Wish you could change the scenery of your home office? All it takes a quick trip up Highway 101 to the hidden gem of Brinnon in Jefferson County. Here, bleisure travel is at its peak, with large rooms with work tables and plenty of after-work activities, including dinner cruises, scuba diving and kayaking offered by OlyPen Adventures, LLC in nearby Pleasant Harbor. This husband-and-wife team are ready to treat you to an evening on the water featuring a four-course dinner through Pallin’ Around Charters.
Dinner Cruise in Brinnon a Charted Dream Come to True For Owners
Captain Kelley Bronaugh and Katherine O’Leary-Cole own and operate both OlyPen Adventures and Pallin’ Around Charters. Their charter boat is a 1969 gem, made in Hong Kong with mahogany from the Philippines. “We gave her a second chance, and she gave us a second chance,” Shares Katherine. They purchased the boat as a foreclosure in 2022 and spent a lot of love and time getting her back into shape. “It took us about a year to get the boat presentable, complete our commercial licensing, my husband to get his captain’s license and get insurance for the business before we took out our first paying customers in June of 2023,” shares Katherine.
It’s clear from her four-course meals, expertly executed in the tiny space she masterfully controls, that Katherine knows her way around a filet. That’s thanks to 15 years as a professional chef and restaurant manager. Their dinner cruise at Pleasant Harbor combines her love of food and cooking, with their mutual love of being out on the water. “We figured out that the boat we had purchased could not only be a dive boat, but also a dinner cruise boat” shares Katherine. “It’s much better suited for dinner cruising than diving. However, for me, the only thing that compares to serving guests a beautiful, creative meal on my boat is guiding divers on tours of our amazing Hood Canal!”
Celebrate Work Accomplishments with a Four-Course Meal and a Side of Beauty on Brinnon Dinner Cruise
Planning a work retreat to Jefferson County? Pallan’ Around Charters can offer you a private rental of their boat for up to six people – it’s perfect for celebrating a company milestone, as a way to reward employees or to encourage employee bonding. Bleisure travel is all about work-life balance, and this dinner cruise lets you fully unplug for three hours. Wander the boat while Chef Katherine prepares each course – you don’t need to stay at the cabin table unless you want to – she will deliver your food whether you’ve decided to take in the stunning views of the harbor…including on the top deck!
You just might see orca, seals, bald eagles, giant egg-yoke jellyfish and other wildlife while you enjoy your meal. “Wildlife tends to be more active at dusk, we see more eagles, otters, seals, other birds at the end of our sunset tours than any other time,” shares Katherine.
The cruise is perfectly timed to give you a lovely sunset as you are heading back, enjoying your dessert. “The Hood Canal offers many beautiful sights, but the sunset usually is not at the top of the list because it sets in the mountains behind us,” Katherine says. “However, once you’re out on the water, you can watch the sunset through the river valleys and mountains – it truly is stunning! Compared to many activities on the Hood Canal where you are surrounded by thick, lush forest, once you’re out on the water the sky takes on a whole new personality!”
Katherine is all about presentation, so while you may be on a small boat, you get a top-class meal. Katherine explains as she is cooking that presentation matters when it comes to food, especially for those with allergies. She wants to make sure those with dietary restrictions feel like they are getting a whole meal and that it’s filling. She creates each menu for that specific charter and is able to accommodate allergies and dietary restrictions quite easily – as long as you give her at least a week’s notice.
Bleisure During Off Seasons at Pleasant Harbor? You Bet!
Katherine loves the fall and winter seasons in the Hood Canal. There are less tourists so trails, restaurants, boat launches and other places are less crowded. Some of her favorite things are the changing leaves, surging waterfalls, fresh oysters and the chance of snow! And while storms and snow can cause travel issues, most the time it’s beautiful.
With their parent company, OlyPen Adventures, LLC, you can also book an all-inclusive weekend package – which is geared toward divers and their non-diving partners, Katherine explains. Guests stay at the couples AirBnB and go out on the boat and other adventure tours, including hiking, e-bike trips and paddling. Or, take a scuba charter that includes two dives and a lunch, which takes about six hours.
Life’s short. Work hard. Play harder in Brinnon and Pleasant Harbor with a bleisure trip. Learn more about all Jefferson County has to offer at the Enjoy the Olympic Peninsula website.
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