Local Boat Ramps and On-The Water Facilities Open or Closed Related to Stay Home-Stay Healthy Order

Here is a list the NMTA staff has compiled on some local boat ramps and on-water boating facilities that are either open or closed related to the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order.
Boaters are advised to contact the facilities directly before heading out the door. Also, please follow Governor Jay Inslee’s order and only use your boat or watercraft if it falls under the approved guidance. This will ensure that our recreational boating activities can get back to normal hopefully sooner than later.
Don Armeni boat ramp at West Seattle City of Seattle – Ramp and adjacent boat parking lot is currently open daily for public use.
Eddie Vine boat ramp at West Seattle City of Seattle – Ramp and adjacent boat parking lot is currently open daily for public use. Golden Gardens Park located just north of the ramp and the park’s parking lot are closed.
10th Street boat launch Port of Everett – Effective through April 8, half the launch lanes are closed, and has restricted access to support life safety functions, essential commercial uses, tribal access and transportation access to neighboring Hat Island. If the Port notices a large public presence at the launch in violation of the Governor Inslee’s directive to stay home, the Port reserves the right to close the boat launch entirely.
Point Defiance Park boat launch Metro Parks of Tacoma – Ramp is currently open daily. The Point Defiance Park Boathouse boat lifts are closed but tenants who have boats in the facility can schedule via phone or email to have their boats taken out for trailer use at no charge.
Squalicum Harbor boat ramp Port of Bellingham – Ramp is currently open daily. Any moorage business needs to be conducted via phone or email.
Edmonds boat sling Port of Edmonds – The boat sling is open through Friday but could close by the weekend until further notice. Those who plan to use the sling after should contact the marina. The Dry Storage parking lot is no longer accessible but parking is available in Port of Edmonds Lot 9 and access Dry Storage via the promenade pedestrian gate. Tenants and customers who have questions can contact the marinas via phone or email.
Port Townsend Boat Haven boat launch Port of Port Townsend – Ramp is currently open daily. All port offices are closed.
Cornet Bay Marina boat launch in Deception Pass State Park – Ramp is currently closed since it is under the State Park jurisdiction.
Redondo Beach boat launch City of Des Moines – Ramp is currently open daily.
Here are updates for coastal ports:
Westport boat launch Port of Grays Harbor – The marina office is closed until further notice but staff is available via phone or email. Advanced reservations for summer fishing season have been postponed until May 1. The new boat launch ribbon cutting planned for March 24 is postponed until further notice.
Ilwaco Marina boat launch Port of Ilwaco – Ramp is closed until further notice. No transient marina moorage space is being accepted. The marina itself remains open.
Makah Tribal Marina and Big Salmon Resort boat launch – Big Salmon ramp is closed to the general public but open to Neah Bay residents. This public closure also includes the marina, businesses and properties owned by the tribe.
Other useful boating guides and information:
The Salish Sea Pilot website also offers an extensive list of marinas, docks, facilities and parks in British Columbia and Washington open or closed related to the COVID-19 situation.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website is keeping the health and well-being of all Washingtonians in mind as the state comes together in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission website has information on all state parks that are closed for at least two weeks starting Wednesday, (March 25).
Washington Department of Natural Resources website has information regarding what is open and closed.

NWWB Notes: Strange Stuff Happens On The Water

I wrote a couple of columns for Nor’Westing Magazine over the years. One I called WaterBeat. It was sort of a Police Blotter on the Water. While gathering incidents to write up from local and regional water cops it became apparent that some pretty strange and sometimes funny stuff occurs out there. I thought I’d share some of those incidents with you. If any of you have any humorous on the water tales to tell, please send them to me at lkunion@aol.com, I’ll share them so we can all enjoy a laugh.

Hey, I know what to do with the Styrofoam from the computer box…
Or
What happens to graduates of the Milk Carton Derby?

Harbor Patrol received a call on an odd sighting. Two vehicles were seen floating off the Don Armeni launch ramp with people inside. Upon arrival, they encountered an old truck and an old car both rigged with Styrofoam underneath and around the sides. These makeshift amphibious vehicles had no apparent power source to move them through the water. Harbor Patrol could have cited them for not being registered as boats but warned them instead

SO!! I’m used to judging horizontal distances!

Sometime back a racing sailboat with its crew on board and its skipper at the helm was headed toward one of Seattle’s bridges. The crew glanced furtively at themselves wondering about the 6” or so clearance from mast top to bridge bottom. They knew better, though, than to question the skipper’s judgement. The mast cleared fine but the crew looked straight ahead and still didn’t say anything when $600 plus worth of instruments from atop the mast came crashing into their laps.

Geez, I seem to have a lot of extra room in my garage these days.

A Coast Guard helicopter was launched to assist Group Seattle in searching for a person in the water from Washington State Ferry. Ferry personnel discovered an unclaimed car after they unloaded. The car’s owner was finally traced to his place of employment where he said he forgot that he drove that morning because he usually walks on the ferry!

But, mud sailing seemed like it might work.

A Coast Guard helicopter from Port Angeles made two separate search attempts for an overdue catamaran enroute from Shilshole Marina to Anacortes. On the second attempt they located the catamaran north of West Pass out of gas and on mud flats. After lowering a radio to the vessel from the helicopter, Group Seattle took over to assist the boat. 

You’re in big trouble now!

A Coast Guard helicopter was requested by Coast Guard Group Seattle to search for an overdue vessel. The 28′ fishing vessel was reported overdue by the 49-year-old owner’s mother when he failed to arrive the previous evening. The vessel was enroute to Blaine from LaConner with one person on board. The helicopter conducted a thorough search before the vessel was sighted being towed to the dock at Blaine Harbor Marina. Conformation was made that the owner was accounted for and he was told to call his mother.

There’s just no traction out there.

A small boat from the Coast Guard cutter Osprey towed an amphibious truck that was disabled and adrift. Vehicle was towed to the boat ramp where it was able to drive out of the water.

Definitely Not Ward Cleaver!

The operator of a 16-foot boat was pulled over driving erratically, jumping wakes and driving in and out of other boat traffic. Four small children on board wearing adult life jackets were under the age of 12. The boat’s operator was a convicted felon, his blood alcohol level was over .20% (over twice the legal limit of .08%.) A stolen, loaded 9mm handgun was found on board, as well as drugs.  He said he was “just trying to have some fun with the kids”.

LaConner is brilliant at civic promotion but flying dogs is going a bit far…

The LaConner Landing fuel dock was the site of a boat explosion. The reported cause of the blast was ignited fuel vapors. The boat suffered only minor damage but a dog onboard the boat was reportedly sent flying into the water. The animal was reported clearly shaken but it managed to swim back to its, also shaken, owner who had been on the dock at the time of the explosion escaping unharmed. The explosion shot an onboard ice chest through the windshield of an unoccupied boat moored about 30 feet away.

Well guys, he could have called the Marines!!

A Seattle Harbor Patrol boat hailed the skipper of a 45-foot powerboat traveling near Ivars at the north end of Lake Union. They saw a red sticker and merely wanted to make sure it was current. (It turned out to be a legitimate Dept. of Revenue sticker.) When the boat continued powering forward they hailed again. Officers in a second boat at their offices near by heard the hails and proceeded to assist. Officers in an inflatable patrol boat south on Lake Union observed the action and came over as well. The powerboat, now with three police boats surrounding him was continuing to power forward and the Skipper was on the fly bridge using his cell phone. Shortly, the patrol boats received a call from a 911 officer asking them “WHAT they were doing??” It turns out the powerboats skipper, surrounded by police boats had called 911 complaining about police harassment, as he hadn’t done anything wrong!

Be Nice Out There, Ya Never Know

Recently at a marina in Puget Sound 65-foot boat was heading toward an open slip and had a 45-footer pull in ahead of him. The skipper of the 45-footer yelled across “first come first serve”. The owner of the 45 footer happened to be a contractor handing in a bid on a big job the following Monday morning. When he walked through the office door to present the bid, guess who was behind the desk!!!

NWWB Notes: Hi Gals – Indulge Me A Little Humor Here – We Need It

All the boating women I know are having such great adventures. I thought I would regale you with a “saling” adventure of a different type. About midday, a couple summers ago, I hopped a downtown bus outside the boat. Yep, no lines to untie and the “captain” steered that sucker perfectly. It was pretty full for a Thursday afternoon, but the trip was uneventful. We didn’t get stopped by logs, fog or anything. Hoping off, I navigated among the shopping hoards. I was focused; I had a purpose. I was determined to find a perfect pair of sandals–on sale. Past the Westlake Center, Nordstrom’s was my destination. It was dangerous because every time I go shoe shopping there, I end up wanting the $225 ones, not the ones on sale. I detoured through the cosmetics department for a perfume spritz, Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do, indulge in a spritz of expensive perfume before you head in to blow your wad on clothes and shoes? There was no special deal on Este Lauder’s Beautiful, the one I wear, so I saved some money there.

Onward to the shoes. Now understand that I have wide feet; hard to fit feet, and what I walked into was Pointy Toe World. It was Disneyland for narrow feet! Four inch heels and toes so pointed that China’s foot binding would probably have been less painful. And, not one sandal was right. I wanted an attractive leather thong type. I didn’t even see any $225 ones that appealed so I escaped Nordstrom’s newshoeless.

The Rack was next, Nordstrom’s odd little spawn. Upstairs in “shoe city”, there were shelves upon shelves of shoes falling all over themselves. There are so many shoes that I got cross-eyed trying to take them all in. They tend to feature the oddest colors and styles. Lime green heels, gold and silver flats. What seemed popular were those little round toed ballet slipper types, sort of Audrey Hepburnesque. The sandals were all clunky, non thong things with soles so high I would surely topple over when the boat moved. I was crestfallen. I was so sure that I would succeed. I had never found the right shoes at FredricksBonMacys. But, I was stuck. If I went anywhere other than these three places it would be like real shopping and I would start to get overwhelmed. I would get drawn in and I might start wandering, zombie-like, from store to store and never make it back home.

The first thing I did at FredricksBonMacys was head to that second floor women’s lounge. I loved that little respite from the world. It’s large individual stalls almost like your own powder room, the large scale with a dial, huge mirrors, real couches and overstuffed chairs. Like white gloves, it was a vestige of a time gone by.

Calmed by my time in the lounge, I headed back down to the shoes. They had thongs, and shoes on sale, but gathering up six or seven specimens to try I sat down and they all looked funny, dumb or downright ugly on my feet. Alas. I had almost admitted defeat (no pun intended) then I saw them. A bit more than I’d hoped to spend even with the $10. off, but they were perfect; they made my feet feel classy. As I sat there thinking, the smiling sales gal offered, “you get 10% more off because they were the display pair. It seems they were the last one of their breed. Well, that did it, I wrote my check, clutched my cool new sandals and felt triumph having achieved my goal.

So gals, there are all kinds of saling adventures, some requiring a bit less physical exertion and I didn’t have to tie down any lines on the bus that took me home.

Side note: With Fredricks/Bon/Macy’s recently closed, I’ll miss that that Ladies Lounge the most. If you’re streaming The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, it would have fit right in and, it would feel nice to hang out there a bit today.

Do something nice for yourselves today, and if you can, call someone and laugh a little.

Marilyn Michael

NWWB Notes: We Are All Role Models

There is a reason we sponsor the Women’s Inspirational Panel at the Seattle Boat Show each year – boating builds character. There are certainly some amazing role models out there, gals who accomplish big things on the water. But we want you to look at yourselves. When you go out on a boat you are willingly facing unlimited, unknown challenges, even dangers. You are developing an ability that translates to other areas of life.

As part of a kind response to my last blog post received from member Faith Worthley of Bellingham, she made a comment we can all take to heart…I felt it needed to be shared in these challenging times… “Personally I am not having fear, etc…around this thing but I know many are. I feel blessed to be a part of a community that regularly faces their fears and sails right through them.”

NWWB Notes: Helpful Thoughts for Navigating The Current Life Challenges We Are Facing

Hi Gals, I’m offering you some thoughts today that veer away from the traditional Northwest Women in Boating concerns. We are all waking to, what seems like, a rapidly changing world. Continued news stories about the Coronavirus, just grow more depressing.    In most of our lives as boaters, the word navigate takes on a water-related meaning. There are, though, other things we must navigate that just don’t come with nifty electronics or good classes on how to do it.   My work for many years involved helping people navigate life-threatening illnesses. Not from a medical perspective, but by teaching a way of managing fear and the stress responses of their bodies that accelerated those fears. So, if I may, I’d like to share some thoughts with you in the face of current situation.   In normal times, our lives get going on a role, they sort of fall into an automatic pattern of activities. The general pattern evolves; then, our brains anticipate and build onto that framework as we add new things. We generally feel in control, that pattern gives us an inner sense of order.         Ever wonder why even positive changes like a marriage or moving into a new home are high on the stress scale? The general pattern of our brain activity is disrupted; we are not on automatic anymore and we feel less a sense of inner order. Things like this disease making changes in what we’ve come to depend on, further disrupts our inner sense of order. And some of those changes are not even chosen, but forced on us, a rare situation in modern American lives. It’s something we are unused to. Then, in this case, add the chemicals of fear to the mix of an already disrupted inner order. This may result in a constant low lying concern for some or a feeling of almost terror for others.   There are a lot of neurologically explainable reasons why some people get hit harder than others when the disruption of inner order occurs and why the chemicals of fear are felt more intensely by some. It doesn’t matter, though, how people are responding is how they are responding. Judging them removes you further from being a calming force in their lives and increases your own feeling of inner disorder or chaos. Sitting in a state of judgement is not a healthy way for us to restore our own inner order. And that is a priority right now.   What to do, what to do? We are boaters, untying the lines and going out, I guarantee you, will take your mind to a different place and exercise your body lessening physical stress. If taking the boat out isn’t in the cards, hanging out onboard, a place that makes you feel good, and doing those crazy little organizational things needed is an idea. For some of you it might be a good time to mess around with the engine, maybe just crawling around the engine room checking it out or lifting the hatch and looking it over even if, yet, you’re not sure what you’re looking at, lol. Our boats can be interesting, even pleasant distractions in the face of the current situation.   When you cannot be on the boat, I’d like to offer some other ideas to help in these challenging times. Begin by attempting to spend some time focusing your mind; concentrating.  If you practice yoga, tai chi or enjoy jumping around in your living room to Beach Body workouts, this is the time to spend some time doing that.    If you enjoy Sudoku, or crossword puzzles or, yes, you can admit it, even jig saw puzzles, force yourself to find some time to sit and put your brain to work on a very order-creating activity. Two things are happening to make you feel better, first, your brain is experiencing a familiar pattern and second you are being forced to concentrate. These activities move your brain away from the overwhelmed “thinking” left hemisphere and into the creative, big picture thinking, right hemisphere. For years, my husband and I taught a formal mental training routine called, NeuroTherapy Training, to help people emotionally navigate life-threatening illnesses. If you have learned and regularly practice a formal “concentrating or mental training” routine you’ll be handling things better. If you’ve learned a method of concentration and shifting your brain away from the easily overwhelmed left hemisphere, but have stopped practicing it, this is the time to reintroduce it into your daily activities. We’ve got to help our brains by calming the chemicals of fear and quieting the chaotic overwhelmed left hemisphere.   Here’s another idea for calming us physically and emotionally – take a glorious hot bath. Dig out those fizzy bath balls, light a candle or two and make your favorite tea to have within reach. Part of what is accelerating your discomfort is physical stress. Relax those muscles in that warm water and some of the feeling of inner chaos will mechanically diminish. And, the aromatherapy of your favorite bath accoutrements and familiar scent of the soothing tea will both help bring a feeling of order back to your brain.   If you’re drawn to watching sporting events, turn on that game, grab a snack, hunker down on the couch and get into the strategy of what’s happening on the field, court or course. You’re turning off that chaotic left hemisphere and engaging the strategic right hemisphere. And the tasty snacks make you feel good, too.   Those of you with an artistic bent, dig out some paints and make a personal hand painted card to send or give to someone you care about (Or make several hand painted cards, this may last awhile).    If you love to sew, turn on that machine, dig into that fabric stash and work on something for the boat or make a throw pillow or a cat toy or something else simple and fun, and possibly something that you can use to brighten someone else’s day.    It’s the same with you who find pleasure in the art of cooking. Go stand in your kitchen, (do the dishes if they are in the sink, that will help restore your inner sense of order, lol) then get creative, call up your favorite recipe and start organizing the ingredients needed, the activity is like putting together that jig saw puzzle. Or maybe just dig out that cake mix that has been languishing in the back of your pantry and make it. Let yourself and your family indulge, cutting off chunks and eating it without frosting. Or get carried away and make that Teddy Bear cake you’ve been planning to try ever since you bought that pan at the yard sale. Art and the art of cooking force our brains away from the chaotic, worried left hemisphere and focus our minds. They also produce things that can be shared with others not doing as well as you may be with the disruption of our lives increasing the feelings of inner chaos.   Whatever you do, add something that calms the fear chemicals in your brain and helps you restore that inner sense of order. And, if you can, reach out to someone in a positive way, even if only by phone or internet, who may not be handling things as well as you are. Offer them conversation, or if they are near, one of your fizzy bath balls, that cat toy, a hand painted card or maybe sit down with them over a cup of your favorite tea and discuss boating or something else that makes both of you feel good.   Sending good wishes,   Marilyn Michael – co-director Northwest Women in Boating   (Vivian Strolis, along with Penny Pascall, is heading into the 3rd month of a 4-month around the world cruise on a cruise ship and recently took a glass-bottomed boat tour in Rarotonga.)

NWWB MEETING Cancelled for March, See you on April 21st…But please read the post

Hi Gals,

Out of an abundance of caution, many of us are hesitating to attend unnecessary gatherings in the face of the unknown trajectory of the Coronavirus, thus, we have decided to cancel the March 17th meeting of Northwest Women in Boating.

We are a bunch of caring, intelligent gals, though, we are able, capable, and engaged otherwise we wouldn’t be involved with organizations like this or activities like boating. Because of that, we want to encourage all of you in touch with Northwest Women in Boating to DO SOMETHING…Reach out to someone you know who may be less capable or more stressed than you during this confusing and, for some, scary time. Maybe help them with something on their boat or offer another talent you can share. Maybe just call or stop by with some conversation or goodies. Maybe it’s an elderly neighbor, maybe it’s a stressed mother with young children maybe it’s someone with an already challenged immune system.

I’m a writer so it occurred to me to add a positive post to my neighborhood Facebook page encouraging people to reach out to someone more stressed or overwhelmed than they are. I love to cook so the piece I posted encouraged all those who love to cook to make something and share it with someone who could use some kindness. I also posted that same piece on a food blog I haven’t used in a while, so if cooking is your thing and you’d like to reach out and DO SOMETHING, here’s a link for some inspiration. https://ourpastourfuture.blogspot.com/

You are proactive enough to be a part of an organization improving your life and your activities as a boater. Think of even a small positive way you can act during this trying time to make someone’s life a little easier.

Also, this is an organization of pretty intelligent, caring gals, if you are overwhelmed and need some assistance in some way, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask. There are a lot of willing resourceful people in our group.

I grew up in a time when community service clubs were more active than they seem to be now. My folks were Moose Lodge members; my husband had connection with the Elks Lodge. It’s times like these that those community-minded folks stood up and reached out. Northwest Women in Boating isn’t a service club, but we are a group of caring individuals connected by a certain activity we love. I can reach out and touch you with words, and you can reach out and touch someone in your life. We encourage you, DO SOMETHING, however small, to make someone else’s life a bit brighter; a bit less challenging – it will mean a lot.

NWWB Meeting Mon. Feb. 17 Diesel Engines with Meredith Anderson – A Gal Who Wants to Help You Become Familiar with the All-Important System That Runs the Boat You Love

Photo courtesy of Jan Anderson

For this meeting only instead of upstairs we will meet on the first floor in the foyer behind Fisheries Supply, just past Marine Sanitation and Supply, look for signs

You’re going to meet a smart and passionate gal, in an area of business of interest to all of us and one that is intensely male dominated. Meredith Anderson, a trained engineer, just opened her own business, Meredith’s Marine Services. She works as a heavy diesel mechanic in the Puget Sound. Meredith also teaches marine diesel classes hosted by the likes of Flagship Marine and Olympic Yacht Club.

Meredith will be there for us Monday night to talk diesel engines. She’s always been fascinated by them and loves the work with them. As a woman and one who’s taught other women, she can speak in a relevant way about the subject.  She can possibly help some of us get over any anxiety we may have facing what may seem a vibrating mass of metal.

For her training she attended the officer candidate program at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy,or MARGRAD. It is a US Coast Guard (USCG) program attached to the Maritime Academy. From her training she received a 3rd Assistant Engineers license, and a 100-ton Masters with a sailing and towing endorsement.

For several years, as a trained engineer, she worked on diesel engines at a truck shop (vehicle mechanical systems are ultimately more sophisticated than boats.) Always drawn to her first love, boats, she moved from there to a boat yard in Anacortes then to Marine Service Center in Anacortes.

Meredith has observed, “Most places don’t have trained mechanics, just back yard mechanics.” Because of her training, the guys at both truck shops and boat yards gave her a lot of respect because she was the only fully trained diesel mechanic.

Unlike many mechanics, or electricians, Meredith likes empowering and educating folks about the work she does for them. It’s why she developed the classes she teaches. If you hire her she likes having you there and engaged with her as she does her work. She’s seen a lot of people get ripped off.

“For anyone,” said Meredith, “the biggest thing is to not be afraid to jump in in the first place.” She feels women, especially women who are married or boating with a partner, need to know about engines and boats.

Meredith doesn’t look at boat work as gender-defined. She looks at having knowledge about the boat as being a good mariner. Her feeling… “To be a good mariner you should know enough to trouble shoot all your systems if not work on them yourself outright.”

Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to learn good, basic information about the engine driving that boat you love. 

Date: Monday, February 17th

Time: 7:00pm – till 9:00 pm or so (Hors d oeuvres, snacks, wine, etc. are welcomed but not required. We enjoy socializing after the presentation.)

Location: 1900 N Northlake Way, Seattle, WA 98103

We wiil be meeting behind Fisheries Supply at the top of Lake Union. For this meeting there is a slight change when you walk into the foyer behind Fisheries instead of going upstairs, look to the right after passing Marine Sanitation and Supply We will meet in the conference room on the first floor.

Questions: Email nwwbviv@gmail.com