Editor’s note: In Migael’s Wake, a new series starting today, will run every other Wednesday and feature excerpts from author and longtime sailor Migael Scherer’s book “A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands.”

Gig Harbor is a great weekend getaway for Puget Sound boaters, offering plenty to do in a protected harbor with spectacular views of Mount Rainier.

A maritime community steeped in history, Gig Harbor was named by the Wilkes Expedition in the early 1800s for the ship’s gig they used to explore this “pretty little bay concealed by the sound.” The town was originally founded by Slovenians, Germans and Scandinavians, and was for many years a thriving commercial fishing village.

Today, Gig Harbor is dotted with shops, galleries and eateries, including Tides Tavern, one of the region’s most well-known waterfront boaters’ hangouts. You won’t feel like you’re getting away from it all, but you’ll be able to enjoy a classic Northwest seaport that caters to boaters.

Moorings and Anchorage
Free moorage is available for up to 48 hours at Jerisich Park on the south shore. Guest moorage is also available at Arabella’s Landing, which takes reservations by phone (360.851.1793). Anchorage is good in the middle of Gig Harbor, in 3 to 7 fathoms.

Getting Ashore
Use the public float at Jerisich Park, or for a fee, the floats and facilities at Arabella’s Landing. Anthony’s HomePort Gig Harbor (look for the Shoreline sign—Anthony’s took over the Shoreline Restaurant) and the Tides Tavern have floats for customers. On the north shore of Gig Harbor, public access is at the street-end launching ramp.

A bronze statue of a fisherman at the head of Jerisich Park is a nod to Gig Harbor's past as a commercial fishing village.

For the Boat and Crew
Marine repair and supply are at Lighthouse Marine at the head of the bay. The nearest supermarket is a short walk up Pioneer Way, in a mall that also has a hardware store and post office. The closest laundromat is at the head of the bay, across the street from Anthony’s.

Things to Do
Restaurants, delis, shops and galleries fill the storefront buildings in town and line the road to the end of the harbor. There are two museums, the Harbor History Museum and the Puget Sound Mariners’ Museum. Walk to a viewing platform at the head of the bay to see what makes this region so remarkable: Mount Rainier, massive and white above the blue water and brightly colored boats—silent, powerful and close.

Special events in Gig Harbor include a parade in early June and a Christmas boat parade in early December. A farmers market is held on summer weekends.

Sailor, writer and teacher Migael Scherer, who divides her time between Seattle and Lopez Island, is the author of “A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands,” published by International Marine/McGraw-Hill. The guide can be purchased online through Armchair Sailor Books & Charts, Captain’s Nautical Supplies, Amazon and other retailers.