posted 09-03-2006 02:18 PM ET (US)            

I would suggest that you take a look at the web sites below. There are a lot of options there. I think the chances of chartering a boat to see the SanJuans on is pretty slim as they all want longer charters. There is a place on Lake Washington that rents powerboats in the 20' range by the day.

posted 09-03-2006 11:29 PM ET (US)            

http://www.pikeplacefish.com/funstuff/sightsnsounds.htm

posted 09-04-2006 10:02 AM ET (US)            

i belong to another online forum (international, car-specific) and when a known member is visiting an area, it's not unusual at all to have members from their destination group volunteer host them in some way... usually showing them the sights, etc.

i take it this isn't standard practice here?

posted 09-04-2006 01:18 PM ET (US)            

The highlight of our trip was while we were fishing for Chinook south west of San Juan Island and were surrounded by a pod of Orcas and saw the new baby, it couldn't have been more than a few days old. We pulled in our lines and shut the motor down and drifted in the current with the orcas breaching all around us. One of them swam along side about 8 to 12 feet off the starboard side, It was noticeably bigger than my boat. A humbling expirience.

Enjoy your trip!

posted 09-04-2006 08:48 PM ET (US)            

I'm going to buy you a compass you have a clue which way is which.

The Government Locks on the Lake Washington Ship Canal is in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle (where I live). It is Northwest of downtown Seattle (emptying into Puget Sound), not in Northeast Seattle. Puget Sound forms the Western boundary of Seattle, Lake Washington forms the Eastern boundary.

Seattle is in the Pacific Northwest on the West Coast of the United States adjoining the Eastern part of the Pacific Ocean.

Come to think of it, I should buy you a map too! ;-)

Carl,

posted 09-05-2006 12:31 AM ET (US)            

Tom, if you wrote the pointers to Carl; would you please send a copy for me too? We might be going back for a 3rd visit someday...

posted 09-05-2006 07:18 PM ET (US)            

Are you here to see Seattle, Puget Sound, Washington State, or the Pacific Northwest? Those are truly four different trips. If you're here to see Seattle, you will focus on what there is to do in the city, and believe me there is plenty. If you're here to see Puget Sound, you will tend to want to experience the water oriented things in the area, maybe charter a boat, or maybe spend the week driving around to all the waterfront towns. If you're here to see the state, you almost have to divide it into two sections. Eastern Washington and Western Washington are as different as night and day, and with the mountain range running down the middle, you won't be able to cross over on a regular basis. You'll only want to do it twice (once over, and once back). If you're here to see the Pacific Northwest, you'll have to only take a sampling of different types of places.

I honestly believe that a person could spend a decade making weekend trips each week and never go the same place twice, never leave the state of Washington, and have an amazing experience each and every time. There is just simply SO much to do here. Much of it is stuff that even people who live here their whole lives never get a chance to experience.

If a person had a trailerable boat, a camp stove, a tent and a cooler, they could literally spend years exploring our lakes, rivers, sounds, bays, and inlets. In Washington, you can do deep water ocean fishing out of Ilwaco, gunkholing in the San Juan Islands, Salmon fishing on the Columbia River, waterski amongst snow-capped peaks on Lake Chelan, dive 19th century wrecks in Puget Sound, check out the megayachts in Elliot Bay Marina, or watch topless co-eds shake their thing for plastic beads on the sand bar at Vantage.

posted 09-05-2006 07:57 PM ET (US)            

thx for the response, i understand exactly what you're saying.

perhaps when i said, "known member", perhaps i should have been more explicit: a member who has posted over time and you've gained a sense of their personality. when i did a quick review of carl's postings, i saw that he:

* posted 33 times
* been posting since the beginning of the year
* spent 40 years in the shoe business
* owns a montauk
* re-powered the montauk with a 4 stroke yammie
* uses stabil in his fuel
* was looking for a center console teak door for his montauk
* has a favorite place to buy his marine parts from
* unlike me, occasionally uses the caps key when he types
* in general comes off as a pretty even tempered guy.

to be clear, i understand being cautious. likewise, i also understand that different groups of people / forums have different behaviors and was asking for clarification on this group.

thx again for the feedback, jeff.

posted 09-05-2006 08:39 PM ET (US)            

2) WALK on to the Bainbridge Ferry, walk off and into
downtown (2 blocks up and left). do the shops, walk 2
blocks and turn left to the harbor. Eat at the joint
at the bottom. Decent food, great views.

3) Drive north to La Conner for a few hours shopping, and
a bite to eat. BE SURE to see the old fishing tackle place
that sells to collectors. From there go north towards
Fidalgo Island, and have someone show you how to drive to
the top. The views are stunning in all directions!

4) Walk on the San Juan Ferry and get off at Lopez or San
Juan island and rent bikes to ride around the islands.

5) Do Pioneer Square at night (be careful of the crazies)
and hit the bars there -- some good bands sometimes.

6) check out who is playing at Jazz Alley(www.jazzalley.com)
, a local club that brings in some phenomenal national acts.

7) Boeing tour in Everett -- see how they make the pups!

8) Rent sea Kayaks at NWOC (Northwest Outdoor Center) on
Lake Union. You can paddle around and get a neat feel for
Seattle by (slow) water. You can also rent canoes at the
UW Hec Ed pavillion.

9) If you are into hiking, email me for info on hiking
Mt. Pichuk. Of all the local hikes, this one by far has
the best views from the top.

10) You can rent (at least you used to be able to) power
boats at Shilshole Marina. If you are up for renting, a
run to Poulsbo is lots of fun, not too far, and a nice
place for lunch.

11) A trip to Port Townsend will take you to where they
filmed "An Officer and A Gentlemen". You can rent one of
the officers quarters for a night or two (reserve ahead).
The town itself is quaint and a neat throwback in time.
There is camping by the beach as well, and a nice little
museum about the fort.

12) If the wife is into shopping, the best local mall is
probably Bellevue Square in Bellevue, just across the lake
from Seattle. Downtown Seattle is also a lot of fun to
roam around.

13) Plan a loooong day and you can see Mt. Rainier from
the Paradise side, than drop down to see Mt. St. Helens
near the crater rim. This is a start at 7:30AM and get
home by 8PM kinda day...

14) Boeing Flight Museum (we have an SR-71 Blackbird).

15) Underground Tour in Pioneer Square.

16) If you want to run off to Vancouver (about 3 hours)
check out Stanley Park & Granville Island (their version
of our Pike Market only much larger). You can do it all
in a long day as well.

17) Seaplane ride (pricey).

18) Ride the Ducks, or any of the harbor tours that leave
from the waterfront.

19) Indian dinner at Blake Island. It is well done! Leaves
from the waterfront.

20) Up and over the pass on a driving trip to Leavenworth.
You should get some colors changing, and the town is a
quaint re-creation of a Bavarian Village, complete with
lots of similar food.

21) this is an overnighter, but a trip to Cannon Beach in
Oregon is quite fun. The town is the equivalent of Carmel
in California. Very cute. Oregon Caost is great. If you
do this take I-5 to Longview, and cut across so you get to
the Astoria Bridge near the mouth of the Columbia. When you
get to Astoria, be sure to see the Coast Guard Museum -- it
is very well done! Then on to Seaside and Cannon Beach. A
straight drive to Cannon Beach is 4.5 hours.

22) If you like books, come back thru Portland and hit Powell's. I doubt you ever have, nor ever will, see another
bookstore this big again in your lifetime.

23) If you have more time, go to the Timberline Lodge at
Mt. Hood. Go along the Columbia and stop at a few of the
waterfallws (my favorite is a short hike in and called
Bridal Veil falls). You will pass next to Multnomah Falls,
the 3rd highest in the US. If you stay at the lodge, you
will be treated to some of the fine craftsmanship from the
CCC/WPA era. The outside of the lodge served as the lodge
in the moving "The Shining" but don't worry, Jack's never
back!

24) The Spirit of Washington Dinner Train that runs from
Renton to the wineries. Get a winery tour, ahve dinner on
the train, and come back.

25) If you are up for camping, drop me a line for some ideas.

Enjoy, we have a great region here!

posted 09-12-2006 10:04 PM ET (US)            

YOu could even go up Columbia River Gorge to Portland and see all that + Mt St Helens.

have a great time