It was tricky getting good pictures of this outing since phones and water do not mix well. I think you’ll get the idea though. Fun was had.

Today was overcast and cool, with a possibility of rain. We decided against taking a hike because Esther had an alternate idea that would keep us warm and entertained, at least for a couple of hours. Hot tub boats. Yes, it’s a thing.

We drove to Lake Washington, which is right in the city of Seattle. The lake is surrounded by skyscrapers, bridges, and highways. Its harbor is quite busy with all sizes of boats, and seaplanes. There are many houseboats, and waterfront businesses. There is a lot to look at. Someone came up with the idea of looking at it all while sitting in a hot tub, on a cute electric boat, with snacks on board and music.

I had filled out my waiver online the night before and got checked in quickly, along with Esther, Ryan and Jon. It seemed a little contrary to nature at first, taking off our warm clothes to the bathing suit layer and getting wet, on a day like this. But the water inside the boat was 104 degrees and felt really good. We stowed our food and watched a quick video tutorial on rules and regulations, then we were off.

I don’t remember all we were told, but the basics were 1) don’t get off the boat. 2) don’t let anyone else in the boat. 3) don’t go under any bridges 4) try not to hit anything. There was nothing to this boat except a joy stick for steering. The electric motors were quiet and invisible. There was a little bit of wooden deck at the front of the boat, with a hatch door covering a storage area. The rest of the boat was a hot tub with benches down both sides and the back.

In the two hours we were on the water, we circled that part of Lake Washington and took in the sights, including the Space Needle and all the hustle and bustle of the city. I had never been on a mobile hot tub before and found it an interesting combination of bathing and boating. Esther has also done this at night and said it was especially beautiful.

I would recommend this outing to anyone visiting the Seattle area. Yeah, it was fun, and different from the average boat ride, and perfect for birthday week.