Cruising the Pacific Northwest

The Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor is a landmark that has been in business since 1973. It is one of my favorite places to stop for lunch, dinner or drinks! The first time I stopped there was in 1982, with a Twenty-Two foot Bayliner. The boats have changed quite a few times since then and the food and drinks are even better!

I even took a Travel Channel Film Crew there after taking host Don Wildman for a couple of dives on the Wreck of the Mosquito Fleet Steamer Burton.

With another glorious Indian Summer Day on tap, I dropped the lines and headed over to Gig Harbor. The water was calm and smooth as glass. The Tides have brand new docks which are a pleasure to tie up to. The food and drink are top notch and there is plenty to see and do in Gig Harbor!

The Mosquito Fleet Steamer Fleetwood once plied the waters of Puget Sound, running from Olympia to Seattle, as well as the Vashon Island run. The one hundred and eleven foot long steamship was abandoned on the beaches of Quartermaster Harbor in 1905 and left to rot. A rather ignominious end to a proud ship that for a time held the speed record from Olympia to Seattle.

During many trips to Quartermaster Harbor, I had always wondered what had happened to the Fleetwood. Having discovered dozens of wrecks on the bottom, near Dockton, I had given up on finding the Fleetwood until I spotted the wooden ribs of the ship being used as beach decorations and birding platforms along the Maury Island Shore.

Who would have guessed? I never thought I’d find the old girl while cruising in Sea Eagle as opposed to running the Side Scan on the Dive Bum.