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Summer Guide 2011: the Water Issue
Like the mountains that frame our city, water gives Seattle its identity. Life here is a life aquati
This article originally appeared in the August 2011 issue of Seattle magazine.
From the briny smell of Elliott Bay wafting over downtown to the sight of sunlight sparkling on Lake Washington during a summer morning commute; from the lapping sound of waves against docks and kayaks to the taste of our drinking water—some of the purest in the world. And—we’ll say it—the feeling of warm rain splattering down our necks during an unexpected drizzle. (Then again, is any Seattle drizzle truly unexpected?) Water draws us together in fun—and in water-logged, ruined-picnic shared misery. But we know that what comes down on our heads also comes down on our lakes, rivers and streams, creating watersheds, unparalleled natural beauty and seemingly endless options for play.
Whether your preferred water spot is a remote or urban lake, a glacier-fed river or the Pacific Ocean, here is your guide to playing in, living on, eating from and celebrating Seattle’s abundant liquid assets.
Lakes
Puget Sound
Pacific Ocean
Rivers
Eat from the Sea
Creatures of the Deep
Owning a Boat
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The Northwest’s Gateway to Wine, Culture & Adventure
Escape the crowds. Slow down. Savor fall in the Lewis Clark Valley. As autumn paints the hillsides in gold, crimson, and amber, the Lewis Clark Valley becomes a picture-perfect place to slow down and savor the season. Where Washington and Idaho meet, fall brings crisp days, colorful landscapes, harvest among the vines, and plenty of…
Meet West Seattle’s “Freelance Beaver Detective”
A group of urban beavers helped Pamela Adams through a tough time. Now she’s returning the favor.
Pamela Adams was living in Port Townsend when her marriage fell apart. Little did she know at the time that she would soon find love again while doggedly pursuing the Five Families—not the ones of Mafia lore, but a four-legged sort living along the Longfellow Creek Watershed. Prior to moving to Washington, Adams resided in…
A Wellness Pilgrimage to the Olympic Peninsula
Two hours from Seattle, a new kind of luxury is taking root—one built on stillness, old-growth forests, and the subtle art of slowing down.
There is a school of thought among the overworked and overscheduled that the most subversive thing a person can do is stop. Put down the phone, close the laptop, and go somewhere that actively resists attempts to stay plugged in. The Olympic Peninsula has always offered this, in its blunt, mossy way. For some city…
Seabrook Is a Little Coastal Utopia
This walkable beach town gives families room to roam, relax, and leave the car parked.
There’s nothing quite like finding an edible mushroom in the forest with a five-year-old. The excitement and pride my son displayed when we found chicken of the woods were contagious, and after battering and frying the mushrooms, our wonderful day got even better. The dark, wet forests in which our mushrooms grew are part of…