This post was written for and published by The Waggoner Cruising Guide. The United States Naval Undersea Museum is located in Keyport, Washington near the very popular boating destination of Poulsbo. In fact, when you boat to Poulsbo, you pass directly in front of the Port of Keyport Marina that provides a convenient access point... Continue Reading →
Shell Shocked in Port Gamble
This post was written for and published by the Waggoner Cruising Guide at http://www.waggonerguide.com. Tom Rice’s great grandparents moved to Port Gamble in 1858, long before Washington became a state in 1889. They were one of the many families to move to the company town from East Machias, Maine to work for Puget Mill Company’s... Continue Reading →
Generator Upkeep
The generator is enclosed with a sound shield that reduces the cabin noise while it is running. The five panels attach to a frame and each panel is lined with foam insulation to absorb the noise. After eleven years the foam insulation deteriorated on the top and front panels and needed to be replaced. I... Continue Reading →
Holiday Lights
We enjoy watching the decorated boat parades over the holidays. This year we decided to join them and decorate Fiddler. Cathleen made a star out of PVC pipe and strung lights on it with them trailing off the stern like a shooting star. The port elf has a red hat while the starboard elf has... Continue Reading →
2021 Cruising
It has been an unusual cruising season, the first since we moved to Port Ludlow. Moving brings on all sorts of activities that take precedence over getting out on the water for any length of time. Getting the house to where we want it involved some flooring upgrades, repurposing the home office to a third... Continue Reading →
Clean and Waterproof Bimini
The bimini top is situated over the flybridge. Two pieces of Sunbrella canvas fit together and are zip fastened around the tubular stainless steel frame and cinched taut. It helps to protect the flybridge from the weather and bird droppings. It also provides a shady spot from the afternoon sun or to enjoy an evening... Continue Reading →
New Marine Refrigerator
Marine refrigerators are built to operate efficiently. They cool slowly and don't have an energy hogging frost-free feature. Typically the cooling coils are in the top freezer and the cool air from the freezer keeps the refrigerator compartment cool. Like at home, refrigerators operate 24/7 for at least the boating season and sometimes year round... Continue Reading →
What it’s like to be a Marine Park Host
I have been a Marine Park Host at Blake Island for two years. While it has its routine, the weeks are not without excitement. Blake Island Marine State Park Blake Island is accessible only by boat, offering a change of pace just a few miles from the Seattle waterfront. The island is nearly 500 acres and... Continue Reading →
New House Battery Bank
Fiddler’s house/inverter battery bank got so weak that I couldn't brew a pot of coffee without triggering an inverter shutdown because of sustained low voltage. For the last several trips where anchoring was involved, I would start the generator in the morning to brew the coffee and recharge the batteries. The inverter also powers the... Continue Reading →
Meandering
Meander: a winding path or course There are still a few places in Puget Sound that we haven't visited and one of our boating goals this summer is to see some of them. With the Canadian border closed, there are hoards of boaters in the popular places. Plus, there are a lot of people that... Continue Reading →