07/28/08

Fantastic Experience!

by swissviss

We made our reservations slightly worried-what would the boat be like? How would the captain be? Our fears were eased immediately; we arrived and were greeted at the dock by the captain, Jim, and his wife, who instantly put us at ease with their amiable, pleasant natures.

The boat is gorgeous; just seats six in the stern but plenty of deck space to stretch out on the bow should you wish to. Immediately upon leaving the slip, his wife encouraged us to participate in raising the sails, "tacking", or even steering the boat itself. A galley below allowed us to store cool beverages, a bottle of champagne, and all the snacks we had brought along. There was even a bathroom should you need it.

With a slight breeze and beautiful sunset, the time passed too quickly! We sailed around Lake Union, sharing food, drinks and conversation with not only our group, but the Doubs, as they genially shared sailing stories and Seattle history.

At one point, they put on the soundtrack to Sleepless in Seattle and we passed the famous houseboat, feeling shamelessly tourist but enjoying it all the same.

We can't wait to go back and book another sailing-the boat, the company, the opportunity to learn how to sail, even just the ease of conversation between guests and "crew" was all fantastic. Definitely sign up; you won't find a better experience!

• Pros: Lovely boat, friendly crew, good location on Westlake with easy, free parking.
• Cons: None!