November 2023

PSCC December Meeting: Captain Tuuli Messer-Bookman

Join us for the PSCC monthly meeting on December 15th for a talk by Captain Tuuli Messer-Bookman.

Capt. Tuuli Messer-Bookman grew up aboard wooden sailboats in picturesque Sausalito, California. Her parents, both teachers, lived aboard for over thirty years. In 1986, Tuuli graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. After several years of working as a ship’s officer aboard commercial cargo ships, she earned her U.S. Coast Guard Unlimited Tonnage Oceans Master’s license. She has sailed over 300,000 sea miles as a ship’s officer. She returned shoreside and earned her law degree at the University of San Francisco, School of Law and is a (non-active) member of the California State Bar. After law school she started teaching at California Maritime Academy, where she taught all aspects of navigation and was the lead instructor for U.S. Coast Guard license exam preparation for the Academy’s senior cadets. She was also a certified assessor for navigational watchstanding in the Academy’s state-of-the-art full-mission ship simulator. After 23 years at Cal Maritime, she retired in 2018 and moved to Gig Harbor, WA with her husband Barry.

She writes for various maritime publications and is the author of three books: Maritime Casualties: Causes and Consequences, the Master’s Handbook on Ship’s Business, 3rd ed. and Close Quarters: A Woman’s Guide to Living and Working in Masculine Environments. She has worked as a maritime consultant and expert witness on over 100 cases since 1995 and has testified on maritime matters in both state and federal courts. Capt. Messer-Bookman is a member of the Nautical Institute, the Propeller Club, the Navy League, the U.S. Power Squadron, and is the Education co-chair at Tacoma Yacht Club. She also teaches the 100 Ton course at Compass Courses in Edmonds, WA. Capt. Messer-Bookman and her husband enjoy boating aboard their trawler Gooso, playing with their two dogs, and fixing up neat old things together.

Meetings are held every third Friday of the month at the Puget Sound Yacht Club. The meeting is open to all, but we do ask for a $5 donation at the door to help pay for the venue and club expenses. Zoom attendees can make a donation by Paypal or credit/debit card here. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Sheri shared photos from the December meeting which had a surprise visit by Santa!:

PSCC December Meeting: Captain Tuuli Messer-Bookman Read More »

November Cruise to Bell Harbor (Nov 25/26)

Our November cruise to Bell Harbor corresponds to the evening the Seattle Christmas Ships with the Dickens Carolers will be on Elliott Bay… and you can join the parade on your boat, or just enjoy them from shore. How perfect is that?!?

Christmas Ships and Carolers:

The Christmas Ships 1st sailing will be 2-3:30 PM from Pier 55.

  • They will sail by Bell Harbor between 2-2:30 and 3-3:30. So if you’re already in guest slip, you could just watch them go by from the pier.
  • The Dickens Carolers will be performing 2:35-2:55 PM at the Olympic Sculpture Park (0.6 mile from Bell Harbor; easy sail or walk)
  • The Christmas Ships 2nd sailing will be 8-9:30 with the same carolers, going to Salty’s at Alki Beach Park (only 1.6 nm from Bell Harbor, but … probably for most of us past cruiser’s midnight)

Bell Harbor:

PSCC has 10 slips reserved for 1 night (November 25). Margaret is the cruise leader (see the pscclist for her contact and to RSVP).

  • You MUST CALL BELL HARBOR AND RESERVE ONE OF THE PSCC SLIPS IN YOUR NAME BY THIS SATURDAY the 11th.
    No exceptions; this is a very popular time to be there and they will fill up.
  • Bell Harbor contact is Michael Cink, (206) 787-3951, Cink.M@PortSeattle.org

The Plan:

  • Make a reservation, send me an email (RSVP required) to let me (Margaret) know:
    1) Name of your boat, # on board, cell phone if you’re coming by boat. If you’re coming by land, that’s great too, please just give me a heads up.
    2) what you’d like to bring to a potluck dinner that evening (optional, but it’s impossible to get a group reservation for dinner that night)
  • Arrive when you like on Saturday afternoon
  • Anyone wanting to walk together to Olympic Sculpture Park to hear carolers: meet on dock 1:45
  • Boats wanting to join/follow the Christmas ships: meet outside the harbor entrance at 2 p.m.
  • (Optional) potluck dinner on board/dock 6:30 PM. Please bring your own eating utensils etc.
  • Sunday Brunch choices: Café Opla (Vietnamese) across street, Pike Place Market, or on your own
  • Depart late Sunday morning.

This is going to be a great holiday event; come join your PSCC friends!

Cruise Report:

The club had a great cruise to Bell Harbor with Christmas ships and potluck, with 5 boats showing up and over 15 people! A couple photos shared by Margaret:

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