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DVD Review: Pacific NW Boater’s “San Juan Islands”

Like other boaters I’m sure, I find myself daydreaming about places I’ve been and places I’d like to visit on my boat.  This seems to be especially true during the rainy winter season.  Some winters I manage to get out and do some cruising, while others I don’t.  This has been one of those when my boat has been confined to her slip, aside from a few day cruises.

If you’re suffering a similar affliction, the folks at Pacific NW Boater have made coping a bit easier, allowing an opportunity to visit the San Juan Islands from the comfort of your living room with their new DVD: Washington State Parks Cruising Guide – Volume 1, San Juan Islands.

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The beautifully-produced DVD, showcases nineteen State Park locations in the San Juan Islands.  Producers Darren and Lisa O’Brien take you along as they explore the parks, and provide an excellent overview of park facilities and attractions, so you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect when you visit.  While the videos aren’t intended to be an aid to navigation, the O’Briens do bring attention to possible navigation hazards, and share some useful hints on accessing park facilities.  The DVD is great for all boating audiences, as they cover State Park docks, mooring buoys, an on-shore facilities.  The photography is excellent, capturing the beautiful scenery the San Juans are known for.

My boating life began when I was weeks old, riding around in a small runabout, where my brother and I were stowed under the bow when the water got rough.  My family visited many of the Washington State Parks in the San Juans, but there are some I’ve never been.  The DVD introduced me to some new destinations I now look forward to visiting that I’ve motored past for years.

Whether you’re new to boating the San Juans or have spent a lifetime exploring the Islands, you’ll enjoy Pacific NW Boater’s DVD: Washington State Parks Cruising Guide – Volume 1, San Juan Islands.

Be sure to check out the “Extras”, though…  The music video is just what the doctor ordered for a case of the winter blahs.

Pacific NW Boater: www.pacificnwboater.com

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2013: Year in Review

The best camera is the one that is with you.

These days, we carry great little cameras in our pockets, in the form of a smartphone.  The quality of the photos and videos these devices can capture is amazing, but the best part is, we pretty much always have them with us.

I’ve done this a couple of times before; create a year in review video featuring images captured by my iPhone.  Out of the scores of pictures and videos I’ve taken, these are just a few of my favorites, presented in the order they were taken.  2013 was a great year for me, and I look forward to seeing what 2014 has in store.

Best viewing is in HD, and you’ll want your sound turned on.  The ad at the beginning can be clicked away.

 

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Memorial Day Weekend – Hunter Bay

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Saturday, May 25
I began the weekend not intending to go boating. I don’t particularly care for boating on holiday weekends. Having the work schedule that I do, I have opportunities to get out when others can’t, so I prefer to avoid the holiday crowds when possible. But moreover, the same blessed work schedule would only allow for an overnight getaway, so I figured I would just hang around home. Perhaps do some yard work or tackle some other neglected home projects. Or maybe even chip away at my Netflix queue.

Then the phone rang.
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We Could All Use a Good Paddling…

I purchased a new boat toy. A kayak.

I’ve had a kayak that I’ve carried on board for several years, an Advanced Elements Advanced Frame inflatable kayak. It’s gotten quite a bit of use over the years, and I’ve had a lot of fun quietly exploring anchorages while getting a little exercise in the process.

What I found, though, being an inflatable I wasn’t using it as much because of the assembly and breakdown required. It took only a few minutes to have it ready to go in the water, but the breakdown and clean up involved kept me from just tossing it in the water and going for a paddle.

Last summer in Desolation Sound, one of my friends, Danny, loaned me his kayak- an Equinox 10.4 purchased at Costco. I was instantly impressed, and added it to my list of future boat toy purchases.

A few days ago, Jonathan from Briar Patch called to say Costco was offering a $50 instant rebate, bringing the price to $250, which included a decent paddle. He was getting one. The next day, I did too.

At just over ten feet, it comes packed in a huge cardboard box. At my local Costco, I wrestled one on to a flatbed cart and successfully managed to navigate through the checkout and out to my truck in the parking lot without taking out any little old ladies or clearing any store displays of their contents.

Shortly after getting home and unpacking the kayak, which comes ready to paddle, I launched for a maiden voyage.

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