2011-2012 Winter Highlights

Seattle Seafair Clowns

After our return trip from Alaska in 2011 (see www.LLCruise.BlogSpot.com), we began making plans for our next adventure - a summer cruise along the U.S. West Coast with plans to winter in Mexico.  It certainly would be a different winter than the one spent in Puget Sound which brought freezing temperatures and snow.  Nevertheless, we kept warm with two electric space heaters plus the boat’s hydronic heat system.  Living aboard during the winter months brought some new opportunities.  Highlights included participating in the “Special Peoples Cruise” – special needs folks along with the Seattle Seafair Clowns came aboard Got d’ Fever and we joined the parade of boats in Lake Washington, returning to Queen City Yacht Club in Portage Bay.  It was a delightful experience, although tense at times with so many boats following close behind us and closely spaced in front of us for the length of the parade route.  Most of the boats, including Got d’ Fever, were decorated with Christmas lights.  We spent most of the winter months at Elliott Bay Marina, but also enjoyed stays at some of the smaller communities throughout Puget Sound.  During the holiday season, Elliott Bay Marina was aglow with boats dressed in Christmas lights and the marina proved to be a great spot to watch the New Year’s fireworks displayed from the Seattle Space Needle.  Snow skiing with our Montana friends at “Big Red Cats” in British Columbia was another winter highlight – lots of fresh powder snow and a great group of friends made it extra special.  Time off the boat was spent for some routine boat maintenance, including zinc replacements, bottom painting, adjustments on the drip-less shaft seals, and inspection of the cutlass bearings and rudder packing.  Before departing for the mountains, we motored Got d’ Fever to Port Townsend where she was hauled out for maintenance and left her in the competent hands of Townsend Bay Marine.

Lights at Elliott Bay Marian

Lights at Elliott Bay Marina

Fireworks from the Space Needle