May/June 2010 - Yacht Essentials

“One of the greatest parts of
Roche Harbor is that you don’t
need a vehicle,” according to
Lodging Director Sam Jacobson.
complete with a church, shipping piers and a peak population
of 800 residents.
In 1956, the entire area, town and all, was sold to Seattle
businessman Reuben Tarte. Sagaciously, Tarte ordered
the renovation of the hotel using key historic remnants
and created what is now a world-class marina. To this
day, Tarte is honored each day during the Colors Ceremony,
when flags are lowered, an occasional cannon is
fired and staff sometimes take a chilly plunge.
Sold and sold again, Roche Harbor finally settled into
the current hands of Rich Komen and Saltchuck Resources,
who, in 1997, began a major facelift with the
addition of docks and slips that artistically weave into
the Victorian roots of the compound. According to Jacobson,
“We’ve been developing in earnest for the last
six to seven years. We’re building a neighborhood in
the uplands, which is an extension of the town.”
www.YachtEssentials.com 25