Putting together our first Pacific
Northwest-themed issue pro-
vided unbelievable rewards.F
lannel shirts. Starbucks. Craft beer. An above-aver-
age number of serial killers. Pearl Jam. Did I men-
tion flannel shirts? That’s what came to mind when I
thought about Seattle and the greater Pacific North-
west. That and natural beauty.
I’ve spent the last decade reading and editing tales of adven-
ture in this long-range cruising mecca. Puget Sound, the San
Juans, Vancouver—places where mountains reach out to kiss
both sea and sky. I could see them clearly in my mind, and at
the same time not at all.
Joined by a few other members of the Power & Motoryacht
team, I recently got the chance to pen a few stories of my own
from these hallowed cruising grounds.
Our journey began, fittingly, where many seasoned cruisers
got their start: at Trawlerfest Seattle (put on by our sister publi-
cation, Passagemaker). We climbed aboard several boats, some
traditional, some otherwise. We diligently worked our way
through the show, but, if I’m honest, we were a bit distracted.
Looking across a glass-flat body of water toward snow-capped
mountains, with Mount Rainier looming menacingly above
them all, our thirst for adventure grew.
One boat that seemed especially adept at breaking out of
the show and allowing us to get exploring was a Life Proof 31
Coupe and its affable owner/designer, Micah Bowers. Together
we sprinted atop the water to Blake Island, birthplace of the
city’s namesake Chief Seattle and a rich Native history that is
brought to life with stunning brilliance by Tillicum Village.
(Turn to Still Waters Run Deep on page TK to better understand
why tribal roots run deep in this part of the country.)
To hit more of the iconic, bucket-list destinations in the PNW,
we teamed up with the largest boatbuilder in this part of the
world, Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats. With a crew of six we
made our way to the San Juans and places like Rosario Island,
Friday and Roche Harbors. I now know why I’ve been read-
ing so much about the San Juans over the years. For lack of
a more grandiose word, I’m going to say that the islands are
simply stunning.
I’ve traveled the world as editor of this magazine, but I never
experienced a whirlwind quite like our eight-day adventure in
the Pacific Northwest. We reconnected with nature, learned
about another part of the country, hopped the fence and ven-
tured into our northern neighbor’s backyard. And we dug into
the Native history and early American roots that run through
this place.
In putting together our first Pacific Northwest themed issue,
our goal was to give you a taste of this special part of the world,
but I’m afraid that despite our very best efforts, there is only so
much that can be conveyed with the written word, photos even
video. What all these mediums fail to capture is the vastness of
it all. Cruising in the wake of limitless natural beauty from the
flybridge of a Ranger 41, cold mountain air filling the lungs as
the sun sinks behind vast snow-capped mountains, was a life
experience I feel privileged to have enjoyed. I hope this issue
inspires you to venture out and seek such an experience for
yourself.
After a fresh traditionally prepared meal and a show that had
us on the edge of our seats at Tillicum Village, it was time to get
back on the boat to Seattle. As we were leaving, one of the lead
historians and keeper of Native traditions, Frank Mathers, told
us: “In our culture, we never say goodbye. Goodbye is too final.
We say Ndm-al-gyik-niidzn. That means we’ll see you soon.”
It won’t be soon enough.Pacific Passages
LOGBOOK
Daniel Harding Jr.
[email protected]8