Testimonials and Reviews
Here is what our guests are saying about their experiences aboard Diminuendo with Northwest Sailing adventures.
We make every effort to provide an unforgettable experience. From the comments of our guests, it seems that our efforts are not in vain! It makes our hearts glad to hear so many kind words from those who have sailed with us. The highest form of praise bestowed on us is to have had guests return for more 
adventures. We’ve taken the liberty of copying the following reviews from tripadvisor, Yelp, and Google. Click on the buttons below to read all of the newest comments.
Amazing Adventure!
We decided to book this trip as part of our 50th year wedding anniversary. Each month we are doing a different adventure and this was our September addition. It was amazing and although the weather wasn’t cooperative it really didn’t matter because just spending time with Ron and Mari made the whole trip. The best part was learning from them – everything from sailing to developing unique menus. We loved the food!
Thank you Ron and Mari for giving us a wonderful and memorable addition to our 50th anniversary celebration. Pat and Jim
Wow!
This was our first time in the San Juans and our first time sailing. What a great experience. Ron and Mari are fun, knowledgeable and so very accommodating. Meals were terrific and the whole experience so relaxing. We will do this again! Carl and Carolyn
Great time in The San Juans!
This was our families first time in the San Juans. Ron and Mari were great and made the trip perfect! They are both very knowledgeable about the islands and sailing. We also had a nice hike….I learned a lot and we had lots of laughs. Mari did a great job on food, the crab cakes were amazing! Diminuendo is a very solid boat with a high ceiling, and large aft berths, so all four of us were comfortable. It is worth the trip and we hope to come back someday. Bill and Family
3 day adventure
We booked this excursion last minute. Captain Ron was so gracious to contact the original booking couple (unknown to us) on the cruise to see if they would mind if we joined. It was a wonderful time. The food and company exceeded any expectation. Ron and Mari’s passion and love of the islands and sailing are shown through their knowledge of each individual island and through sailing. We hope to make it back soon for a longer adventure!
Angie and Sasha
What a fabulous adventure. 6 days, 5 nights
We took this cruise as our 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration. Captain Ron and Mari are fantastic, Diminuendo is a very comfortable boat. Because of our arthritic limited mobility we weren’t able to do a lot of the physical excursions, but Captain Ron and first mate Mari made our trip memorable. Captain Ron and Mari make a great team and go out of their way to make you feel welcome and pampered. The meals were fantastic and they catered to my husband and my different likes and dislikes. Whether you are active and enjoy getting off the boat to hike, explore, or kayak, or you just want a trip like we had: relaxing, stay on the boat and enjoy the view, NW Sailing is the charter to take. Since our trip was the end of May, we knew we were taking a chance on the weather, we had everything from sun to rain and very little wind, but Ron and Mari made sure we had a great experience. Some sailing, a lot of motoring and because of their vast knowledge of the islands we were treated to a lot of local knowledge. We saw lots of wildlife, we even saw a Minke (spelling could be wrong) whale and dalls porpoises. My husband is a seasoned sailor; Ron was very accomodating to let my husband take the helm. I highly recommend NW Sailing Adventures. Sue and Jim
Wonderful,exceeded highest expectations
Phenomenal trip. Warm weather, 10-15 knot breezes, sailed close hauled every day 7-8 knots boat speed-absolutely perfect sailing. Ron and Mari are open friendly people and are an exceptional team-seamless taxing maneuvers, docking and mooring. Ron is a very skilled and experienced skipper and his knowledge provides a safe and comfortable journey. Mari is an exceptional cook and in my opinion her meals were Gourmet.
Brooke and Laura
Sailing the San Juan Islands – 4 days, 3 nights
We always wanted to take this trip, and wanted it to be a sailing experience. We are pleased we did! The sailing was awesome, the weather was cold but nice and the waters were great! We saw sea lions and harbor seals, a lot of the area bird life and Orcas on our final day! Captain Ron has wonderful knowledge of the waters, islands and area – really cared about your experience! Bed was comfortable and my husband was happy to have gotten a chance at the helm (he is an experienced hand)! Thank you for a showing us the San Juan Islands! Pam and Brian
Worth It
My wife and I did a 5 day/4 night trip in early September. Capt Ron and First Mate Mari know all the San Juans and you can leave all the trip planning to them. But they will also work with you if there are specific things you want to see and do. We visited Sucia, Stuart, San Juan and Orcas islands as well as anchoring in a cove of Shaw Island. We sailed by and around many others. We hiked, kayaked, spotted wildlife, shopped and sailed. We even rented a car and made it to the top of Mt Constitution on Orcas Island (the views are amazing). Ron and Mari were there whenever we needed them. They are both very personable and great conversationalists. As others have said, Mari is a great Chef too. Nobody goes hungry on the Diminuendo! It was a great trip and when we work some other things off our bucket list, we may very well come back for a second round. If you like sailing, good food and a little adventure, give the Diminuendo and her crew a try! Jim and Ruthie
What a great sailing
We took a 6 day, 5 night sailing trip with NW Sailing Adventures on the Diminuendo with Captain Ron and Mari. It was a marvelous 6 days! The views for 6 days were just breathtaking. There were no complaints on any of the meals they were all scrumptious, Thanks Mari!!! Every day but one we got to sail and what an amazing feeling to have the wind propel the vessel through the water with such ease. We walked to Turn Point Lighthouse on Stuart Island; hiked an approximate 5 miles RT to Eagle Cliff on Cypress Island; visited Friday Harbor for a “night on the town;” kayaked and saw all kinds of sea life, seals, porpoises, and an outstanding display from a pod of Orcas! Captain Ron and Mari were extremely knowledgeable about local information and of course a lot of sailing expertise. The bed was very comfortable for both of us and we had no trouble falling asleep every night with all the fresh air and activities. Checking another wonderful adventure off our bucket list!!! NW Sailing Adventures to your continued success!
Richard and Sharon
Ahhh relaxing on the water!!!
4 day adventure sailing around the San Juan Island…. a great way to just relax. 4 adults and 2 young children- we all had a great time, sailing, beach combing, hiking…what an adventure
INCREDIBLE! Living in the Pacific northwest, it is so easy to take our beautiful seas for granted. What a great idea it was for us to get ahold of Cap’n Ron. We told him what kind of adventure we had planned and he took care of the rest. There was ample storage on his beautiful vessel ‘Diminuendo’ for my camera gear, case of beer, some wine, and our bags of essentials. I can’t say enough about how clean and well cared for the ship is. Cap’n Ron and Mari (pronounced mar-ree) are the absolute best. These two took care of us, made great conversation, provided tasty treats and also knew when to give us room to hang out. Fridge space was great too, because I had some delicious surprises that I really wanted to bring along and there was more than enough room. Cap’n Ron gave me a terrific primer on sailing on our way out to Sucia. My dad was so relaxed just sipping on his IPA and taking in the sights. As the sun slipped down over the horizon, our world was basked in golden hues to the sound of Diminuendo gliding through the straits. That was about two hours into our trip, and even then I knew that I had already gotten my money’s worth. A bit of advice, take the ear plugs from Capn Ron when he offers them to you. I was unaware that boats can occasionally be noisy at night, and the ear plugs made a world of difference. I loved the next day on Sucia island, hiking the trails, spotting the sea otters, going in Cap’n Ron’s dinghy to watch him pull his crab pots. Lunch was especially good as we had a delicious spread of meats and cheeses to partake in. Nothing beat sailing with Cap’n Ron though! The rush was amazing. His demeanor and expertise are incomparable. He was smiling like a little kid when the wind kicked up and we were able to ‘really sail.’ The boat ride didn’t bother me once, but it was still nice to slip below deck for a cat nap on the way back. I guess I wasn’t used to that much blue sky and sunshine. The adventure and the thrill lasted all the way until we got back to port. I was so sad when it was all over, I had wished I had booked a longer tour, but I know I will take family and friends out again soon with the amazing Cap’n Ron and his first mate Mari! Thank you guys again for such a wonderful trip. Jany and John
Amazing And Unique Vacation!
My husband and I just returned from a sailing adventure for 5 nights and 6 days with NW Sailing Adventures. I had only been on a sailboat one time for one hour, so I was a little apprehensive about spending this amount of time on a sailboat let alone sleeping on one. Once out of the bay and sailing, we knew we were in good hands and that Ron was an excellent sailor. Ron and Mari knew where to bring the boat in each night for the best scenery, quiet and calm coves for a good nights sleep, incredible sunrises and sunsets and islands to get off the boat and go on beautiful hikes. They are willing to cater the tours to the guest’s wants and desires. We had been to Friday Harbor several times and asked if we could moor elsewhere instead of the marina and they found the most beautiful secluded cove. The sunset that evening was fantastic. They do an excellent job serving flavorful meals. You would never know that they only have a two burner stove and limited storage space. Each night we threw out crab pots, then Mari would cook up and crack the crabs for dinners and breakfasts. The crab benedicts were amazing. I could go on and on. You just have to book a trip and experience it for yourselves. You will not be sorry you did. Rochelle and Bryan
Highly recommended.
The boat itself is beautiful and nicely appointed for up to six guests. Ron and Mari are great . He has lot of experience as a captain of much larger vessels and they both have a genuine desire to share with guests their love of adventure and of sailing. Patrick
What a beautiful weekend aboard Diminuendo!
I joined Ron & Mari on a lovely weekend cruise through the San Juans, while watching the sea lions play, to Sucia Island, where we enjoyed a scenic hike after chatting and having a tasty lunch. We watched the sunset from the boat and had a delicious dinner and board games and drinks to follow. Ron and Mari are down-to-earth, gracious, and fun hosts! The boat is super cozy (beds way more comfy than I expected!), and the food was delicious. They even had coffee ready first thing in the morning! I will definitely go back out with Ron, Mari, and Diminuendo in the future. Great authentic PNW experience. Celeste
