Marina neighbors get their party afloat

Yesterday, as thousands of people crammed into nearby Gas Works Park for one of Seattle's two big pyrotechnics shows, the 100 or so residents of the marina's boats and barges opened their doors and decks for a long day and night of partying.

"This is the biggest private party in the state, right here in this marina," said Regina Turman, one of the marina managers, whose quirky idea of policing the event was to walk around with a fly swatter as if to whack at anyone transgressing safety rules.

But the main rules of the day were these: First, fill the coolers with cold drinks. Next, fill the rooftops with friends. Then, fill the hours until fireworks with music, food and ... did we mention cold drinks?

If any Seattle community is made for Independence Day, it is this. Here, 35 house barges without motors and about an equal number of houseboats float on Lake Union directly beneath the explosion of colors lighting the night sky.

As if that isn't enough inducement to be outside all evening, there is the picture postcard-perfect view of the downtown skyline and a front-row look at the parade of humanity passing by in boats on the way to watch the fireworks.

There is an unusual closeness here. After all, these are kindred spirits, drawn together by a love for the water that never stops gently lapping their homes.

The closeness is also physical. When neighbors live only four feet apart, they are bound to get to know each other.

And each Fourth of July, their deck parties blend together into one big open house.

Living at the marina, "there's no need to be lonely, there's no need to have a quiet night if you don't want one," said Heather Hopkins, who bought her boat about a year ago.

As for the Fourth, "there's a lot of touring and circulating, and it's just increased now that we've all become friends," she said.

Randy Garrett, who lives on the boat next door, started out with five cases of beer Saturday night. As of yesterday evening, "we're getting slim," he said, "but we've got a couple of bottles of whiskey."

Bill Janes, another neighbor, said, "this is the last stretch of the Wild West. All we need is a dust storm."

Everwood was seeing the whole thing for the first time yesterday. He said he had the Fourth of July in mind when he bought his boat, The Sherpa, in February.

Yesterday, his friends took their time tackling two coolers full of beer and various other drinks. A couple of them used the lampshade for -- What else? -- shade.

And somehow, in this independent-minded community on Independence Day, it fit.

FIREWORKS CALLS

A steady stream of fireworks calls, including one Seattle man so exasperated with the explosions scaring his dog that he told police he was going to "take the law into his own hands" to bring an end to it, as well as dozens of reported brush and refuse fires kept Seattle police and fire officers hopping throughout the day yesterday. Fireworks were also blamed for a house fire in Renton around 3:30 a.m. Sunday that caused roughly $50,000 in damage. There were no injuries.

More headlines and info from Fremont/Phinney Ridge.