 and 14—which explains a lot about the importance of such details.) Visible coats and muddy shoes notwithstanding, it’s easy to be wowed by the Christian’s home. It is “Northwest Contemporary” in every sense of the word; natural wood and glass help in making a seamless transition from indoors to outdoors, and vice versa. Lisa points out that a livingroom ottoman matches the color of a Japanese maple on the patio, and that the sofa is the same color as the water. Sweeping views of 22-mile-long Lake Washington and the Seattle skyline make it easy to imagine relaxing in front of the fireplace or lounging along the lake. The couple’s desire to have a lakeside “resort” began in 1996, when they purchased a circa-1920s logand-rock cabin that was built on the site. The original home was a summer/weekend cabin for Seattleites who would take ferries across the lake to visit Kirkland. During that era, a steel mill was the center of activity in the town; millworkers lived on the bluff above Lisa and Dale’s home. In 2002, the Christians began working with Thielsen on a twoplus-year project to build their new home on the site. During the process, Lisa and Dale did something that sounds quite rare in this era of “McMansions”—they took approximately 1,000 square feet out of the home’s floor plan. “We realized that we wanted the ‘not-so-big home,’’’ she says. With three bedrooms and twoand-a-half baths, the main house is far from microhousing. The ground floor is largely an open plan, connecting the living room, dining area 48
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and kitchen with the outdoors and the water. There’s a side room that is one of the few carpeted spaces in the home, so their daughters and friends could spread out sleeping bags. (Pocket doors stood ready for those times when sleepovers and TVwatching got a little loud.) The kitchen is two steps up from the dining/bar area, in hopes of keeping guests out of the cooking area, while not building a wall to interrupt the spaciousness. However, there’s a huge island topped with heavily veined rainforest brown granite, with four stools and plenty of surface area to encourage doing homework, or just sitting and chatting. It’s shaped to be reminiscent of a ship’s bow; “I didn’t want a boring island,” Lisa says. The basement is another area dedicated to how the Christian family lives—lots and lots of storage, along with a workspace dedicated to “those projects that never seem to end.” Over the years, those projects have The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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varied from playing with Barbie dolls to working on school projects. There’s a wine cellar; its door is recycled from the original 1920s cabin. On the upper level, you’ll find what you would most likely expect to see: a master suite with a to-die-for view (from the bedroom, and the bathtub and shower); a walk-in dressing room with more than ample storage space; a fireplace; and a private deck. Walk across the lane from the main house and you’ll discover the auxiliary dwelling unit, heretofore known as the “ADU.” Or “ohana” (Hawaiian for “family dwelling”), “the pavilion,” or “the guest house.” “But never the ‘mother-in-law apartment,’” says Lisa. It’s a comfortable space above a spacious garage/storage area that is reminiscent of a loft apartment that Lisa rented while living in Chicago. (She’s originally from Iowa; Dale was born in Kentucky and raised in the nearby town of Medina, Washington.) Lisa can’t quite recall what her view was from the loft—“probably another building”—but the ADU features a panorama that she thinks is even better than that from the main house. There’s another roomy open living/ dining/cooking space in the ADU, along with a full bedroom and a three-quarters bath. The beams are recovered from a barn in Oregon; the tile is recycled glass, while the kitchen counter is poured concrete mixed with more recycled glass. The ADU is designed to accommodate a roof deck and/or solar panels, but those will be projects for a new owner, or owners—Dale and Lisa have decided that it’s time to “simplify” life a bit, so they’re currently in the market for another home on the east side of Lake Washington. The Kirkland house is now up for sale. However, she says they have a tenyear plan to build another home. It’s probably safe to say that the project will start with a simple premise ... most likely the pursuit of 52 weeks of “vacation” every year? 50
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Dave Thielsen, Principal Architect If you had to guess where architects come from, you might not say immediately say “South Dakota” or “Idaho.”Although Dave Thielsen was born in the former and educated in the latter, he’s likely to understand, and forgive you. A former carpenter who says he always loved art classes in school, he decided to connect his artistic side with his aptitude for construction after witnessing a serious construction accident and thinking about his future prospects. He received his architecture degree from the University of Idaho, and moved with his wife to Seattle for a rather unique reason: that’s as far as they could afford to go in a rental U-Haul truck. Upon arrival, he saw two architectural jobs in the classified ads, so he applied for—and was offered—both.
Dave founded his own firm in 1991, and has specialized in building waterfront homes, often dealing with steep slopes. (The Christian’s home is a prime example; the ADU required construction of a substantial retaining wall because of the nearly vertical hillside looming above it.) He enjoys dealing with the challenges and constraints of designing and building in such spaces. Dave also likes the design opportunities created by waterfront homes having “two fronts.” For him, engaging his clients in the design process is essential—“they’re always a part of the team. We help them make informed decisions; understanding how they live, and integrating it into the design,” he says. “It’s fun ... it’s so personal.”
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Port of Bremerton by Deane Hislop
It’s no longer just a Navy town, but it hasn’t forgotten its roots
S
ay “Bremerton, Washington” to Pacific Northwest boaters and most envision a U.S. Navy town, with the naval shipyard and the naval base with its “mothballed” fleet of decommissioned vessels. Several years ago the city began a revitalization project which included the waterfront and marina. What my wife Arlene and I have discovered is that a revitalized Bremerton has much to offer visiting boaters. Our visit began months before, at the Seattle Boat Show, as energetic Marina Manager Kathy Garcia was describing what we were missing by
not visiting Bremerton. By the end of our chat we were committed to spending a night or two. A few months later, as we approached the Bremerton Marina I hailed the marina on VHF channel 66A. Garcia’s cheerful voice welcomed us and provided our slip assignment for the next couple of nights. We guided Easy Goin’ around the southern end of the 1,440-foot-long floating breakwater and headed for our slip. We were pleased to discover generous fairways and oversize finger piers. We had been forewarned that a strong current flows through the
marina at times, so when we began to crab it didn’t catch us by surprise. Upon request the marina will have attendant at your slip to provide assistance with your lines. The Bremerton Marina is one of Puget Sound’s newer facilities, offering 221 permanent tenant berths, as well as room for between 80 and 100 guest boats. There is gated security, 30A/120V and 50A/240V power, water, spotless restrooms, free showers, laundry, garbage/recycling, dockside pumpout by appointment, complimentary Wi-Fi, two activity tents with grills and tables, and—
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when staff is available—a free shuttle to the grocery store and West Marine. The nearest fuel dock and fullservice boatyard are 1.5 miles across Sinclair Inlet at Port Orchard. Once you’re ashore, the Louis Mentor Boardwalk, with its flowers, water features, sculptures, restaurants, and tributes to the Navy and shipyard workers, meanders along the marina and waterfront. A Farmers’ Market is held every Sunday on the boardwalk, May through September. It’s also the site of weekend art-walks and city-hosted activities. Up a set of stairs from the marina and boardwalk is the Kitsap Conference Center Plaza, which houses not only the conference center but the Harborside Market, a Starbucks and a number of restaurants. Also above the marina is a Hampton Inn & Suites hotel, should you need a night on solid ground. It was lunch time when we arrived, so once Easy Goin’ was secure in the slip, we walked to nearby Boston Pizza & Deli. The aroma of garlic and basil coming from the kitchen is not the only thing we noticed when walking through the door. Owner Don Stauff and his recipes come from Boston and it’s readily apparent he’s a big Red Sox fan from all the memorabilia hanging on the walls. If you’re not in the mood for a pizza, we recommend trying a calzone or a sub sandwich. If authentic deli food is not your thing, there is no shortage of restaurants near the marina. Garcia recommends the Toro Lounge with its Northwest cuisine and large selection of tapas, micro brews and spirits, or the Bremerton Bar & Grill for a burger. For authentic Mexican cuisine, try El Balcon, which started as a street vendor. There’s also an Anthony’s Homeport overlooking the marina and Sinclair Inlet. It offers a selection of seafood and steaks you would expect from a Northwest favorite. The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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As we made our way up into town, we wandered through impressive Fountain Park, which features five large copper-ringed fountains, wading pools and lush landscaping. During the warmer months, children can enjoy playing in the pulsing flows of water. The entrance is also shared with Building 50, that was once the Bremerton Navy Shipyard Administration building, built in 1910 and on the National Register of Historic Places. Today it houses the Navy museum. A trip to Bremerton would not be complete without visiting the museum to learn about the history of the shipyard, which dates back to the late 19th century. It’s free to visitors and filled with regional naval history; in addition, it has a research library, children’s area and gift shop.
Out in front of the museum is the large submarine sail (what landlubbers refer to as the “conning tower”) of the USS Parche. She is the most highly decorated ship in US history. Not many people have ever heard of the Parche; but for good reason: during her 30-year life, she conducted top-secret espionage operations. We walked up Pacific Ave. past the shipyard’s impressive entrance and the three plazas of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Memorial. Each has beautiful rock-and-water sculptures and features information about a different era in the shipyard’s history: the female workers of World War I, the shipyard during World War II and today’s shipyard workers. Next stop was the Art District, easily identified by sculptures on its
corners, and an array of shops and galleries. This is where we met Amy Burnett, owner of the aptly named Amy Burnett Gallery She is a very busy individual who runs the gallery, but also produces and hosts a local weekly TV show, and contributes to Westsound Home & Garden magazine. What we really found interesting is her Pyrex Museum—Amy knows everything Pyrex! Back at the marina, serving as a portion of its breakwater, is the USS Turner Joy, where visitors can take a tour of the former Pacific Fleet destroyer. The ship is maintained in original condition throughout for your inspection. Tour the crew quarters, descend into the boiler room and climb into the gun towers. A must-see is the All-Veteran’s Memo-
Kathy Garcia was born in Key West, FL, where her father was stationed in the Navy. Her parents decided to retire in Port Orchard, WA after being stationed in Bremerton—as the area is breathtakingly beautiful, the people are friendly, and there is a lot less hustle and bustle than back on the East Coast. Kathy’s best day was when she married her best friend, Jim. They have five amazing daughters and nine fabulous grandchildren who keep them busy and who they absolutely never spoil—or so she claims. Kathy loves spending time with her family; camping, going to junk sales, and having family games-nights or Sunday fun days.
Kathy Garcia Harbormaster Port Orchard and Bremerton,WA “There’s nothing–– absolutely nothing–– half so much worth doing as messing about in boats.”– Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in The Willows
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In 2001, Kathy began working at the Port of Bremerton’s marinas as a front-desk office assistant. There she fell in love with the people and the industry. In 2007 she was promoted to a management position and is currently the marina operations manager/harbormaster for both of the Port’s marina facilities: Port Orchard and Bremerton. Staying connected to the community is an important part of the position. As a result, Kathy has been fortunate to serve on several boards, including the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce and the Bremerton Downtown Business Association, where she has had input to planning the festivals and events that entice the boaters to visit the area. In addition, Kathy has served on the board and the training-and-education committee for the Pacific Coast Congress of Harbormasters and Marina Managers. Boaters are their own breed and she loves hearing all of the stories from their adventures. The people are truly what Kathy loves about working at the marinas—they are her passion. She is thankful for the opportunities presented to her and takes nothing for granted. Kathy is grateful to all the boaters who have touched her life. So next time you are in Port Orchard or Bremerton, stop by and sell hello to Kathy. Tell her your stories. She can help you with questions—and she will definitely make you smile.
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rial commemorating prisoners-ofwar during the Vietnam conflict. If you’re ready for a round of golf, don’t miss the award-winning Gold Mountain Golf Complex with its two championship 18-hole public courses. With the revitalization of Bremerton, there’s something for every crewmember. You’ll get plenty of reminders of the town’s naval heritage, but you’ll discover much, much more.
A Bit of Bremerton History Bremerton has a fascinating history. Like so much of Puget Sound, the first recorded visitors to the area were Captain George Vancouver and his crew in 1792. When describing the area in the ship’s log, the good captain scribed, “… most complete and excellent port.”
If you go: Bremerton Marina www.portofbremerton.org Anthony’s Homeport www.anthonys.com Bremerton Bar & Grill www.bremertonbarandgrill.com Boston’s Deli and Pizza www.bostonsdeliandpizza.com El Balcon 360.813.1617 Toro Lounge www.torolounge.com Amy Burnett Gallery www.amyburnettgallery.com Puget Sound Navy Museum www.pugetsoundnavymuseum.org USS Turner Joy www.ussturnerjoy.org Gold Mountain Golf Complex www.goldmountaingolf.com
But the town owes its existence to Lt. Ambrose Wyckoff, who, 100 years later, chose the area as the location for a naval station because of its mild climate, and access to timber, iron ore and coal. He purchased 190 acres of property and then sold a portion of it to the Navy for less than he paid for it, figuring that the shipyard would increase the value of his remaining land. He named the town Bremerton after William Bremer, one of the original landowners who helped him with the purchase and sale. By 1903 there were more than 1,000 people employed in the newly named “Navy Yard Puget Sound” and the town was booming. Bremerton grew with the shipyard, but over time has faced the typical challenges of being dependent on the military’s budget. The population swelled during World War II, when 80,000 residents lived here, working in the shipbuilding and repair yards in support of the Pacific war effort. During the war, five of the six surviving battleships damaged at Pearl Harbor in 1941 were repaired in Bremerton. Another 53 vessels were built there, including five aircraft carriers, 13 destroyers and eight destroyer-escorts. The end of the Cold War and the resulting reduction of the defense budget in the 1990s meant a downsizing of shipyard employment, while the opening of the nearby Kitsap Mall in the late 1980s had caused many residents and merchants to leave the downtown area. Over the past dozen years Bremerton has worked hard to transform itself. The city began its recovery on the waterfront with improvements to the marina, boardwalk and ferry terminal. It also developed waterfront parks and a waterfront convention center including restaurants and a hotel. Today the expansive 179-acre Puget Sound Naval Shipyard is the largest on the West Coast and the city’s population is near 40,000. Bremerton has maintained its deep personal commitment to military service; it’s evident along the waterfront and throughout the town.
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Don’t Miss Our Next Issue July/August 2016 Connecting People, Places, Adventure and Lifestyle
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Pender Island, BC
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WATTS ON THE BOAT! by Tom Tripp
Exercise isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. Right? Okay ... wrong. I totally made that up. But I needed to find a way to suggest that you need to add this fabulous electric motor to your kayak. Or to your dinghy, or sailboat. And when you see what this is all about, I suspect 68
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you’ll jump out of your lounge chair and run to buy a Torqeedo motor. Torqeedo is a German company that introduced small, high-efficiency electric outboard motors to the U.S. boating industry more than ten years ago. Fishermen have long used small electric trolling motors to gently
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move short distances in calm waters, but they were never a practical means of primary propulsion. Torqeedo’s founders originally went looking for electric motors for their boat on an environmentally sensitive lake in Germany. What they found was a market opportunity instead.
Torqeedo’s Ultralight electric outboard fits easily on most kayak models.
They saw the newly developing lithium-battery technology and knew that with modern electrical design they could put together a self-contained electric motor—with the battery and the controller built in to the unit. Fast-forward a decade, and the company and its product line have grown tremendously, with ever-increasing power and utility gains. The latest innovations include two designs that are extremely handy for those of us with small boats—from kayaks to dinghies to small sailboats. First is the Ultralight model. It weighs barely 15 pounds, including the battery, but it can power your kayak for several hours and over many nautical miles—depending on what speed you travel, of course. It has several customized mounting options, but also includes a universal mounting ball, which means it can be used with many makes of kayaks. It integrates easily with the kayak’s steering system and has an automatic kick-up for use in shallow water. The integrated onboard computer provides a The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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The Torqeedo Travel model electric outboard is light enough to carry easily from car or house to dock. Torqeedo’s Travel electric outboard can power the dinghy for an enjoyable, and quiet, afternoon of cove exploration.
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GPS-based calculation of remaining range at all times. Its power output is roughly equivalent to a 1-horsepower gas motor. The battery will recharge in about 12 hours, but there is a fast charger available that will do it in four hours. You can also get a solarcharging panel that will charge the battery even while underway. Naturally, the entire unit is waterproof for brief immersion. If you’ve got a slightly larger vessel -—say a tender, dinghy or small daysailer up to 1.5 tons—the Travel line is best for you. Its two models are the equivalent of 1.5- and 3-hp motors, respectively. They look just like standard outboards with a tiller handle, but the “powerhead” in this case is the lithium battery and control unit. The electric motor is down at the bottom of the shaft with the prop. The larger of the two, the Travel 1003, weighs just under 30 pounds with its integrated battery. It comes in two shaft lengths, and has a USB connector so it can also charge a phone or other device while you cruise. Obviously, you’re not going to go screaming around the Inside Passage or the Salish Sea with a small electric outboard on your boat. However, depending on the model and boat, you could cruise around at 3-5 knots with many hours and nautical miles of range. Naturally, more speed equals less range, but even if the kids take the dinghy out after supper and zip around at full throttle, they’ll traverse a couple of kilometers and enjoy the better part of an hour on the water before sundown. The Torqeedo motors are not inexpensive, given the extreme levels of battery and manufacturing technology involved, but even the largest model described here is less than $2,000. Given normal use and care, they should last several years before you need to have the battery serviced. Most large marine-supply chains carry them. www.torqeedo.com
H A RBO RS
PUZZLE SOLUTION (complete puzzle on page 82)
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Destinations
Seaplane & Boating
Granville Island Hotel, Vancouver, BC
As so often happens at the end of a dark, rainy Vancouver day, the sun bursts through the clouds scant hours before it is to set for the night. The outlook immediately turns from subdued and gloomy to vibrant … almost magical. It was on just such a day that I checked into Vancouver’s Granville Island Hotel—with its waterfront location, perhaps one of the most magical places in the city. This boutique hotel lies within the boundaries of one of the city’s premier tourist attractions—Granville Island. The hotel’s building, as with many of the other structures nearby, reflects the island’s industrial past. In fact, the
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older section of the hotel was built in the 1960s as artisan housing and was later used for industrial purposes before becoming a hotel in the 1980s. When the newer section, or “West Wing,” was added in 2001, it was stipulated that in order to protect the views of the neighborhood, the hotel could not exceed four stories in height. Dinner at the hotel’s Dockside Restaurant—with its False Creek facing, floor-to-ceiling windows—offered the perfect opportunity to revel in the early evening sunshine and to watch life on the water. Although it wasn’t yet warm enough to sit outside on the waterfront patio, we enjoyed stunning views of
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by Pat Awmack
downtown Vancouver. We watched with fascination as the brightly colored ferries deftly wove their way around dragon boats, power boats and sailboats, before depositing their passengers on the downtown shore. The menu selection at the restaurant is varied, with a strong emphasis on West Coast cuisine. While I gladly dug into my delicious grilled Haida Gwaii halibut, my non-seafood-eating friend was equally happy with her grilled chicken breast. The hotel comes complete its own microbrewery—one of two on the island. Although the beer isn’t available outside the hotel, you can enjoy a
chilled brew or a sampler selection in either the lounge or restaurant. The Granville Island Hotel is privately owned, with its owners playing a hands-on role. The atmosphere is warm and comfortable, and the staff is friendly and welcoming. Hotel Manager Christine Louden recounts how she worked there for five years, left for two to open another hotel in the city, and now finds herself back in the fold. It’s obvious that this hotel is home to her. Granville Island is an enclave of over 300 businesses. Wandering around the island, with its street musicians, artists’ studios, theaters, boat rentals, restaurants and public market, hotel guests can enjoy a peaceful, safe environment away from the bustle of downtown. Guests can rent one of the hotel’s six bikes and cycle the seawall, or rent a kayak and paddle their way from one end of False Creek to the other. Boaters needing a break from onboard living can moor their boat at the adjacent Pelican Bay marina, and check in to the hotel for a night of comfort and hot showers. The hotel is popular for weddings, business meetings and writers’ conventions, and has hosted travelers from around the world. As Christine describes the hotel views, “The worst view on Granville Island is Granville Island.” In other words, there is no room with a bad view. Not bad for a hotel that is minutes away from the downtown core! While I normally don’t sleep particularly well when staying at a hotel, I slept without stirring during my stay. Maybe it was the comfortable bed, feather pillows and duvet--or maybe it was the total peace and quiet of the waterfront location.
Granville Island Hotel 1253 Johnston Street Vancouver, BC V6H 3R9 800.663.1840 www.granvilleislandhotel.com The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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Waterfront Inn, Gig Harbor, WA
Perched on the northern end of bay in Gig Harbor, Washington is the Waterfront Inn. And sitting out over the water of Gig Harbor Bay you’ll probably find many of the inn’s guests. Along with character, charm and modern conveniences, one of the most appealing features of the Waterfront Inn is the 1,500 square-foot deck that extends out over the bay. Adirondack chairs and wicker furniture immediately beckon to guests as they begin exploring the grounds. Part of the deck is steel grate, which adds to the over-water experience, particularly at high tide. According to its owners, the inn is one of only two waterfront accommodations between Gig Harbor and Seattle, which is about 45 miles to the north. You can get there from the Emerald City by crossing the Tacoma Narrows Bridge—if you’re not at the wheel, be sure to take in the view—or via the Seattle-Bremerton ferry. Although the only seaplane service 74
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into Gig Harbor is by charter, it’s another option for those who come to stay at the inn. Sixty feet of dock space makes arriving by boat a more common occurrence. Some summer guests bring their ski boats, which they can drop in the water, then tie up at the inn’s dock. The Waterfront Inn has several siton-top kayaks available for its guests, and kayaks, stand-up-paddleboards, daysailers and powerboats are available for hire nearby. You can bring your own bike, or rent one in Gig Harbor. Each of the inn’s seven rooms has a private entrance and its own bathroom; all but one have jetted tubs. The rooms that feature river-rock fireplaces are particularly popular with guests who stay during the fall and winter months. Two upstairs rooms share a meeting area well suited for use by small businesses, or visiting interviewers. The Waterfront Inn’s wi-fi is complimentary, fast and reliable. Oh—and you’ll
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by Russ Young
find fresh-ground coffee in your room, not those ubiquitious coffee-and-filter-in-one packets. There are a wide variety of dining options within a short walk of the inn, including Anthony’s Homeport and Morso, a delightful wine bar/restaurant. And many people—this traveler included—would say that no visit to Gig Harbor is complete without dropping into the iconic Tides Tavern. There is identical convenience and variety when it comes to shopping. One of the truly unique stores in town is Wild Birds Unlimited, that has everything you could imagine—and many you might not—for feeding birds. Surprisingly—or perhaps not, after you sit on the deck for a while—the inn is a popular destination for Gig Harbor residents, particularly those who don’t live near the bay and want to experience and enjoy it. As they spend time on, or over, the water, they’re often treated to the sight of
seals, river otters, eagles and a variety of waterfowl. Gig Harbor is also a great starting point for visiting other western Washington destinations, including Mt. Rainier, Olympic National Park and Port Townsend. The inn’s owners, Janis and Steve Denton, recognized the potential for the 1918 fisherman’s home—“it was a complete dump,” she says—as an inn when they purchased it in 2001. After a year of work, which included jacking up the building and adding three waterfront rooms below, they opened for business. (Home renovation is nothing new for the Dentons; Janis says, “We don’t buy them nice, we make them nice.”) The original net-shed gave way to a new dock and the overwater deck. It might be hard to find a more nautically minded couple than Steve and Janis. Former boat dealers and avid stand-up paddleboarders, they spend much of the year living aboard their 42-foot catamaran in San Diego. They also have a 83-foot schooner—Amazing Grace—that is used primarily for a non-profit youth program they founded. They once spent a year sailing the east coast of the U.S. and the Caribbean with their two children; more recently, they spent five months sailing between Baja California and British Columbia. And should you happen to visit while the Dentons are at the inn, you’ll likely be greeted by “Gracie,” a spunky Maltipoo who’s spent more of her life on boats than on land. If you’re a dog lover, you may be tempted to take her home with you—but better yet, stay longer at the Waterfront Inn and enjoy her company!
Waterfront Inn 9017 N. Harborview Dr. Gig Harbor, WA 98332 253.857.0770 www.waterfront-inn.com The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
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Rosario Resort, Orcas Island, WA
Orcas Island is one of 172 islands that make up the archipelago known as the San Juan Islands. As the largest of the San Juans, the horseshoeshaped island springs to life in summer, both on and off the water. Whether traveling to Orcas by boat, ferry or seaplane, the island has long been a destination for city-weary residents searching for a calmer slice of life. One of its earlier residents was Robert Moran, a shipbuilder and former mayor of Seattle who constructed a palatial estate known as “Rosario in Eastsound.” Located on 76
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40 acres overlooking Cascade Bay, the Moran Mansion was completed in 1909. The family eventually sold it, and since 1960 Rosario has been a popular destination for travelers. Owned by the Barto family since 2008, Rosario Resort & Spa features 107 guest rooms located in three areas surrounding the Moran Mansion. Although there are no guest rooms in the mansion, which is on the National Historic Register, the Mansion Restaurant is located on the lobby level and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner—all with water
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by Sue Frause
views. The adjacent Moran Lounge, housed in the mansion’s original living room, features fireside cocktails and a bar menu. Presiding over both is Executive Chef Raymond Southern, who grew up on a small farm outside of Vancouver, BC. The seasonal Cascade Bay Grill & General Store is a short walk from the mansion, overlooking the Rosario Marina and featuring casual, outdoor dining. On the second floor of the Moran Mansion is a museum, which pays homage to Robert Moran. It features original photos from the early 1900s
and a display of ships built by the Moran Brothers Company in Seattle. Don’t miss the afternoon musical presentation by Christopher Peacock, Rosario’s general manager. Grab a cocktail in the bar and head up to the second floor, where the accomplished pianist will share his musical talents on the 1900 Steinway grand piano and the 1,972-pipe Aeolian organ. Presented MondaySaturday at 4 p.m. in the summer months, it combines music, historical photos and tales of times gone by at Rosario. On the lower garden level of the Moran Mansion is The Spa at Rosario, featuring treatment rooms, exercise and weight rooms, sauna, whirlpool and an historic tiled indoor pool. There are also two outdoor pools, one at the mansion for adults only and a family pool located at the marina. Other recreational activities include kayaking, whale watching/wildlife cruises and fishing charters. Just a few miles away from Rosario Resort & Spa is Moran State Park, made up of more than 5,000 acres donated by Robert Moran to the state of Washington. With 30plus miles of trails for hiking or mountain biking, and five freshwater lakes, you can also drive to the top of 2,409-foot Mt. Constitution for a 360-degree view of the San Juans, Vancouver Island, the Cascades and the Olympics. Back down the mountain, swimming and paddle-boat rentals are available at Cascade Lake Picnic Area.
Rosario Resort & Spa 1400 Rosario Road Eastsound, WA 98245 360.376.2222 800.562.8820 www.rosarioresort.com
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Connecting People, Places, Adventure and Lifestyle
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Recognize Reward Motivate
Now more than ever, the ability to engage and retain talented employees is a critical skill for managers. Recognition is the most effective tool in employee- retention programs. People need more than just a “thank you� and a pat on the back. Employees should be rewarded for their extra effort.
WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR YOU? #1 Mutual Rewards
#6 Increased Goal Achievement
#2 Increased Motivation
#7 Reduced Company Costs
#3 Increased Company Morale
#8 Reduced Absenteeism
#4 Increased Company Loyalty
#9 Reduced Turnover
#5 Increased Productivity
#10 Improved Teamwork
Host a group of 5 or more and your trip is FREE (some restrictions may apply)
Adventures in the Pacific Northwest 80
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Reward Your Most Valuable Assets With The Experience Of A Lifetime!
Let us custom build a company or group fishing, spa or wildlife retreat, your group will never forget‌ 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. 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. 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.
From luxurious resort spas to rustic fishing lodges, it all depends on what you are looking for... Call for a quote today! Give us a call for more information about our services and products: HAROBRS Adventures adventure@harborsmagazine.com 360-821-1047
The Seaplane and Boating Destination Magazine
HARBORS |
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CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Solution on page 71
HAR BOR S
ACROSS:
4. Oceanfront development on the shores of Gabriola Island 7. Owner of North Island Marina, Steve ___________ 8. Harbour northwest of Victoria 9. Large resort on Orcas Island 12. First 4-star hotel in Tacoma, WA 14. Water Goose 20. Largest town on Baranof Island, AK 21. Where some fish are born 22. Fishing lodge at Big Bay at Desolation Sound 23. Long island west of Bellingham, WA 24. The eggs of fish 27. A one-year-old fish 28. Opposite of wild fish 30. Attached to fishing line designed to float on top of the water 31. Holds fishing line and is attached to a fishing rod 32. Entrance to Southeast Alaska 34. Metallic lure used in spinning 35. Anacortes bay 36. Hub for Alaska Seaplanes company 37. Fishing lodge on Malcolm Island, BC 38. Home of Northwest Seaplanes
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DOWN:
1. Bay east of Broughton, BC 2. Island just northeast of Sidney, BC 3. Channel between W. Thurlow and E. Thurlow Islands 5. Resort with seaplane dock on Hood Canal 6. Large island east of Campbell River 10. Channel northeast of Horseshoe Bay, BC 11. Fjords near Ketchikan, AK 13. Harbour in North Vancouver 15. A person who fishes 16. Boatyard in Sidney, BC 17. The smallest ferry-served island in the San Juans 18. Group of islands in Barkley Sound, BC 19. Customs terminal on Vancouver Island 24. Protect your eyes and help you see those fish 25. Boat carriage 26. Large harbour in the Gulf Islands 29. Towing a lure or bait behind a moving boat 30. Bay between Comax and Powell River 33. Lowest compartment on a boat
What do you say to a harbour of festivals, markets and outdoor art?
Hello Victoria.
For info on year-round events visit GVHA.CA
Q U A L I T Y C R U I S I N G, REAL COMMUNITY You’re not just buying a boat, you’re joining our family.
W
hen you buy a Ranger Tug you expect the fuel efficient Volvo diesel performance, the convenience of trailering and the generous accommodations. What may come as a surprise is the passionate group of owners known as “Tugnuts.” Most everything you want to know about our boats, along with camaraderie, cruising, tips & customer service are just a few clicks away on our online forum Tugnuts.com.
It’s big, very big! This is the group photo from our 2015 Ranger Tugs & Cutwater Boats Rendezvous at Roche Harbor Resort in the San Juan Islands. Over 300 of our closest friends attend. Join us this year!
RangerTugs.com Tugnuts.com
R-21EC + R-23 + R-25SC + R-27 + R-29S + R-29CB + R-31S + R-31CB
MADE IN USA