2012 Summer on Lake Washington

 

2012 summer in Seattle set the record with 81 days (mid July through mid October) with less than 0.03 inches of rain. The Dykstras’ summer on Lake Washington was the best ever! We were out on our boat, Happy Hours, 53 days with family and friends. Comments from out-of-towners include, “Our most memorable day in the Seattle area.” Comments from locals include, “The best day of our summer.”

This is our second year with the boat and its reputation has grown. The number and length of visits from relatives and out-of-town friends increased. The grandkids learned to water ski behind the boat. Everyone loves the water slide! We’ve relaxed viewing the Map of the Stars, just enjoying the lake, going to waterfront restaurants and sunset rides. We viewed houses for sale and sold with Realtor friends and their clients. We’ve had slow rides pulling the big tube and higher-speed extreme tubing and water skiing.

Because the boat has flat decks and a fabulous stereo system, we’ve had wonderful dance parties on the boat. We've had fantastic party times on the boat with the flotillas at Boating Opening Day, the 4th of July on Lake Union, Seafair, and in the party coves of Andrews Bay, Meydenbauer Bay, Fairweather Bay, and Cozy Cove. We took the boat through the locks to Poulsbo and it performed beautifully in the Sound. We joined the Rainier Yacht Club which is known as “The Fun Club” and had a lot of fun with the club members and activities. I have 3,873 pictures and movies taken this year and I am in the process of editing them. The best of the summer are up on a new Happy Hours 2012 Picasa web album. Because of all the above, my golf scores are up and I am way behind in posting to this blog. I will be catching up!

Summer on Lake Washington

Our summer on Lake Washington has been fantastic! Many of our family and friends have been boating with us aboard Happy Hours and rave about the experience. Comments from out-of-towners include, “Our most memorable day in the Seattle area.” Comments from locals include, “The best day of our summer.”

We had 38 outings with over 300 passengers. Many others have stepped aboard at a dock. Others have swum or boated over and climbed aboard. Everyone loves the water slide! We’ve relaxed viewing the Map of the Stars, just enjoying the lake, going to waterfront restaurants and sunset rides. We viewed houses for sale and sold with Realtors and their clients. We’ve hosted premium charity auction item outings.

We’ve had slow rides pulling the big tube and higher-speed extreme tubing and water skiing. Because the boat has flat decks and a fabulous stereo system, we’ve had wonderful dance parties on the boat. We've had fantastic party times on the boat with the flotillas at Boating Opening Day, the 4th of July on Lake Union, Seafair, University of Washington "sailgate" parties, and in the party coves of Andrews Bay, Meydenbauer Bay, Fairweather Bay, and Cozy Cove. Pictures are up on a new Happy Hours Picasa web album and a video is up on the Internet.

Because of all the above, I am way behind in posting to this blog. I will be catching up!

Cruising Cozy Cove and Lake Washington North

The tip of Hunts Point is a vacant lot that is for sale for $20 million.  This site of Stan Sayres home.  Sayres is deceased and was a famous hydroplane developer, builder and racer kown as “The Legend of Lake Washington” and “The Fastest Man Afloat.”

On the east side of the tip is Cozy Cove with Yarrow Point on the east shore of the cove.  The most notable side-by-side waterfront estates on the Hunts Point side belong to Craig McCaw and Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer.  McCaw puchased his castle from Kenny G.

The tip of Yarrow Point marks the end of our mansions tour.  The waterfront mansion at the tip is one of the oldest on Lake Washington.  It was built around 1900 and was the home of Leigh Hunt, who founded and owned the Seattle Post Intellingencer.  The estate is currently for sale for $20 million.

North of here is Kirkland with a public marina and a wonderful waterfront town.  The north end of the lake is fun for relaxing and exploring.  At the very north end of the lake there is Kenmore and a marina.  From there small craft can navigate about four miles up the Sammamish River.

(This is the twelfth and final chapter of our “Lake Washington Cruising” article. The chapters are being posted in reverse order.  When all chapters are posted they will be in order in this blog with the first chapter at the top.  I will be posting approximately two chapters per month.  You can read and print an abbreviated pdf version of the entire article.)