Contrary to popular belief, boats are actually much safer than cars, which inexplicably sink every time you drive them on water. Take a proper water-road ride with today’s Groupon: for $27, you get a 90-minute wine-and-appetizer cruise from Northwest Boat Rentals and Adventures in Poulsbo, Washington (a $54 value). Cruises depart at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday–Sunday.
Northwest Boat Rentals' 90-minute wine-and-appetizer cruise glides through Liberty Bay aboard an open, canopied electric Duffy, the water version of a limousine. Clink two glasses of wine from from Yakima Valley's St. Hilaire Winery to toast sightings of seals or Mount Rainier on clear days. After an appetizer plate of Northwest-style smoked salmon and cheese from local Crimson Cove, guests can relax into the boat’s well-cushioned leather seating or play bird bingo to reward those who spot bald eagles, herons, or biplanes the fastest. Now iPod-compatible, each vessel prompts passengers to make an open-water soundtrack with festive-tunes podcasts about festive tunes.
Each craft anticipates seafaring needs with table drink holders and life jackets and quells appetizer mutinies with on-board amenities such as silverware, plates, and bottle openers. Up to 6 people fit in each vessel, but the ship can’t sail without the company of at least four seafarers. Depending on boat availability, small parties of humans or robo-humans may be combined in the same vessel. Guests younger than 21 may join the wine cruise but will be served nonalcoholic beverages.
Northwest Boat Rentals and Adventures
A descendant of fishermen and boat captains who have called the area's coastal waters home for more than a century, Captain Arch regales visitors with nautical stories while showing off his fleet of rental boats. Watercraft ranges from electric Duffy boats to sailboats, which allows the captain to equip renters for adventures such as fishing, waterskiing, or leisurely scenic floats. Beyond rentals, Arch's crew arranges guided trips, including visits to Blake Island, or beverage and appetizer cruises fortified with local wines, smoked salmon, and waiters imported from France.