A hearty round of applause to SternWheeler Charter owner, Jack Russell, for an absolutely perfect venue on his restored paddle-wheel boat: the Christine W for our reunion in Seattle. Our group of ~ 45 was greeted by a smiling Captain Lou who rounded us up to review Coast Guard required safety procedures: sprinkling them appropriately with a few well timed puns.
Our group was celebrating our 40th high school reunion (we attended high school in Bangkok, Thailand, graduating in 1975.) Since I lived in the area, I thought it would be a great location for alum from around the US to travel and vacation for a reunion...especially since for many, this was their first visit to Seattle and I wanted to show off my city. Boy did SternWheeler help me do that in style! The paddle-wheel boat cruised at a leisurely speed for 3 hours and had plenty of room to accommodate our group. (It holds a maximum of 49)
We opted for a Sunset cruise, brought in beverages and party trays from Costco. I had first considered an Argosy cruise, but having a private charter was not only more within our budget, it was all the more special that we had the cruise to ourselves.
Rain or shine the Christine W would have been a fun venue, but remarkably I picked the most glorious weekend in September: sunny, dry and a toasty 85° on September 12, no less! I had suggested everyone bring a light jacket--expecting much cooler temps on the Lake after sunset, but it stayed comfortable until we docked at 9:30 pm.
As the sun set on Lake Union, we ate, drank and danced (bring your music playlist--the Christine W has an iPod connection with speakers.) Captain Lou even slowed down to point out the Sleepless in Seattle houseboat! But the true highlight of the cruise was coming around the curve of the lake to see the Space Needle all lit up, sparkling and spectacular against the skyline.
I cannot recommend SternWheeler Charters enough for your next private event--particularly if you have out-of-town guests. You won't be disappointed. read more