Washboarding

Last Sunday Sarah, Matt, Claire, and myself went out on the boat formerly known as Red Reign. The boat formerly known as Red Reign is about the same color as one '84 Impala in its latter years but lacks a 5L V8 and a squirrel in the back window. So plans to buy materials for the mini-ramp were put on hold, and we skipped the Joy Wants Eternity show (my favorite band but they're playing again Friday) to go wakeboarding for the first time in Washington and the first time in about 5 years.

We launched at the Sunnyside Avenue N Boat Ramp east of Gas Works Park in Wallingford on Lake Union (holy hyperlinks). Then we motored our way out to Lake Washington at 7 knots (because that's the speed limit) through the cut. Then we went all the way up to Kenmore in search of good water, but it was hot and busy and a choppy mess most of the afternoon.


Opting not to waste perfect drinking weather, Sarah forgoes wakeboarding for Jolly Roger.


Here's a shot of the skipper of the mighty formerly known as Red Reign. If this isn't embarrassing, I don't know what is. Sorry, Claire.


Washington state law requires you to have an orange flag raised above your boat whenever anyone from your vessel is in the water. While Claire did not go wakeboarding I think her arms were probably more tired than mine. Which also explains why there are no pictures of any actual "wakeboarding" in this post.

Wakeboarding on Lake Washington is a little different than what I'm used to. There are numerous distractions including...


Float planes...


Hawks and bald eagles...


And Mt. Rainier. It was pretty sweet to cut in towards the wake, see this view, and then tweak a boned out back-side shifty indy grab (no picture but seriously I did it).


The mighty formerly known as Red Reign and her stout crew just before sunset.