[ deck the hulls ]
Seattle Boaters to Light Up the Night for This Year’s Christmas Boat Parades
Have you hauled out and untangled your strings of lights yet? It’s time for boaters to make their pride-and-joy vessels shine brightly again for the holiday season. This month, two cherished maritime Christmas traditions return to the Northwest: The Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship Parade of Boats and the Seattle Christmas Boat Parade.
The Argosy event kicks off first on Friday, December 8, when the cruise line’s Christmas Ship, The Spirit of Seattle, will shove off from the shore of South Lake Union at 8 p.m., leading a line of glittering, decorated boats in its wake. The 90-minute parade, which has been an annual tradition since 1949, will sail to the northwest through the Fremont Cut before turning at the Ballard Bridge and returning to the starting point.
Guests aboard the Christmas Ship will hear carols from an onboard community choir and a reading of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Directly behind the Christmas Ship will be the adults-only 21+ Follow Boat, on which guests can take part in the popular “Ugly Sweater Contest” and will have access to a photo booth. Both vessels will have a full-service bar serving wine, beer, and specialty cocktails. For those on land, a free onshore Viewing Party for the Argosy Parade of Boats will be located at Evanston Plaza, near Evanston Avenue and Northlake Way, providing a panoramic view of the lighted spectacle. Christmas music from radio station Warm 106.9 will be playing at the event, where refreshments will be available from Finn the Food Truck, Anthony’s Restaurants, Bell’s Cookie Co., and Chayen Coffee Trailer.
The following week, another holiday staple, the Seattle Christmas Boat Parade, will kick off on Saturday, December 16, on Lake Union in front of Fremont Tugboat Co. near the Aurora Bridge. In addition to a display of boats decked out in their Christmas finery, the parade will feature the annual Toy Drive, in which participants can donate toys in support of Seattle Children’s Hospital. Toy donations can be dropped off at the Ballard West Marine “Fish Shack” as early as December 14.
The Christmas Boat Parade will begin at 7 p.m., when the registered boats will sail west to east past Gasworks Park and continue clockwise around Lake Union until reaching the end at Morrison’s Fuel Dock, directly across from the starting line. The lead boat in the parade will be a bright yellow and blue Western Towboat Co. tugboat. Be sure to cheer as loud as you can for the yuletide-loving boaters!
For information on reserving a spot for your own vessel or for being a passenger in Argosy’s Christmas Ship Parade, go to: argosycruises.com/christmas-ship-tickets. Those wishing the participate in the Seattle Christmas Boat Parade and Toy Drive, should visit the registration page for more details: seattlechristmasboatparade.com.
[ new to the Northwest ]
Silver Seas Introduces Galeon Yachts to the Pacific Northwest
After arriving in the U.S. market with a splash 2016, Poland-based manufacturer Galeon Yachts has finally made it across to the West Coast with an exclusive representation deal with Silver Seas Yachts.
Galeon just released one of its newest models, the 450 Hardtop Coupe (HTC), in October to rave reviews at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The sporty 450 HTC, measuring 45’9” in length, also arrived last month in the Seattle office of Silver Seas on Lake Union.
Created in collaboration with Tony Castro Design Studio, the 450 HTC will be available in a two- or three-cabin configuration, along with Galeon’s trademark “Beach Mode” customization option with a summer kitchen, a retractable cockpit shade, a sunroof over the lower helm, and a helm door. One of its most striking features is a drop-down platform on each side of the cockpit to provide more outdoor recreational space beyond the vessel’s 20’8” beam.
While the 450 HTC is grabbing the headlines, Billy Gilbert, sales manager for Silver Seas Yachts in Seattle, says the dealer’s emphasis for Pacific Northwest customers will likely be Galeon’s flybridge models, such as the 440 FLY that came our earlier this year, as well as the new 560 FLY.
Galeon’s flybridge boats, Gilbert said, offer open-air operation from the upper helm station and “more social opportunities in various weather conditions,” which may appeal to boaters used to variable weather conditions in the Northwest. On the 560 FLY, for example, “the aft and side glass open to create a huge open-air social zone at rest,” Gilbert said, “but then can all tuck in and fully enclose to run in complete comfort.” The 440 and 560 boats, he added, “also both feature helm access doors to make maneuvering at the slip or Ballard locks that much easier.”
Along with the Galeon, Silver Seas is also the dealer for new luxury yachts offered by the Cruisers, Princess, Tiara, EdgeWater, and Aviara brands, exclusively on the West Coast. In operation for more than 12 years, Silver Seas has more than 500 luxury vessels in stock and operates four offices in California and Seattle.
For more details on Silver Seas, and the latest Galeon models to arrive in the Northwest, go to: silverseasyachts.com.
[ developing story ]
Port of Everett Unveils Glimpses of Planned Mukilteo Makeover
While Everett has been hogging a lot of attention lately for its waterfront revitalization projects, its little sister community, Mukilteo, is stepping into the spotlight with the release of preliminary sketches for its own planned makeover in the coming years.
In early November, the Port of Everett Commission, which manages the Mukilteo property, invited the public to view new artist’s renderings of their vision for the future, which includes mixed retail and residential development, new restaurant tenants, and a wide public promenade. The 26-acre parcel stretches from Lighthouse Park to Edgewater Beach, just west of the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal, providing sweeping views of Whidbey Island and Possession Sound.
While the property is currently being used as a commercial parking lot, the Port envisions a cluster of renovated buildings, tree-lined streets, public gathering spaces, walking trails, and a refurbished shoreline, with steps leading down to provide pedestrian and boating access to the water. The current proposal is only preliminary as waterfront stakeholders are now being contacted for their feedback.
The Port formed a partnership with the City of Mukilteo last year and developed a “unified vision” to transform what had been an inaccessible U.S. Air Force fuel-tank farm across the railroad tracks into a vibrant part of the Mukilteo community. When the previous owner, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), decided not to re-develop the property in 2021, the Port stepped in and hired architecture firm NBBJ to come up with new designs.
The Port of Everett and the city of Mukilteo are now entering discussions about creating a formal partnership that will move the project forward. Both parties established negotiating committees that started convening earlier this summer. By next year, a timeline may be developed for the first stages of re-development. Stay tuned and for up-to-date info, go to: portofeverett.com/real_estate/mukilteowaterfrontdevelopment.php.
