A Day on the Shore of Lake Washington

The first full weekend of August is SeaFair Weekend in Seattle. 

While there are SeaFair events all over the area all summer, this weekend is the culmination, with the boat races on Lake Washington and the air show over it. 

When I say "boats" I mean these boats. 

These are hydroplanes. They fly on/on top of the water. 

These two hydros won't be hitting the water, and neither will those two old people posing with them, but others will.

After finding parking and hiking to a shady spot on the shore of the lake, we set up camp about 11:00. Then we went on a pit tour. Here we got up close to the boats and the people who live the boat racing life. 

These are the small F1 Powerboats, with big outboard motor engines. 

 Pretty paint jobs. 

 Here you see the Powerboat next to the H1 Unlimited hydroplane. 

 Those big boats are powered by helicopter turbine engines and by these seemingly small propellers. 

 I love the name of this racing team. 

 Part of SeaFair is welcoming the US Navy into town. This sailor, a lovely young woman, is getting a special tour. 

 Hydroplane racing is a dying sport. There are only nine big boats racing this year, and many fewer races than there used to be. Many Seattlites remember the old days, and the old boats powered by thunderous piston engines, like this vintage boat from the Hydroplane Museum taking a turn around the lake. 

 But Seattle hangs on to the tradition and makes a big summer party out of it. 

We checked out all of the vendors selling merchandise, chances to win prizes, and food, of course. 

 Meanwhile the air show had begun. This pilot, in his biplane, is amazing. 

 Amazon, a Seattle company, showed off their new Prime Air plane, Boeing built, of course. 

 Large crowds began to gather on the shore in anticipation of the performance of the Navy Blue Angels. 

 And here they come!

 Flying low over the pits. 

 The solo pilot takes his F/A-18 Hornet straight up, spinning as he goes, then rolls over and plunges earthward. 

The solo pilot makes his plane stand almost motionless on its tail.
 The Blue Angels are flying with only five planes this summer, after the crash in June that killed the other solo pilot. They have had to retrain for the five formation. 

 The final salute to Seattle, one of their favorite venues, especially when we give them blue skies. 

 Friday is actually a practice day, and a free day. But the ski racing is for real. 

 Yes, ski racing. I don't know why. I just know that there are water skiers behind those power boats going about a hundred miles an hour, round and round for 15 minutes. 

 Then it's time for the Powerboat racing. Those little guys can really move, and can slalom sharply around the buoy markers. 

 On Friday afternoon the big hydros take to the water to qualify for the big race that takes place Saturday and Sunday. They have to meet a minimum standard of  an average of 130 mph over a 2 mile lap. The fastest qualified at just over 150 mph. 

 That little prop throws up a lot of water - a rooster tail - as the boat skims over the surface. 

 As the boats went back on the trailers, we packed up and worked our way back home. It was a little after 5:00.

 We went out to dinner and were back in our chairs in time for the opening ceremonies of the Rio Olympics.

We didn't make it all the way through, and still haven't watched the rest of the ceremonies that we set to record before we went to bed.

Since then there has been some Olympic sport or other on any one of three TVs in the house as we go about doing other things. Now that I've finished this post, it's time to go sit in my recliner and pay better attention. I just sort of watched the men's team gymnastics, and I actually really like that event.