Appreciating little moments...

I am sitting inside our warm boat... it is dark outside and RAINING. 

Looking through my photo and video archive, I found this video I recorded while kayaking on September 30th - a simple and beautiful day.  I am so thankful that I have the perspective to appreciate special moments like these... to really enjoy them soak them up. 

Instead of paddling on, I stayed still, listened, and appreciated the peaceful man, practicing his guitar on the bow of his boat, the cloudless sky, the relative quiet/calmness on the water, and mount Baker off in the distance. 

Fourth of July at the Port

Summer has arrived!  Hence, my absence.  We have been savoring every moment of this weather and lifestyle.  This (weather) is what we have worked for.  A few flawless days of weather totally makes up for the dark, cold, and wet winter days.  

Starting at the beginning, I kept the nautical theme for the kiddo's Fourth of July attire.  It was nearly impossible to get a good photo of them - this is it...

 

We observed the "Famous" Friday Harbor Fourth of July Parade (just up the street from the port) as well as Friday Harbor's fireworks show (right in front of the Port of Friday Harbor).

K, as usual, slept through the thundering and startling sounds, M, as usual, woke up.  We brought him above deck to the bow to watch the show.  He is not sure what he thought of it... but his eyes were wide and he was absorbing everything.  

Taking it all in...

The view of the fireworks from Ma'alahi's bow

The Fourth of July is, personally, my favorite holiday.  We were able to share the day with my mom, her fiance, and my in laws.  I can tell that, as the kids get older, each holiday experience is going to become more fun because we get to see them discover and witness exciting new events.

Happy belated Fourth of July!

Photo of the Week - Turning Point?

 

11AM - this morning - waiting for a "weather window" so I could make a break for my car with kids in tow.  After two hours, I gave up and trudged up the dock in the rain. 

7PM - Who would have guessed?  Mid 60's.  Beautiful.

Is this Summer?  Hopefully.

Summer.

After I get the kids to bed, I can take a shower (at the port showers) and dry my hair.  AND THEN take the dog for his nightly walk WHILE wearing sunglasses.  SUMMER.HAS.ARRIVED.

We have earned it!

Lighted Boat Parade

We love all (well... mostly all) the quirkiness that comes along with living in a small town.  We have lived on San Juan Island since 2007 and have come to embrace local community events and celebrations.  

This is the first year that we have attended the lighted boat parade.  I saw few signs posted around town about the event so I expected there would be substantial participation by at least a few of the many hundreds of boaters in our community. 

There were FIVE hearty boaters that participated in our island's grand parade.  

I have to give it to them.  It was cold, dark, and a little windy.  We didn't consider participating... thought never crossed my mind.  Taking our boat out IN.THE.DARK. with two small kids.  NO.THANKS.

The five boats circled the area out in front of the aquarium dock twice.  A good hundred people were watching.  On the first pass, the Sheriff boat dropped Santa Claus off, on the dock.  Santa was welcomed with Christmas carols and screaming children.  Totally cute to hear (we were not on the main dock). 

Parade Participant (you could hear a portable generator running as they motored by)

The parade definitely got me into a nautical holiday mood.  I put a few strings of white lights on the stern of Ma'alahi and hung some adorable (and totally cool!) sailcloth stockings we received as a gift.  Photos to follow.

I am hoping to come up with some more creative holiday ideas for next year.  My understanding is that lighting a sailboat is much easier than it looks.  My main concern is with lights getting tangled around things in a wind storm.... we will see (but not this year). 

We have moved!

To a new slip that is.  

T got us on a waiting list to move to the very popular and much larger (wider) "main dock" at the port.  We were really surprised when the port offered us a slip in mid October.  The prior tenant left their dock box (yay!) which easily stores the stroller (no more lugging the stroller on and off the boat!). 

Our new home.

The view.

We did not realize all of the benefits of our new spot until we moved.  The dock is extra wide.  We are able to step right off the boat into an area large enough for K to run around a little bit (in a life jacket and heavily supervised of course). 

WIDE dock.

The distance from the car to the boat is much shorter and we have the added bonus of being able to drive down the dock (to the ramp) to unload kids/groceries without having to get the stroller all set up. 

The port's main dock.

Our old (first) slip was on a normal dock that was much more narrow: 

Our slip had a utility unit right where one would typically have a dock box. 

Old slip.

There are a lot of little things that we did not consider when we got our first slip assignment.  Moving the boat (about 200 feet) was different than I expected.  We are meeting new people and neighbors, we have more sun in the afternoon, and for some reason Ma'alahi does not get rocked nearly as much (if at all) when the ferry comes and goes.  It kind of feels similar to when you move to a new home and neighborhood - except, in our case, we moved our home to a new neighborhood. 

Photo of the Week - K's New Haunt

K at the Spring Street Aquarium

A close friend of mine recently turned me on to the "Spring Street Aquarium" as a great place to take the kids.  The aquarium is comprised of a 400 gallon tank containing all sorts of little sea critters and fish.  More importantly (to me at least) it is in an enclosed building at the end of one of the port's docks.  Did I mention it is free?!?! It is a great place to let K run around on a rainy afternoon.  K will point to each of the animals and wait for me to tell her what each one is... she will be a marine biologist before we know it!

Tribal Canoe Journey (TCJ)

Last Friday, 7/22/11, I was walking the kiddos up the dock to change our laundry around before T got home from work.  It was a great surprise to see 10-12 Native American Canoes arrive and tie up on our dock.

 From what I was able to find out - each boat belongs to a tribe/family.  This event was started in 1989 and has continued annually since.  Tribes from hundreds of miles away (US & Canada) all journey to a host tribe for an event where they gather and share in their traditions.

I found the following on the TCJ Website www.paddletoswinomish.org
     "During TCJ, families and friends from afar reunite as the canoes travel to the host tribe. The canoe families paddle for an average of eight hours each day, taking breaks on support boats or beaches as necessary. After a full day of paddling, the canoe families stop overnight at designated tribal locations or specified towns to camp, eat, rest, and share songs and dances during the evening. When the tide is right and the conditions are safest the canoes head out again until finally they reach the host site."

What an amazing trip!

Dock Culture

I like to joke around with my husband that we are hippies for choosing to liveaboard.  That was - until a few weeks ago we were put in our suburbia raised place.  

Don't get me wrong - our friends from the city think we are CRAZY.  Not just choosing a "different path" - CRAZY.  

We were sharing our almost nightly walk on the docks when I pointed out a couple to my husband, "... is THAT a GOAT?" (thinking that I am pointing out an odd looking dog ... or something)  

Yes - a goat on leash, on the docks.

Apparently, according to locals I have consulted, there is a couple (we have not met them) - that has a miniature milking goat and two laying hens ON.THEIR.BOAT.  Those are some earthy liveaboards - they have us beat.  I would love to get a picture of their set up.

Anyhow - tangent over - 

We were pleasantly surprised, last night, by a bag piper playing on the bow of a boat moored down the dock from us.  I was able to get a short video of him playing:

We love meeting cruisers that are passing through.  The cruising community is so welcoming and accepting and you get to experience unique and unexpected moments like this right from your home.