I read a statistic recently that said one in four residents in the Seattle area owns a boat. I wonder if that includes rowboats and kayaks because that 25% number seems high. Anyway, the point is that there are lots of boaters and water around here. Where do they all go when they need to tie up and eat? Day and visitor moorage isn't always so clear--especially in Kirkland.
Not only is it confusing, you need to remember that any bozo can buy and operate a boat. No qualifications or special 
boater's license needed. Just a checkbook and a line of credit. I could tell you a story about how I discovered what the word "shoal" means, but why voluntarily embarrass myself? (if you have to know, email me at kirklandweblog@gmail.com ). Even above-average clowns like ourselves don't know where all the visitor docks in Kirkland are located or the exact protocol to follow. Many docks are not clearly marked and one can't easily decipher the do's/don'ts of hourly mooring around Kirkland either.
Then we heard about a book called "Cleats & Eats, a boater's restaurant guide" that does a great job of summarizing and illustrating all of the public tie-ups, complete with descriptions, photos and drawings that even tell you which side to tie on. It's like a local 'boating for dummies' book that also includes a guide to all of the restaurants near the public tie-ups (this must be difficult to keep current!). There's a section on Kirkland which includes Carillon Point, Clancy's Dock, Marina Park, Second Street Dock and Settler's Landing. You'll also read about other secret finds in and around the Seattle area.
The author, Lorena Landon (pictured right, on her 22' cuddy cabin runabout) is a Kirkland resident 
and WA native. She and her husband have been boating for over 30 years, and often other boaters ask them: "Can I tie up here without getting yelled at?" "Is this public or private?" "How long can I stay here? Where is the restaurant?" She told her husband there should be a guide book and he encouraged her to write it herself. She's working on her fifth edition now!
You can find these great guidebooks at a variety of locations around town (no on-line sales yet) which are listed on their website www.cleatsandeats.com . The easiest place to grab one is probably Yarrow Bay Marina or the Downtown Association (on Lake St. next to Jalisco's). They run about $12 and are the perfect size to stick in the glove box of your boat next time you need it. For long term moorage, check out our blog post: Kirkland Moorage...what is the best marina for you? Enjoy the rest of these sunny summer days on your boat. Or better yet, somebody elses! ~Janis
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