Four Days in February: dock street, tacoma
Date: February 7, 2016
Time Start: 1:00 p.m.
Time Finish: 5:10 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown, Olympia
Cruise To: Dock Street Marina, Tacoma
Engine Hours Start: 358
Engine Hours Finish: 362
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny, partly cloudy, warming up. Light breeze rippled water, 50 degrees.
Most people are huddled in front of their T.V. sets for the super bowl football game today, but we are calling this super "boat" Sunday. We're off on NORTH STAR, taking advantage of a window of great boating weather. Sunny days are in the forecast with temperatures predicted to reach into the 60's. Is this the result of global warming, or is it because the groundhog didn't see his shadow earlier in the week? Whatever the reason, we are ready to enjoy these February days.
We pull out of Swantown with the sun to warm us and the beginnings of the views we will have today. Wide open waters, scenic mountains (especially Rainier), and a few shorebirds are pretty much all ours as we make our way toward Tacoma.
Time Start: 1:00 p.m.
Time Finish: 5:10 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown, Olympia
Cruise To: Dock Street Marina, Tacoma
Engine Hours Start: 358
Engine Hours Finish: 362
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny, partly cloudy, warming up. Light breeze rippled water, 50 degrees.
Most people are huddled in front of their T.V. sets for the super bowl football game today, but we are calling this super "boat" Sunday. We're off on NORTH STAR, taking advantage of a window of great boating weather. Sunny days are in the forecast with temperatures predicted to reach into the 60's. Is this the result of global warming, or is it because the groundhog didn't see his shadow earlier in the week? Whatever the reason, we are ready to enjoy these February days.
We pull out of Swantown with the sun to warm us and the beginnings of the views we will have today. Wide open waters, scenic mountains (especially Rainier), and a few shorebirds are pretty much all ours as we make our way toward Tacoma.
We approach the Narrows right at kickoff time for the Super Bowl. No need to worry about watching out for other boats today! There are very few cars on the bridges, too, but we do see a lone bicyclist on the edge of the south bridge. Today's lighting brings out the "erector set" nature of the grids of the bridges.
As we round Point Defiance, Mt. Rainier dominates the skyline all the way to our slip at Dock Street Marina in the Thea Foss Waterway. Ships are at anchor in Commencement Bay, awaiting their turn to load or unload cargo in the busy Port of Tacoma. Steam rises from the lumber mills in the industrial area. Pleasure boats and working boats are intermixed along the waterway. The city rises up the hillsides above the shore. And is that Hogwarts??? No, it is Tacoma's Stadium High School. Just imagine being a student in that building!
We arrive at Dock Street just in time to enjoy the sunset colors along the Foss Waterway. The evening is spectacular! And NORTH STAR is the only boat on the guest dock for tonight.
It is disturbing that someone pulled a healthy starfish out of the water and left it on the dock to die. These animals are facing a disease that threatens to wipe them out.
As darkness descends, we continue our wandering, enjoying the lights of the glass sculptures in front of the Museum of Glass as well as the illumination of Dale Chihuly's glass sculptures on the Bridge of Glass. With the Dock Street Marina located right in front of the museum, we are in a great spot to enjoy beautiful scenery by both day and night!
As darkness descends, we continue our wandering, enjoying the lights of the glass sculptures in front of the Museum of Glass as well as the illumination of Dale Chihuly's glass sculptures on the Bridge of Glass. With the Dock Street Marina located right in front of the museum, we are in a great spot to enjoy beautiful scenery by both day and night!
So, who won today? We think we did with our super boat day! We celebrate with our own version of super boat nachos, followed by a movie on NORTH STAR. It's been a stellar day.
Date: February 8, 2016
Dock Street Marina, Tacoma layover day
Weather: Sunny and clear, night in 30's but warming into mid 60's!
It's a day for sunscreen, sunny and bright. The water is flat calm this morning, not hint of a breeze. We start with temps in the uper 30's but as the sun rises higher, so does the thermometer. This will not be an ordinary February day. We have our oatmeal and then set out on a morning walk. Well, the morning walk lasts until mid afternoon on this gorgeous and scenic day.
Date: February 8, 2016
Dock Street Marina, Tacoma layover day
Weather: Sunny and clear, night in 30's but warming into mid 60's!
It's a day for sunscreen, sunny and bright. The water is flat calm this morning, not hint of a breeze. We start with temps in the uper 30's but as the sun rises higher, so does the thermometer. This will not be an ordinary February day. We have our oatmeal and then set out on a morning walk. Well, the morning walk lasts until mid afternoon on this gorgeous and scenic day.
We start by the Museum of Glass. Musical instruments along the walkway invite us to play a tune. There are drums and several options for chimes. We follow the walkway heading toward Commencement Bay, passing newly built condos on one side and public park areas on the water side.
A local Tacoma artist has designed a series of floats depicting marine life that rest on a bed of sand in one of the small park areas. They are quite detailed, each float focusing on one type of life such as marine mammals, fish, and shellfish.
We are headed to the Murray Morgan bridge, built in 1913 and rebuilt in 2013. A vertical-lift bridge spanning the Foss Waterway, it was scheduled to be torn down until the City of Tacoma intervened and took over ownership from the state. An elevator takes us from water level to to top of the bridge (or you can climb a lot of stairs!). The views from the bridge are terrific! We watch as two bright red Crowley tugs return to their berth after assisting ships out in the harbor.
From the bridge it is an easy walk into downtown Tacoma. Instead of tearing down old buildings and replacing them with new ones, the city has done a great job of saving and renovating the old, along with preserving old style street lights and providing plenty of open spaces that are inviting for pedestrians. The old city hall with its clock tower still stands, as do old theaters such as the Pantages and Rialto that continue to provide entertainment.
A great little Japanese restaurant, Fujiya, is tucked into a courtyard just off of Broadway. We treat ourselves to a very good lunch!
We are close to the Hotel Murano where the owner has focused on displaying the glass art of many local artists along with artists from around the world. The lobby is filled with stimulating displays. Even before you enter the hotel, the large "J" with its rods of green glass catch your eye on the exterior of the building.
We return to NORTH STAR, passing the convention center and the old Union Station before crossing the Bridge of Glass to the marina. Dan installs our new "safe plug" while I clean the windows and enjoy the warmth of the late afternoon sun. I also take a few photos of our neighborhood, focusing on the bridge at the end of the waterway, the trains that are numerous (and carrying local cargo, Weyerhaueser lumber!) and the old Albers building next to the Museum of Glass. Do you see what I see? A light green Ranger Tug passes by us!
An evening walk, dinner aboard, and card games fill out the day. Who won?? Not Dan!
Date: February 9, 2016
Dock Street Marina, Tacoma
Weather: Foggy and cool in morning, then a sunny day and mid 60's!
A blanket of fog dropped down on us here in the Foss Waterway during the night. We can hear the muted sounds of distant fog horns, and morning is cool with temps in the low 40's. The world is gray.
Dock Street Marina, Tacoma
Weather: Foggy and cool in morning, then a sunny day and mid 60's!
A blanket of fog dropped down on us here in the Foss Waterway during the night. We can hear the muted sounds of distant fog horns, and morning is cool with temps in the low 40's. The world is gray.
We have visits to nearby museums on our agenda for today. The fog lifts, the sun comes out, and we are on our way. The Tacoma Art Museum is our first stop. And it turns out to be our only museum stop as we spend a good three hours in the galleries, totally engrossed in the current exhibits. The first gallery we visit focuses on some of the latest acquisitions of the museum and has a variety of art, from modern sculptures to classic works. I especially enjoy the sculptures, including a red two-sided cat and a grouping of wooden chairs.
The next gallery we visit contains a display of favorites of museum patrons from past years, selected by voting of museum members. We see works by famous artists such as Wyeth, Renoir, and Hopper, as well as artists who are not familiar to us.
The art of John Mix Stanley, a painter of western art from the mid 1800's, fills a gallery in a special exhibition. (Photos are not allowed.) The paintings are very large, depicting stereotypical views of native Americans as well as scenes of the western movement. Unfortunately, some 250 of Stanley's paintings were destroyed in a fire at the Smithsonian. He continued to paint after the loss and reproduced some of the paintings from memory.
We finish our museum visit with a visit to the Haub family collection of western art. We have a granddaughter who would love the saddles for horses. And, we are thrilled to see a painting by Wyoming artist Conrad Schwiering, as we have one of his paintings that belonged to Dan's parents.
We finish our museum visit with a visit to the Haub family collection of western art. We have a granddaughter who would love the saddles for horses. And, we are thrilled to see a painting by Wyoming artist Conrad Schwiering, as we have one of his paintings that belonged to Dan's parents.
We are sated with our museum visit. We cross the bridge over the train tracks and busy roads, making our way back to NORTH STAR for some down time. Train aficiannados would have a field day here! The tracks are in continual use, day and night.
We are surprised when the daffodil princesses for this year suddenly appear on the promenade near us, all decked out in their yellow gowns, white sashes, and tiaras. It turns out to be their official photo shoot. We have fun watching the photographer organize them for the photo. They have to be chilly in their sleeveless dresses!
Mergansers are the only bird life we see, with the exception of gulls, drab brown females with showier males.
Clouds are starting to build in the late afternoon, our sunny days are coming to an end. Perfect timing as we head home tomorrow. We stroll along the waterway, taking end of day and sunset photos. Mt. Rainier and the colors amaze us! (You really need to click on these photos, some are verticals!)
We are hungry. We have some great pizza and salads at Elemental, a pizzeria in a triangular antique brick building with updated decor. We are in time for happy hour and dine in the bar area in the upper level. The menus make use of element-like symbols from the periodic table, e.g. "Sa" heads the salad listings.
We are near the U.W. Tacoma campus and enjoy an evening stroll along the walkways between the campus buildings. Old warehouses and industrial buildings have been converted into educational facilities, with streets becoming inviting walkways. Staircases go up and down the hill to connect the campus with the museums along the waterway (Museum of Glass, Museum of History), the old Union Station, etc.
We are near the U.W. Tacoma campus and enjoy an evening stroll along the walkways between the campus buildings. Old warehouses and industrial buildings have been converted into educational facilities, with streets becoming inviting walkways. Staircases go up and down the hill to connect the campus with the museums along the waterway (Museum of Glass, Museum of History), the old Union Station, etc.
One of Dale Chihuly's Venetian glass chandeliers is hard to miss, glowing in the windows and hanging as the centerpiece in a study room of the library. What a place to do your homework!
Once again we cross the Bridge of Glass and descend the outside staircase of the Museum of Glass to NORTH STAR. Before boarding and tucking in for the night, we stroll the docks and take in the magnificent views of the waterway at night.
Date: February 10, 2016
Time Start: 11:20 p.m.
Time Finish: 4:50 p.m.
Cruise From: Dock Street Marina, Tacoma
Cruise To: Swantown Marina, Olympia
Engine Hours Start: 362
Engine Hours Finish: 367
Weather/sea conditions: Gray day, rain showers and sun breaks, light breeze, warming to upper 50's.
Gray skies and light rain greet us this morning. We climb the steps to the Bridge of Glass and head to nearby Anthem, a coffee shop, for our morning brew and pastries. (Vertical photos of glass, please click on them!)
Time Start: 11:20 p.m.
Time Finish: 4:50 p.m.
Cruise From: Dock Street Marina, Tacoma
Cruise To: Swantown Marina, Olympia
Engine Hours Start: 362
Engine Hours Finish: 367
Weather/sea conditions: Gray day, rain showers and sun breaks, light breeze, warming to upper 50's.
Gray skies and light rain greet us this morning. We climb the steps to the Bridge of Glass and head to nearby Anthem, a coffee shop, for our morning brew and pastries. (Vertical photos of glass, please click on them!)
Another vessel joined us at the guest dock last night, the 52 foot Coastal Messenger from Victoria. We meet the crew and are invited aboard for a tour. All aboard are missionaries, the boat travels pretty much year round from Wrangell, Alaska, all the way south in Puget Sound to Olympia. "Uncle Roy" is the captain and leads the non-denominational Christian outreach programs (www.coastalmissions.ca). We are given a parting gift, a Bible with a photo of Coastal Messenger on the cover. I think we were their outreach for the day!
It's time to head home after four fabulous February days. We pass familiar scenes along the Foss Waterway as we make our way toward Commencement Bay and then the Narrows.
We have smooth cruising and water color skies through the Narrows. This northwest girl loves clouds, and lots of sky! We make a stop at the Narrows Marina for fuel.
The seals are swimming and an eagle is perched in the treetops as we pass our favorite Eagle Island. The buoys are empty today, but we will have to return another day to enjoy this special place. As we round the northwest shore of Anderson Island, four geoduck harvesting vessels are just getting ready to head for port. They are dark silhouettes against the sky.
The skies over Olympia are dramatic as we enter Budd Bay and make our way to Swantown. Will we escape a deluge??
Yes! No rain! It has been another stellar cruise on NORTH STAR.
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