May, In All Points Seattle 2023

 May, In All Points Seattle 2023

These days kids are busier than ever. At least our grandkids are. They are involved in Soccer, Horseback riding, After school gardening class, sewing class, and Spanish class. So this requires some time in the car criss-crossing Seattle to all points N, E, W, South. We are spending some quality time driving them to some of these  appointments throughout the week, We are much better at navigating Seattle now than when we lived here for seven years. We take the opportunity to walk the neighborhoods while they are in usually 1 hour classes, Soccer is 1.5 hours and sewing is 2 hours so we get some grocery shopping done when we take them. We have had a lot of nice weather to enjoy the very scenic neighborhoods.

 Once we got a few leaks fixed and some liveaboard preparations done we moved on the boat for May. Of course once your aboard everyday you naturally notice a few more projects that need your attention.

I evidently had one more leak to fix and that lead me to inadvertently filling the bilge with water. Why didn't the bilge pump come on? For some reason the bilge pump worked on manual but not when switched to Auto. So I ordered a new float switch. The pictured float switch was on the boat when we bought it. Whoever installed it must of thought they were clever to put some liquid tape sealant around the area where the wires enter the  protective box. However that was restricting the float from moving up with the water level. We were very fortunate to have never needed this switch! The new one is installed properly and tested to make sure.  

This is the Head sink faucet handle whitch doubles as a shower head. Common on cruising vessels as well as RV's. At the bottom of the handle is a shut off button so that when showering you can easily shut off the flow of water as you shower. This avoids using up all the water on board. It had a small annoying leak around that button, New Marine type of faucet handles were $250-$350. Well they use the same thing for RV's So I bought a RV Kit for $36 from Amazon and just used the shower head from the kit.

All leaks fixed now and showering is much more pleasant.

Clara's class is studying Salmon life cycles and actually raising some salmon  from eggs donated by the local tribes in their classroom. When they are big enough, (fry) they take them to Carkeek Park and they are put into the Les Malmgren Imprint Pond. The Admiral and I took a day to go see the Imprint pond and we were fortunate to  have a personnel tour of the pond by one of the Volunteers there.

We got to feed the fry.

These guys will be released into Carcreek in just two days.

This pond holds the Fry raised by school kids.

In a couple of days a valve is opened in the pond tanks and they all flow through these pipes into the stream.

Next we hiked the streamed that would carry the fry to Puget Sound.

Then we had an opportunity to go visit the Japanese Gardens in Seattle with our Nature Girl Clara.

These guys are just a week old.

The Canada Geese parents are super protective.The Male would challenge any humans who came to close, the Female would take the chicks to the water if she felt threatened.

This guy can't wait for the next two weeks to pass, then the humans can throw fish food in the pond. 

Turtles are no threat.

Wow another opportunity, this time  to ride the 
Great Wheel with the Grandkids

Mt Rainier is covered in clouds.

Just like all big cities, several new buildings rising up from the Pandemic. 

Bell Harbor and the Cruise ship dock.

Back at Shilshole Marina, several new kids on the block. 

Vertical Construction Group: Hahh, these guys must be responsible for the new neighborhood look!, So many homes knocked down and replaced with four of these on the same lot.

A great getaway from the City, horseback training in the foothills of the Cascades.

Mothers day at Islandwood on Bainbridge Island

See:https://islandwood.org/

Frogs to catch, and some bugs.

This raft is human powered with hand cranks, but it was closed due to Beavers building a home under the the raft. Nature First here.

At 125' tall you are eye level with the tops of the trees, and you get to step up 125 times also.

Any 9 year Old can step up there.

And Others can to, Thanks for the Pic Big D!

The Suspension Bridge

While we were gathering to eat a Fine Brunch at Islandwood, a chipmunk ran across the sidewalk where I was standing, and into the brush, I said "Hey did yall see that Chipmunk?" Clara said" I did!"

On the way back to Seattle via Ferry, some cool sailboats were enjoying their Mothers Day.

And Reiner was Out! 

Back at Shilshole, a volunteer lady put this nice little garden together in a corner near the fishing dock, We got some plants from Clara's Garden to donate, they are still there and thriving.

A first For Shilshole, The Sea Lions have moved in in mass. They are sort of noisy.

I asked Big D if he would help me clean up Snowflake, and he jumped right in.

We got her all cleaned up for sailing and dingy rides.

Sometimes there is such a nice vessel you just have to take a Pic.

The Crab fisherman all showed up all of a sudden!

This vessel just entered Shilshole Bay from the Washington Ship Chanel vis the

Hiram M Chittenden Locks

Easy to identify the ships with a Marine Traffic App

Golden Gardens is at the North end of Shilshole Marina so it makes for nice daily walks.

Great Blue Heron in that Tree

Maybe you can see all the Jelly fish in the bucket?

Another Local spot we have enjoyed lately is Uneeda Burger, 

some creative kid contributed this to their wall of kids art.

Opportunities come in Threes, or fives?

Off to The Seattle Electric Boats on Lake Union

You just never know what you might see on Lake Union, 

Here is the Yacht,  Artifact.

See: https://www.superyac

The stunning and innovative yacht Artefact, built by renowned shipyard Nobiskrug, boasts an exceptional design by Canadian designer Gregory C. Marshall. Responsible for the yacht’s exquisite interior is Reymond Langton. Artefact earned the prestigious title of Motor Yacht of The Year at the 2021 World Superyacht Awards.

Looking at the Cut from Portage Bay under the opening Montlake Bridge to Lake Washington.

And a few Mallard ducklings 

Big 
D and Clara play and practice at many locations around Seattle but Magnuson Park is one that not only have first class game and practice fields but also a awesome park on Lake Washington.

See: https://wildliferecreation.org/projects/magnuson-park-wetlands-habitat-res/

I think he might make a Sailor