another boat ride

Boats and kids are the best combination in the world. In a world that feels increasingly small with all that can keep us inside, a boat is one easy way to get into the big outside, especially here. There is so much to see and do on the water. So far we have only chartered boats but maybe in time we'll get our own. A boat seems fitting for two former navy folks and a water loving family. We saw amazing sights today. Sea caves which we could swim in and out of and where the kids continued to play their survivor games. Giant eagle rays swimming in water shallow enough to follow them on foot. Sea turtles (what species we were unsure), hurricane swept beaches and a barracuda. Pinch me please? We are not converts to the tropical way of life for those family and friends who worry about loosing us to this place (The San Juans are equally as wonderful - who can argue with Sucia Island and an Orca?) Anyway, another reason boats are good - cannonballs. I cannot believe this guy did from the canopy on top.

paddle board adventures

The boys paddled around Deck Point to Secret Harbor. A little rough at one point but calm once they entered the harbor. Then I had a chance to get on and paddle around. To my surprise, I surprised a turtle floating on the surface and quickly swam away. I floated around a bit to see it again, but only caught a glimpse.

Later the paddleboard served as makeshift shade. M was coming off her week of sickness and still feeling under the weather.

first bike ride

I took the girls on a bike ride alone today. Threw them in the bike trailer, hooked it up to my bike and took off. For those who do not live here, Seattle is a pretty hilly city. Hills are hard to avoid. This is one of many reasons why I don't bike with the trailer attached. But after two weeks of zero exercise (because of sick kids -right), I had had enough. I rode all along Alki beach. Stopped for a quick play in the sand. Several passerbys said as I rode by - "hey did you see the two kids in that trailer?"

Here are the sick sleepers. The uphill was at the end of the ride. My quads said the hill was about a mile long, but I'll check with the odometer tomorrow. I stopped halfway up to take shots of a park we haven't visited before and it looks like a place we'll have to check out before we leave.

exploring

Lake Washington Marsh walk was our destination today. We didn't make it too far as it was a bit marshy and one kiddo didn't have boots on. So we explored closer to shore. Above, a Haida totem carved circa 1930. There was not a legend at the site to tell us what each carving meant but we had fun guessing.

Jess, do you remember this spot? You fell in the water here, many many years ago, looking for frogs or fish.

Montlake Bridge. As we were walking along the "cut" as it is known a seaplane motored through the canal, cleared the channel and took off. We were all amazed. I wondered what type of assignment the pilot was on as there weren't passengers in the plane. It also looked so free! One moment its floating around and in another it was airborne. Looked like fun.