January in Seattle 2019 Speaking at The 2019 Seattle Boat Show

January in Seattle 2019

I should not have waited until the middle of Feb. to write of our January time in the Pacific Northwest. SNOWMAGEDDON happened and it seems to have erased much of my memory, more on SNOWMAGEDDON in the next post. Thank goodness for the pictures to go by I can rebuild my memory. I do know that January was the warmest on record with plenty of sun breaks between the constant fronts passing through. We often walk through the Seattle Center but on this sunny January day we noticed this whale tail fountain for the first time.

Fountain of Seseragi

Gerard Tsutakawa
2000
Intiman Playhouse facing the International Fountain

"Seseragi" is a Japanese word meaning the sound of rushing water in a shallow stream, a term aptly applied to the water running through the narrow bronze basin of the Fountain of Seseragi by Gerard Tsutakawa. The dark patinated metal of the fountain curves gently upward from its trapezoidal base forming two symmetrical arms with scalloped edges. Inside each arm, water cascades down a series of tiered ledges and creates two gently cascading falls that meet in the center of a calmly rippling pool. Tsutakawa employs the symmetry and repetition of the fountain's elements to create a sense of balance and stability. With the burbling of the falling water, the fountain promotes reflection and tranquility.

According to the artist: "Many of my abstract designs come from inspirations in nature such as mountains, landscapes and creatures. My interpretations are not literal or representational. I see the patterns and rhythms of the visual world and enjoy letting the viewer create their own interpretations of how they see my works. I also enjoy thematically incorporating celestial phenomena, the human spirit, and subtle humor into my sculptures."

Fountain of Seseragi was a gift to the city of Seattle.

The Alaska Way Viaduct is par of Hwy. 99 that carries over 90,000 commuters into and out of Seattle Daily. It is being replaced by a tunnel and set to be torn down in February. Big D and I decided to take one last drive on the Viaduct on its very last Day.
See: https://youtu.be/4CZr7pT2fDQ
The closure was expected to create two weeks of nauseating gridlock in Seattle until the replacement tunnel opened. Incredibly the 90,000 +commuters headed the warnings and changed their lives to avoid the gridlock and  found other ways to get their work done.

The next day was typical winter Gray but warm enough for a walk at Golden Gardens

And a cool duck in the pond.

Walking back from Lake Union and the Christmas lights still hanging in Denny Square Park.

Then another sunny day to take two red headed Grandkids to Ella Bay Park that has a big circular sidewalk for bikes, scooters and everything else with kid wheels.

A great view of the Space Needle and Downtown

or Elliot Bay and Mt. Rainier

and of the Cascades to the East

That same afternoon a sundown walk along the waterfront gave a cloudless picture of stunning blues, yellow and orange. 

Then we got the Awesome news that our oldest Austin Grandaughter was accepted into the Parsons New School of Design in New York.

Congratulations Ella!

She has escaped her Austin parents home to live on the 10th floor right here on 5th Avenue in Greenwich Village!

With a pretty nice welcoming sunset right out her dorm window.

The youngest Grandaughter Feeling Comfy for a rainy winter day.
The Future's So Bright!

Early in January I was invited to be a speaker at the 2019 Seattle boat Show to do a presentation based on my book. I titled the presentation "Research, Research, Research -Then Buy" to address a very diverse boat show audience. And then the Center for Wooden boats called me and asked me to do a presentation in their Maritime Essential Series where the presentation would be titled "Buying the right Boat For You". Great I could test drive my power point presentation with a smaller audience. The very next day I received an email from AJ, a boat owner, and Vice Commodore just a few slips down from us and asked if I would be able to fill in for a speaker who had to cancel his engagement for the Shilshole Bay Yacht Club. I said sure but I had to think how I could change the presentation to address a room full of people who already owned a boat and has plenty of experience to boot. After some discussion with AJ it was decided to do a completely different topic and do a presentation on the first part of our cruise along the Gulf ICW.

First up was the presentation at the Center for Wooden Boats, it had actually been over a year since I was last at the CWB.

I got to do my presentation on the second floor conference room of the new Wagner Education Center It is so new that it's Grand opening is not until March. 

Next was the presentation on the ICW portion from Corpus Christi to Carrabelle, Fl of our cruise, this was really fun since Yacht Club audiences are always ready for a good time. 

 
Anyone who travels through the Algiers locks into the Mighty Mississippi and then up river to the Industrial Canal to points North and East will have a Good story to tell.

 And again through the Rigolets
I learned so much telling this story as some wanted to know more about the cultures along the way and some wanted to hear more about the tows and navigating the various boat traffic. There is only so much you can talk about in a 40 minute time period but time i will include more of both.

What an Honor to share one of the numerous stages at the 2019 Seattle Boat Show. I made it down to Century Link Arena where the Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Sounders play their matches. This is the largest Boat Show on the West Coast. I sat in a few seminars on rigging, weather, and self steering systems. All three of these seminars had a lot of people in the audience, I would be the speaking the last hour of the evening at 6pm. I wondered how many would stick around for the last hour of this Saturday evening. I was not disappointed as I had a good cross section of new to experienced boaters who asked great questions and seemed to be interested in what I had to say taking notes and using their phones to take pictures of power point slides.

I brought along about 20 copies of my book and had them Boat show priced at $5.00 and I sold them all. 

A Very Pleasent Finish to January 2019

New Years Eve Onward to 2019

New Years Eve Onward to 2019 

Anticipation of the New Year ALWAYS brings optimism and renewal for a better world. Looking forward to new learning opportunities and better human solutions to age old concerns. Texans can't go forward without gulping down some black eyed peas for good luck and staying up till at least 1:00 am to welcome in the promising New Year. However, as we get within hours of 2019 I would say the mood in Seattle is guarded optimism at best.
The Admiral's intuition and sensitivity to all things leads us away from the city for New Years Eve to a very easy escape just a 30 minute ferry ride to Bainbridge Island. We already know where the best spots are that are absolutely free and provide  all the Pacific Northwest environment that we want to enjoy on a leisurely day. The Ferry ride over begins the day:

As we left the ferry dock we saw this huge Fog Bank just to the North with the top of the space needle peeking out.

Looking West the Olympics were out in their full winter glory.

As we neared Eagle Harbor we noticed that the fog had moved a little further North near our Shilshole Marina.

No fog entering Eagle Harbor, Just clear shies.

1st stop Blackbird Bakery

We avoid bakery's except for this Blackbird., and the one in Poulsbo.

2nd Stop Fay Bainbridge State Park.

Looking East from Fay Bainbridge Beach the fog has grown over our marina.

But just a little bit to the North west the Cascades are out. 

Then the Fog spread out over the Sound looking South towards Mt. Rainier

The prevailing winds are relatively warm Southwesterly, today the winds are coming straight out of the Yukon and funneled down Canada's Frasier Valley where it pours into the North end of Puget Sound. Then it flows through the valley formed by the Olympics and the Cascades to the South Sound  

Crisp and Cool here. 

Almost every time we come to Fay Bainbridge park there is an Eagle in the top of the center tree. If they are not there then just wait a little while and they will fly over.

3rd Stop Fort Ward State Park

this is a small section of a chart that identifies the major mountain peaks in the Olympics and Cascades, from Fort Ward The Brothers, Jupiter, Constance, and Warrior are visible looking from the Southwestern edge of Rich Passage.

So right in front is Rich Passage with the Olympics and the Brothers visible in this shot.

The Admirals camera has a pretty good zoom, The Brothers up close. This mountain seems to be visible from almost every angle in Seattle, If you are driving West on almost so many roads in Seattle you have a view of the Brothers.

The highest peak, Mt. Constance.

Mt. Warrior

We heard all these Sea Lions barking and looked way down at the entrance to Rich Passage. Using Lynn's camera I zoomed in you could see the Sea Lions baking in the sun on the Red Nun. There are at least four of them on the bouy and a couple more just in the water.

4th Stop Pleasant Beach

Looking South from Pleasant Beach and the Western end of Rich Passage.

The view of Mt. Rainier and the Lenticular Cloud

"As air travels along the surface of the Earth, obstructions are often encountered. These include both natural features of the Earth, such as mountains or hills, and man-made structures, such as buildings and other structures. These disrupt the flow of air into "eddies", or areas of turbulence influenced by these obstructions.

When moist, stable air flows over a larger eddie, like those caused by mountains, a series of large-scale standing waves form on the leeward side of the mountain. If the temperature at the crest of the wave drops below the local dew point, moisture in the air may condense to form lenticular clouds. Under certain conditions, long strings of lenticular clouds can form near the crest of each successive wave, creating a formation known as a "wave cloud." These wave systems can produce large updrafts, occasionally enough for water vapour to condense and produce precipitation" Wikipedia.

5th Stop Halls Hill Labyrinth

Completing the day on Bainbridge at Halls Hill is the final touch on a day of being Present

I have tried to explain to others why it is that so many very diverse people buy a boat of any kind.  The connection between this population is very real. Water definitely has a big piece of the explanation. The water is an attraction and connection to so many but why? Taking time out to focus on anything other than the mass media of our daily world can bring one back to center. To be Present and to live in the moment. The Natural beauty of the PNW is right outside the door here, a very short journey away. There are many ways to find this Peace. 
We planned to take the 3:30 Ferry back to Seattle
It works perfect since at this time of the year it gets dark by 4:40pm. It makes a great Sunset Happy Hour on the trip back across Elliot Bay to Seattle.

 
New Years Day

We take a walk along the water front trail. 
So many people out enjoying yet another sunny warmish day. Lots of smiles anticipating 2019.

Be Nice

Considerate

Love Everyone

Keep the Fire Burning

Have Fun

Live all Day Long in 2019