Sunset Cruise on Bellingham Bay

Walking down the Island Marine harbor cruise dock by the orca at Squalicum Harbor, we were handed colorful leis as we boarded the Island Caper for the sunset cruise, an annual friend raiser for the Womencare Shelter.

Leaving the dock at 6:00 p.m., the weather was absolutely perfect for an evening on Bellingham Bay.

A buffet dinner provided by Haggens was served shortly after the captain pulled away from the dock and began motoring the Island Caper through the marina at Squalicum Harbor. Later, ice cream from Mallards was to be enjoyed!

The view of Fairhaven as seen from aboard the Island Caper.Including a few of the sea shanty songs they perform with their other group, Pirates R Us, musicians David Stray Ney and Friends provided great entertainment to the crowd on the top deck of the boat with an assortment of acoustic, folk, rock and comedy songs.

Sandstone cliffs along Chuckanut as viewed from the boat.

In the cabin below, the Casey Family Sing Along entertained us with their tunes.

Of course, no sunset cruise on Bellingham Bay would be considered complete without a sunset! As such, upon entering Squalicum Harbor, a beautiful summer sunset was our backdrop as the Island Caper returned us to the cruise dock.

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More photos from the cruise.

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The Womencare Shelter is a non-profit organization providing emergency domestic violence services and support to battered women and their children. Domestic violence, as quoted from their website, is defined as, "Domestic violence is a deliberate pattern of assaultive and controlling behaviors, including physical, sexual, verbal, and psychological attacks, that one intimate partner does to establish and maintain power and control over the other."

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The Womencare Shelter provides Whatcom County with its only 24-hour Domestic Violence Helpline. Offering assistance to victims of domestic violence, they provide trained advocates to help with support and safety planning, information and referral; crisis intervention; confidential emergency shelter with food, personal items and some clothing for women and children who are victims of domestic violence; counseling, legal, medical and financial advocacy; and access to other necessary women care services.

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To learn more about the services provided by the Womencare Shelter or how you can help by volunteering or making a donation, contact them at their administrative offices located at 4140 Meridian Street, Suite 210, Bellingham, WA, 98226, or by telephone at 360-671-8539.

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If your answer to any of the following questions as found on their website is "yes",

• Are you frightened by your partner's temper?
• Are you afraid to disagree with your partner?
• Do you find yourself constantly apologizing for your partner's behavior?
• Have you stopped seeing friends or family because your partner is jealous of/or doesn't like them?
• Are you forced into having sex when you don't want to?
• Have you been hit, kicked, or had things thrown at you?

and you are in need of assistance, please do not hesitate to call their confidential 24-Hour Domestic Violence Helpline at 360-734-3438, or toll free at 877- 227-3360.

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Big thanks go to the Womencare Shelter staff, board members, volunteers and all their other community supporters and friends that helped to make this year's Sunset Cruise such a wonderful experience for us!

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And thank you, Bob, for sharing an absolutely lovely evening!