Cruising on the MV Lillian Belle: Nov 10th and 11th Arabella's Marina, Gig Harbor, WA

Arabella's Marina...where is the Belle?

Arabella’s Marina

Gig Harbor

November 10^th and 11^th

We left Winslow this morning around 10:45 after David was able to connect the depth finder monitor up on the dodger. Now I won’t need to shout out the depth to David from the wheelhouse as we enter harbors.

The water was slightly rougher as we made our way south to Gig Harbor but we all still managed to grab a shower along the way without being tossed about and bruised. The journey took about 3 hours…you can’t be in a hurry aboard the Lillian Belle! The entrance to Gig Harbor is quite narrow… “like going through the neck of a bottle” (to quote Geoff) and we also had to contend with bustling boat traffic. The depths of the harbor have a wide range so caution was the rule of the day. We located the grey shack with the flower box on the dock where we were to tie up but that was after we had cruised just slightly past it. Luckily, a young woman was there to assist us.

We were all set for a starboard tie and then all of a sudden, Geoff disappeared to the other side of the boat. I figured something was up so followed him and realized quickly that we were changing strategy and were now doing a port tie because that was where the wind was taking us. Geoff was wearing the radio so I didn’t hear David give the order. We made the adjustment quickly dropping the fenders and preparing to toss the lines.

Our docking was slightly rugged. Thank goodness we had the able young lady on the dock there to tie the bow and stern lines for us. I was thrown for a loop because there were bull rails instead of cleats to tie up to, and I always struggle securing lines around those hefty boards. At one point I was on the dock holding a second bowline and the young lady was giving me instructions on where the office was to register. Instead of watching the boat, my attention was on her. I allowed too much slack which did nothing to secure the bow, and it wasn’t my first time. I am so easily distracted…I have to remember that my first priority is the boat!

Gig Harbor, which is one of the most protected anchorages in Puget Sound, was for many years a thriving commercial fishing village… home port to a large purse-seine fleet. The Belle fits right into the town’s historical flavor. There is a real working marina just down the road from where we are docked which still has a fleet of wooden fishing boats, two of which David saw go out late last night “on the hunt”.

Mt. Rainier looms in the background of the harbor. Unfortunately, the sun is not cooperating today and photos of the mountain are clouded over. Our walk downtown uncovered galleries, coffee shops, book stores, pet stores, marine supplies and seashore novelty stores. It must be mandatory to have all of those in order to be classified a real Puget Sound town! Throw in some antique stores, lady boutiques, candy stores, fish and chips cafes, at least one pub and maybe a brewery and you just about have it. You don’t see chain stores or restaurants which is a huge part of the charm of the recent towns we have visited.

During our walk this morning we came upon a Veteran’s Day ceremony by the local Boy Scout troop. We sat and watched the color guard, listened to speeches by the scouts and veterans and were impressed by the 21 gun salute presented by seven of the scouts (I bet they loved shooting off those blanks). During their salute to veterans, the scouts demonstrated how a flag is retired. I had no idea that the first step in this very formal process is to cut out the square of stars saving it until each of the stripes are cut out separately. The stripes are placed on the fire one at a time and the patch of stars is put on the fire last. Quite the ceremony.

One of the most moving moments of this experience for me was seeing an elderly gentleman who had fought on Iwo Jima surrounded by his family for a photo, and the second was listening to a reservist play “Amazing Grace” on the bag pipes with the harbor as his backdrop. It was a sweet tribute to all veterans, and it was heartwarming to see how proudly the teenage scouts presented themselves. A great slice of Smalltown,

U.S.A.

As we strolled along the streets of Gig Harbor we were struck by how much the town reminded us of a New England coastal town. There were many homes along Harborview Drive that we could easily have moved into given the opportunity. This is definitely a popular destination for those living in the Tacoma area for a quick and quiet getaway. There is a smaller commercial district than I had anticipated and since today is a holiday, some of the most interesting shops were closed. One especially, Pickers Northwest, looked like it would be quite entertaining to explore…maybe next time.

After dinner we walked downtown searching for music. David thought he had seen a poster advertising a Blues Band at the local brewery tonight but once we got there it was obvious that he was mistaken. We walked past the Gig Harbor’s “hotspot”, Tides Tavern, to check that out but no band was performing there either. David found the poster he read earlier and discovered that the Blues was happening in Port Orchard not here…close but no cigar!

Early morning wake up call tomorrow so that we can cruise through the narrows at slack tide. Until then…goodnight.