Northwest office celebrates with 65 Nordhavn owners and guests

By Barbara Lippert

As usually is the case in January in Seattle, the weather was cold and gloomy on the day we hosted our annual owners get-together; a tradition held during the first week of the Lake Union Boats Afloat Show. By now, the almost Spring moniker we’ve attached to this yearly event has become a bit of a joke. And this particular Saturday evening, January 22, 2011, stayed true to form with temps struggling to make it out of the 30s. Still, it was cheery and spring-like inside where nearly 70 folks gathered to mingle and talk Nordhavn.
The jolly mix of Nordhavn owners, guests and vendors came to neighborhood favorite eatery, Szmania’s, in nearby burb, Magnolia, Washington. A sumptuous buffet, concocted by owner and renowned Seattle chef, Ludger Szmania, was thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance – most of whom were fairly local. So it should have been fairly surprising that one guest in attendance had traveled thousands and thousands of miles. But this was a Nordhavn owners gathering, so naturally, it wasn’t surprising at all when I heard Peter Sheppard’s voice in conversation with a small group gathered by the buffet table. Peter and his wife, Margaret, own Nordhavn 55, SKIE, and hail from Victoria, Australia. The Sheppards spent most of 2010 exploring Alaska and the Pacific Northwest before bringing the boat down to San Diego where she sits now, being prepared for a Pacific Crossing back to the couple’s home in Australia. Peter was in Seattle attending the stellar engine seminar presented by Bob Senter of Northern Lights, Inc. as part of his own ocean-crossing prep work.
This year’s 10-day Lake Union Boat Show (January 21-30) was another success: great attendance and lots of interest in Nordhavns. My favorite part? Getting to spend an evening with Nordhavn owners and guests is a tradition that the Seattle office looks forward to every year during this time.