Riding the Lady Cat to Stehekin

Experiences have become our family’s new preference when it comes to gift-giving.

- LINDA REID

When those experiences incorporate multi-generational together time, all the better.

Last year, for example, for my 70th birthday, we had a day on the water with Deception Pass Boat Tours, which included our grandkids, our son and daughter, and several cousins. It was a natural for us since my cousins, Brett and Terica Ginther, own and operate this award-winning tourist attraction.

When my birthday came around again it was clear it would not include the same kind of family outing. (We are scattered from the west side of the state, to Wenatchee and South Florida.)

So, my husband Ken posed the question, “What do you want to do for your birthday?” I reflected on our June boat trip in 2019 and immediately responded, “I want to GO somewhere!”

Just saying that sparked an idea, and I said, “Let’s take the boat from Chelan to Stehekin for the day.” He got on the phone with Lake Chelan Boat Company and made a reservation immediately.

To our delight, the new owners (who bought the company in 2019), Brun Garfoot and Reed Courtney, had bought back the catamaran (that had been sitting idle for years) to add to the Chelan-Stehekin fleet, and it would be running on the day of our trip.

We had traveled to Stehekin on both the Lady of the Lake and the Lady Express years before and very much enjoyed these trips. However, the idea of covering over 50 miles of up-lake travel in just an hour and a half on the new Lady Cat would give us extra time to explore Stehekin, a full six hours more.

We had a beautiful day for our adventure, and the Lady Cat provided us with a scenic, comfortably smooth ride. (COVID-19 guidelines were carefully respected.)