First family trip to Edmonds, Bremerton, Poulsbo and back.

Today we traveled from Shilshole marina to Edmonds on Clifford in order to leave the next day from the Edmonds Marina with our son Matt and his boat. This segment took about an hour. On Saturday morning we left the Edmonds Marina, traveled through Agate Pass and on to Bremerton through Port Orchard strait taking about two and a half hours. We picked up our other son Luke and his wife Jamie and twins Turner and Fox and went to Poulsbo for a late lunch. There was a little bit of chop from the wind and the tide but Jamie was able to work on her watercolor painting while underway. Clifford really is a smooth riding boat! See video below.

The most used feature on the boat was the auto-pilot. With the auto-pilot engaged, the wheel turns freely and the twins loved "steering" Clifford! We came back to Bremerton late that same afternoon and stayed overnight in Bremerton. This is about a hour and half trip.

The next morning we toured the USS Turner Joy moored at the Bremerton Marina and learned some interesting facts the USS Turner Joy and its role in the beginning of the Vietnam war. We shoved off for Shilshole about noon following the ferry route through Rich Passage. Coming around the south end of Bainbridge island we had a beautiful view of Blake Island, Mt. Rainier and downtown Seattle. This segment took about two and a quarter hours. The entire trip was about 60 nautical miles. The weather was cool at 50-55 deg, but the sun coming into the saloon through the windows and the engine heater kept us warm - we even had to open the windows for part of the trip.

We recommend that you take advantage of the sunny days in the winter-spring in Puget Sound to take even a short trip for the afternoon. The marinas and restaurants are not busy and the views are enhanced by the cool, dry, clean air we have in the winter.

John R and family

Matts Boat "Change" and the view of downtown Seattle

#firstfamilytrip