Steilacoom Marina

The Steilacoom Marina at Saltar's Point was a popular, bustling place for Puget Sound boaters until a tragic day in 1987 when a 13 year-old kid murdered the owner during a robbery. The boy was tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison. He is still there. The once busy Marina closed down. It remained empty, quietly rotting away for the next twenty years, sadly reminding beach visitors of mankind's imperfection.

Even in its decrepit state, it was a place of serene beauty. Seals swam amongst the pilings while boys skipped rocks and girls plucked berries from the wild bushes that pervaded the structure. On a warm summer evening it was pleasant to sit beneath the deck and watch the sun set over nearby Ketron Island, the waves calmly lapping onto shore, the smell of grilling meat heavy on the salty air.

Saltar's Point became a popular destination for divers - there are at least six wrecks off shore. In the deep water in front of the marina lies an old Chris Craft from bygone days. At the very south end of the marina, there is a wood hulled tug lying next to a newer fiberglass pleasure boat. The tug still has its engine in place and is a very interesting wreck to explore.

I was walking my dog down at the beach one evening several months ago, thinking that it was a very pleasant place and how nice it was to get away from the crushing closeness of the city, not knowing that it would be a long time before I would get to walk there again. The Marina's long sad story had one more heart wrenching twist. About four in the morning fire crews were alerted that the Marina was ablaze. That building went up in flames like a Christmas tree in a July bonfire. Check out the report.

Blaze destroys Steilacoom Marina | KOMO News - Breaking News, Sports, Traffic and Weather - Seattle, Washington | News

There is a backstory to this that I shouldn't get into, short of mentioning that this was an act of arson. What would compel someone to do this?

Now the Marina owner is saying she wants to reopen. I wish her the best of luck. She sure has her work cut out for her.

New for Netflix

As both a boating enthusiast and a film connoisseur, I have am surprised at how little I know about movies with boats. Recently on Facebook I asked everyone what their favorite films with boats are. I guess the winner was Captain Ron, a movie I had never even heard of, to be honest. Whereas every other favorite film had only one recommendation (and mine had none save my own) Captain Ron had dos.

Recommendations ranged from the comedic (Jaws I and II, comedic in this context at least!) to the serious (Captains Courageous) to the slightly disturbing (The Perfect Storm) to the obscure (Life Boat with Tallulah Bankhead). Maybe it's a generational thing.

Pardon me if I plug for my choice once more. I love historical movies and Master and Commander is one of the best historical fictions. It is based on the great maritime books by Patrick O'Brien. Both the movie and the book allow you to feel close to the 18th Century world that it's characters inhabit. People who might have interest in it should know that this movie is character-driven more than it is driven by plot. Just watch it to enjoy the ambiance it creates.

Meanwhile, I will be watching Captain Ron.

Inaugural Post!

Welcome to the Live On A Boat blog!

Few ideas are as intoxicating as the idea of spending time on a boat. For many, boating symbolizes escape - a chance to get away from the daily grind, the nine-to-five lifestyle and relax. For others, boating represents a lifestyle choice, a chance to be in the world but not of it, a refusal to participate in the hustle and bustle that characterizes modern life for so many. What attracts all boaters, from the crusty old seadogs to the Thurston Howell the Thirds, ultimately, is freedom. Freedom to live life, or whatever part fortune allows, at a pace of one's own choosing.

Well that's the first entry. More topical posts will follow, I promise!