Seattle, WA: The Sunshine State?!?!

Desolation Sound

As some of you know, Eric and I just returned from a business/fun trip in Seattle and its suburbs. The trip began as a pleasure trip with one week of cruising in Desolation Sound in British Columbia on my parents' Grand Banks 52, Kiawah. After landing at Sea Tac, we headed up to Bellingham where Kiawah is docked.

Bill's ride home? A seaplane at the dock at Kenmore

Flying the colors leaving Bellingham Bay

Great views of Mt. Baker

Cruising to Roche from the fly bridge

Eric on the fly bridge

We had great weather (highs in the 80s, lows in the 40-50s and no humidity) with rain on only two of the seven days.

The scenery in Desolation Sound was spectacular as usual

Clouds over the Mountains in Desolation Sound

While cruising, we visited Roche Harbor for the 4th of July, Secret Cove (on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia), Pender Harbor (also on the Sunshine Coast), Teneados Bay, Toba Wildernest Resort on Toba Inlet, and Prideux Haven. During our time at Roche Harbor, we enjoyed the company of my youngest sister, Leslie and her fiancee, Bill.

Five University of Michigan Alumnae (Mom, Dad, Leslie, Bill, and me) were aboard

Boats galore at Roche Harbor for the 4th

Leslie barbecuing at Roche Harbor

Obligatory engagement ring photo

Leslie and Bill: Fourth of July

Bill (nice hat) and Dad barbecuing (and drinking beer)

At Teneados Bay we swam at Lake Unwin and in Prideux Haven we cruised around in the tender and saw two deer swimming from one small island to the next (I didn't know deer swam!) and a bald eagle (one of many we saw during the trip). We also had porpoises come up and swim with the boat while underway and we saw many harbor seals both while anchored and under way.

Bringing the tender ashore at Teneados Bay

Hiking on shore

Dad and I at Teneados Bay (one of the rainy days)

The cascades at Teneados Bay

Hiking to the waterfall (not a canicross hike thankfully)

Waterfall at Toba Inlet

Eric and I at Toba Wildernest Resort

Mom, me and Dad at Toba Inlet

Mom looking surprisingly chipper after the hike

Clearing skies at Prideux Haven

The Kiawah at anchor at Prideux Haven

The tender is ready to go ashore

One of the many bald eagles we saw

After the week on the boat, we returned to stay a night at my parents house in Bellevue and to attend my younger sister, Jenny's, wedding shower at her house in Snoqualmie. After the wedding shower, we checked in for the American Veterinary Medical Association's annual Conference in Seattle which Eric was presenting some of his research and speaking at, returning to visit with my parents and sisters in the evenings in Issaquah and Bellevue including for my mother's 63rd birthday (Mom received a new Kohler kitchen faucet installed by Eric from us for her birthday).

We Simmonses are good at eating

The computer: A 21st Century Gathering Place

Leslie lighting candles (safety first, she dons protective glasses)

Clearly Mom was quite happy we did not put 63 candles on her cake

Mom's pink pearls (a birthday gift)

While in Seattle, I even got to run dogs (albeit not my own) and go dog scootering.

Flying back to Baltimore, we were happy to find that our sled dogs had been well cared for by our pet sitter, Christine (although they were quite happy to see us).