6-7 December: boating on the bay

Wednesday, 6 December 2017

Allan goes boating in the Nahcotta boat basin

Today was a windy sunny day, with gusts predicted over 30 mph. That could make a pleasantly busy ride in a little sailboat. It was an easterly too, which favored north/south waterways, like Loomis Lake. A day to celebrate! I figured I should return there to check if the vegetation is diminishing enough that I could take out a guest without getting stuck. The locals have been working on it. It’s the biggest lake on the peninsula, two miles long with lots of wildlife. After a slow start, I drove up past Long Beach and found that the public launch to Loomis Lake was locked shut for the season. Even if I name-dropped my way into launching at the private Tides Wests dock just north, it’s a push and a drag to get my heavy boat launched through their grasses.

My boat is too big to toss off the side of the dock.

Here are some shots I took in 2014.

The upper right shows my path through the muck in June, 2014.

With an hour and a half until dusk, I headed north to Nahcotta. The tide would be over eight feet. That meant deep water without the mudflats that appear below the three-foot tide.

only caution is a fast outflow after dark

It is a short trip to Nahcotta.

Here is the turnoff. There is a small mountain of oyster shells in the distance.

Beach Bites is a highly rated food truck.

Launch fees are $5; kayaks or canoes are only $1. I paid once without the envelope, then once again correctly with the envelope which includes the tag for the dashboard.

There’s a picnic table to the left and parking next to the water. With a food truck nearby this could be a good way to enjoy the day even without a boat.

I sailed north towards Oysterville (3.5 miles) and looked at houses.

We used to help maintain the gardens at one of these houses.

Viewing houses can be fun from the water as there aren’t any tall fences or hedges. It was certainly fun splashing through the waves but it was only a 46-minute outing. It would have been interesting to boat out to the end of the pier and watch the crane but it was getting dark.

A crane unloading what looked like oyster shells.

Thursday, 7 December 2017

boating on Willapa Bay

Another not so early start today as there didn’t seem to be any breeze predicted above 5 mph and there was painting to be done at home.

When I arrived in Nahcotta people and boats were at work. The wind was brisk. The bank is rocky so I set the boat up on the lawn while waiting for the ramp.

After five minutes this boat left with their floats.

Ten minutes later another boat arrived to unload butter clams.

After that, another boat arrived and also unloaded their bags of butter clams.

I quickly rolled the boat down the ramp past the bags of clams when a truck appeared at the top of the ramp behind me. Aha, by backing the truck bed down the ramp, loading clams would be easier. I was about to quickly pull my boat back out when one of them offered to help. I lifted the stern, expecting the wheels to drop off, but they got stuck, of course. He reached under, the wheels fell off properly, and off I went to tie up out of their way.

Lowering the truck bed to the dock makes for easier lifting.

I’m out of the way while the crew gets ready to head out for more butter clams.

Full of boats and gear.

I meant to check out the crane and the workings of the port but sailed right past. The wind had picked up properly and small white caps formed.  I headed straight out into the bay to avoid any more boats coming in. Just because I was fortunate to have the day off, and a recreational boat, it’s only proper to stay out of the way.

Like the powerboat above, I headed out to clear the breakwater

There are lots of small hazards to entertain too.

I thought this might be a submerged sign.

A forest of poles mark the oyster beds. I didn’t hit a one. (16 in this pic)

The tower marking the port’s entrance.

I angled back to the shore looking for familiar landmarks but didn’t recognize a thing as it didn’t look like the view from the road.

The view from the water.

The same buildings from a google map.

Not seeing a lot of reason to continue south I quickly headed north over yesterday’s route.

Ooh, over 8 mph and worthy of leaning over the side to track better.

About as good destination as any. A house with a very long fence I could look up later.

It’s a shallow shoreline when there is grass growing out of the water.

The air was clear enough to see the Cascade range, about 140 miles away.

I had gone 2 miles north of Nahcotta and the sun was getting low.

The top of Long Island is on the right. I covered about 2.5 miles of the coast.

I later asked a local about these square net floats and found out that some oysters are grown in floating net bags to grow to a more round shape.

Back at port crews were still busy. There was another beautiful sunset.

This ship was spinning around spraying the contents off the barge.

It was now 5:00 and the port office was closing. A couple of cars were watching the sunset and another car was watching their dogs run around me and bark. The crews had gone home.

The port shut down for the night.

Day one, lots of wind and fun but only 46 minutes.

Day two and two-thirds more trip.

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16 October: boating the Wallicut River

Monday, 16 October 2017

Allan goes boating on the Wallicut River

The traditional route north to Grays Harbor and the Puget Sound from the Columbia River didn’t involve heading up the Pacific coast. Instead, at the mouth of the Columbia River, one of three portage routes to Willapa Bay were used. The most popular was the western route up through Ilwaco to Black Lake and then up the Tarlett Slough. It is still discernable as it goes up east of Sandridge Road. The eastern route was up the Chinook River. It isn’t easy to explore presently as the Bear River that flows into the Willapa is closed to the public. A small group of us tried it once but didn’t get very far north. My yellow highlights show the three routes.

A 1964 Historical Map of the S.W. Washington Coast drawn up by Maureen Mulvey.

This book has an entire chapter discussing the portage routes.

Today I paddled up the middle route which starts at the Wallicut River. My intention was to get close to the Wallicut Farm on Highway 101.

I launched at the lower star hoping to get close to where the river crosses Hwy. 101.

Earlier this year I stopped to check out a launch and see if the bridge was real or just covered a gated culvert. This view shows a small bay NW of the bridge.

The old KOA campground, now called the Wallicut River RV & Campground Resort, was closed today. I would have gladly paid a small parking fee for the extra security and a chance to share some extra pictures of their campsites, but couldn’t today.

There isn’t really access to the river elsewhere, just tall growths of blackberry and salmonberry. I picked the spot on the northwest corner of the bridge that has a pullout for parking. The pullout on the south side of 101 was occupied by an idling car and driver staring ahead, for a long time. I’d choose the south side next time and here’s why.

The plan was to just push the boat through to the little bay, but, it got stuck.

After cutting away some blackberry I pulled it through.

Here is why this launch site is a fail. The bay is just beyond the brush. The main river is flowing under the bridge at the upper right, (beyond the brush).

My short trip across this tiny lake attracted the local herd.

I didn’t expect an audience.

I beached, pulled the boat up and over to the bridge.

Cows, and now a snake.

Finally, the river.

A concealed cow watched me head upstream

The alders had small bunches of berries.

The first of several logs that I pulled the boat over.

There are a couple of houses up here but it’s mostly pasture.

For hundreds of years, this was an important portage route north to the Willapa Bay and beyond. When modern roads are blocked by trees they get removed. I imagine the Chinooks did the same. If this was something I had to solve back in the day, I think I would have burned them at low tide or recruited the public works division of the tribe to pull them aside.

With two major tree falls ahead, I turned around after 0.6 miles.

Still, a good day to be out on the water.

Back past the cattle.

This one hadn’t been photographed yet.

Under the bridge towards the Columbia River.

Vandalia, a suburb of Ilwaco, was on the left.

Ahead, three dark tunnels with the sound of dripping water inside.

The culvert was large enough to paddle through but I thought I should climb over to make sure I wouldn’t go over a small falls.

I took a flash picture of the black tunnel to study later

This was the best beach but very steep and gorsey.

I was now 0.5 miles downstream from where I launched.

NOT a culvert to paddle into.

For orientation, here’s a familiar view from the west end of Stringtown Road, at this bridge, to Hwy 101.

Entering the river at this bridge is discouraged by a lack of parking, no path, and a NO TRESPASSING sign. From here down, it’s pretty much private property to the Columbia River.

To get to the lower Wallicut River, the choices are: drag a boat up and over, enter from the Columbia River, or, buy this two-unit house on the river, as one of my boating friends encouraged.

Only $175,000+ and lots of room for boats.

I returned upstream and stopped at the Wallicut River RV & Campground Resort. The campgrounds are large and well manicured. Not so long ago the whole thing was for sale for less than $400,000.

I was curious if the sign was a “BEWARE OF….” so I put myself in further danger and climbed up the bank to look.

It is soft boat launch from the campground

I paddled back to where I started.

This time I exited on the SW of the bridge.

Another steep bank of blackberry.

Later I drove upstream. As it coursed along the far side of this pasture I saw this sign.

From Douglas Allen’s book, Shoalwater Willapa, on page 129 he had a short history on why the upper Wallicut River is not navigatable.

The Wallicut River is much smaller and less navigatable than it used to be. A very short trip today but it’s one more river explored, with many to go.

 

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9 October: Allan’s quest for the Falls of Palix River

Monday, 9 October 2017

My first reference that there was a falls on the Palix River was from this book written by a naturalist who lived on the Willapa Bay in the early 1850s. He wrote extensively of the local region.  On pages 41 and 42 he wrote of an outing he took up the ‘Palux’ River to see the falls which tumbled some 200 feet down a series of cataracts.

I followed the course of the river system on google maps and found two white features that could be waterfalls. I cross-checked and these marks didn’t show on Bing maps. I decided that next time I went boating, I would to drag a little boat up the riverbed and see if these were the falls.

At the top center are two white shapes with two logs between for scale.

After my trip, I did a search to fill out the narrative and found few references and only one engraving about any waterfalls on the Palix Rivers.

There is a thread on an Oregon Hikers club page entitled; “What happened to the “Falls of the Palux River?” 

Bryan Swan wrote on the thread in 2008 “…on the North Fork of the Palix about 2/3 of a mile above tidewater there are six or seven very clearly visible white marks along the river in that canyon that can be seen on Google Earth. The valley upstream of the canyon is at 128 feet ASL and tidewater is at the mouth of the canyon, so there’s about 120 feet worth of loss taking place in there. Looks to me like two drops, then the river makes a 90 degree left turn and drops four more times back-to-back.
I do not expect getting in there will be very easy.”

A ‘forester’ person added, “From the west side, you’re looking at a 400′ change in elevation over about 700 feet of ground. Pretty steep. Nothing down there looks huge, so it had better be the prettiest small falls you’ve ever seen to make it worth the effort.”

Apparently, more of the falls were visible by satellite back in 2008.

A second result of the search yielded the 1894 book ‘The Oregonian’s Handbook of the Pacific Northwest.’  On page 318 there is an engraving of a photo by A. Gylfe of “THE FALLS OF THE PALIX RIVER NEAR SOUTH BEND.”  There is no text describing the falls, however, they were touting nearby South Bend; “This harbor has offers safe anchorage to the largest ships afloat, and has ample accommodations for all the shipping that will ever visit the state of Washington.” I then looked up Ilwaco, and 123 years ago the book declared on page 302 that, “This is a solid town as is entitled to the attention of all visitors to Washington’s coast .”  It still is.

This book isn’t in the library system but looked like a good reference book.

Today I packed up the 9.5 foot pretty light ‘MaryBeth’ kayak to check out the North Fork of the Palix River. Earlier this year I traveled most of the South Fork of the Palix.

The boat launch is on Highway 101 near the Rose Ranch and requires a Discover Pass.

A plus 4.2-foot incoming tide.

Maybe the smaller the boat, the more I like to carry. I packed a full lunch and cooler (I only ate half a sandwich), a spare set of clothes and shoes (untouched), and the electronics box.

A muddy beach and the western sky.

I headed east. This bay includes the entrance to the Canon River plus the South, Middle, and the North Forks of the Palix River.

One of the old pilings used for logging.

I thought this piling had a face with a small branch in its mouth.

The entrance of a small bay I explored. The river was now sheltered from the wind.

The entrance narrowed as I entered the North Palix River. It was noisy with birds.

First, a flock of geese flew off. As I got closer I saw the same little birds I had seen in October 2015 at the John Day River east of Astoria in Oregon. The cute little birds bob their heads and chatter through their long beaks as they feed along the bank. Here is a video I took on that trip.

Here is a different flock today.

One of the last birds leaving as I tried to quietly approach.

Branch tentacles to paddle around.

The tide was incoming at 1.5 feet per hour. It was enough to drift the boat upstream if I stopped paddling. The river water was salty.

I think this is a non-native blue spruce.

The air cooled as the sun was blocked out.

The sun was bright above the river valley where it has been logged on both sides.

The first log to hoik over. The tide was an incoming 7.0 feet.

It was time to get out and drag the boat upstream.

The paddle worked ok as a steadying stick.

Soon I pulled the boat onto a small gravel bar and continued walking up the stream using the phone’s MapMyTracks app to track the distance.

Looking back at the little boat on the bar.

The river bed was now fresh water and not muddy except near the shore.

Fall colors in calf deep water with a rising 7.7-foot incoming tide.

Logs to climb over.

No matter what the tide, a hike is required to get to these falls and being that the area is also logged, the public is probably not welcome above the valley.

A fernlike plant on a log.

Handholds helped climbing over this log.

A half-hour later the wind through the trees changed its character to more of a roar. Up ahead were the falls. I really had contemplated turning around several times by now.

Logs were everywhere as I waded a shallow route to an ‘island’ below the falls.

View to the right.

View to the left.

Here is a 360-degree video of the noise and the falls.

There were deep pools ahead and steep banks on either side. I figured this would be far enough.

A lower view

Here again is the old engraving from the Oregonian to compare.

There might be a taller cataract above as it looks like the photographer crossed the pool to the green knoll on the left.

 

The panoramic view

These were taken with my little Sony waterproof camera as I couldn’t find the larger camera until I got back to the car. It had been caught in my waistband when it fell out of my shirt pocket while climbing the logs.

Something between a bird and a bear had left their fish meal here.

I scanned the area again wondering whether something bigger was watching me. I didn’t see anything and headed back. There was also a razor clam shell in the river which I figure some animal imported.

An unusual colony of fungi gave me a chance to rest on the way back.

The tide was still rising at 8.7 feet.

Now the water was more like knee deep plus in the middle.

The shore was thick with branches and rivulets which could have punctured my waders. The river route served ok except that several logs I had previously ducked under I now had to climb around or over.

Back after an hour. The boat would have drifted upstream had I not tied it to a log on the shore.

I didn’t double check if the distance to this point matched on both the GPS devices. Since I had taken the phone to the falls and left the Garmin in the boat, the difference should equal the riverbed walk. The result was that the falls are a half mile walk from the blocking logs.

A wet knot

The earlier log obstructions were now underwater as I headed back.

Back over the beach where the birds had been feeding.

The headwind returned as I more slowly worked my down the river.

The boat landing ahead.

A bull was there to greet me when I returned.

Salty sea beans (salicornia). I picked a few as Skyler likes them.

At a 9.0 foot tide, the muddy beach was gone. A pair of tourists arrived on a heavily loaded motorcycle, but I was a bit too tired and unsure if I should be the local greeter. I could have had them sample the sea beans or sent them off the main road towards the picturesque Bay Center but we pretty much minded our own business.

A sign on their trunk declared they were headed from Argentina to Alaska.

Sea beans ready to garnish the evening’s salad.

As ‘forester’ said in his or her thread “it had better be the prettiest small falls you’ve ever seen to make it worth the effort.” Well, I think it was. Now my video is in the google search.  I don’t think it will prove destructive to a long-preserved secret. The loggers protect the top and to visit it is a rough hybrid paddle and hike that I just happened to hit right with the tides.

 

The phone app with the extra mile walked.

The little car GPS I keep waterproofed.

 

 

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27 August: Allan goes boating in Skamokawa

Sunday, 27 August 2017

On April 12, 2014, I took my first kayak ride. It was here in Skamokawa that I signed up for a beginning lesson from Columbia River Kayaks. We went up the inside passage of Price Island and back down on the riverside for a total of three miles (posted here). They have graceful sit-inside craft with snap on skirts and were a big help in deciding what kind of boat I wanted to own. They offer a wide range of trips with expert guidance.

The road to Skamokawa

In March of this year, we had visited the museum at Redmen Hall, shown in the photo below.  From the windows, we had seen an enticing boat launch.

Here is Redmen Hall from the boat launch.

The plan today was to head east, stay near the shore inside Price Island, and duck into Steamboat Slough to visit the Lewis & Clark National Wildlife Refuge. Today the wind was forecast to be from the north 10 to 16 mph. That would mean I could use sail power both directions and hopefully minimize heading into the wind.

I filled out the form. I noticed the launch was pretty quiet for a sunny summer Sunday. There were no cars parked nearby.

I put in my dollar.

One of the locals came down to see if he could launch his ski boats yet but the tide was still too low. He then he told me that I needed to park my van in the parking lot across the road behind the trees. I only had $3 towards the $5 parking fee so it was off to the little store under Redmen Hall for a snack and more money.

As I pulled into the boat ramp’s parking lot I discovered a campground with close up views of the passing ships on the Columbia.

Back to the launch all sorted out.

I copied this idea for carrying my boat on the van’s roof from a Yakima rack loader. It requires only lifting half the weight at a time. I’m trying to avoid using a trailer.

Next step is to swing the tail off to the ground and then lift down the bow.

With the parking paid, I was finally off.

Here is a closer look at the trimaran I had seen on our previous trip.

Here is the outward channel and a marker ahead.

I chose to head outside the island as the inside passage still looked narrow and shallow.

An Osprey nest.

Outside Price Island I passed a kayaker carrying her dog on the back deck while playing a splashy game of fetch.

A large barge was heading downstream across the river.

Maybe the local I met at the ramp was finally out on the water.

A sailboat passed me going upstream. I was paddling and had the sail out but it still passed me.

The entrance to Steamboat Slough, about 2.5 miles from Skamokawa.

Another ship was heading up the river.

It was the Enishi.

When I got home, according to marinetraffic.com, I found out the Enishi was soon to arrive in Longview.

There was a light breeze as I headed away from the Columbia River. I didn’t even feel the wake from the Enishi.

Steamboat Slough and adventure ahead.

Looking back at the Columbia.

The shallow water is kayak friendly but not so good for motors.

A gate that controls the water level of the interior wetlands.

I had to see what was on the other side.

Here’s Steamboat Slough looking back towards the Columbia.

The thick Ellison Slough continues behind the gate.

And blackberries.

Steamboat Slough Road is also a way to explore this area.

Canadian geese keeping ahead.

Steamboat Slough, the road, and I all continued east.

Soon there was no wind at all.

Here is a junction. I went off to explore a wrong route.

My map and good camera were back at home, probably sharing the same table with Skooter. I could use the phone’s  ‘MapMyTracks’ map.  First, it helped me go inland, then back upstream, then back the way I came (but differently), and finally out to the river. The inland route stays a sizable stream and crosses under the highway.

Missing this turn would have taken me inland or upstream to the next town.

The incoming tide was filling the slough from ahead.

The shortest route home was to the right while keeping straight would add another three miles.

By now it was about four hours until sunset. Although there was enough time that I didn’t need to go back the same route,  I wanted to finish the loop and avoid driving home in the dark.

The hills of Oregon. I could hear boat engines beyond the trees.

Back out into the river and the return of a wind.

The Columbia flows northwest here instead of due east. The trip back would be northeast and into the north wind.

A sailboat crisscrossed the Columbia upstream but I was headed the other way.

I was enough upstream I could see the bridge at Cathlamet, about seven miles from Skamokawa.

Here I was tacking against a near headwind. Meanwhile, two sailboats were motoring their way upstream. They had an incoming tide, and a fair wind to push them along, but, not me.

A can floating by to salvage.

It was unopened and punctured from the side, a mystery.

Soon came a float I thought I could salvage.

It snagged me hard and swung up the daggerboard. This may have been a marker for a pot.

Another bird home design

Finally, after about three hours I was back at the entrance to Steamboat Slough.

The birds were still there, though by now most of the the bar was underwater.

It was 6:45 and everybody was heading home.

A long crooked trip back

A bald eagle was at the harbor entrance.

Its head was bowed and I wasn’t patient enough to wait for its noble pose.

I passed the home to Columbia River Kayaking.

The harbour’s Ospreys were calling it a night.

I passed by one of the local trawlers, the nondescript F/V Alki II. The blueprints and its history are in the Library of Congress here.

“…Alki II represents the transition from traditional wood hull gillnet boats to the more modern fiberglass hull and a change in boat building…”

I’ve discovered the internet has resources for ship spotting, such as the Enishi and the smaller boats too.

This blackberry covered special may not be on the internet at all.

Finally, an hour before sunset and about to head home.

The top speed of 24 mph on the phone looked awesome until I remembered that I had put the electronics in the car when I went into town for money. Oops.

It’s more like Distance: 17.4 miles Top Speed 6.0 mph and knock an hour off the activity time.

 

 

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19 August: 55 Pictures of 100 Paddles

Saturday, 19 August 2017

in which Allan goes boating on Young’s Bay and the Lewis and Clark River

“100 Paddles! is an opportunity for people to join in a human-powered water journey. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park invites the public to travel by water into the park, similar to how the Lewis and Clark Expedition members traveled during their winter here in 1805-06.

On the day of Saturday, August 19, experienced kayakers will meet at the Astoria Recreation Center (former Astoria Yacht Club site by the Old Youngs Bay Bridge) for a 10:30 a.m., launch and group paddle across Youngs Bay into the Lewis and Clark River. Less experienced folks are encouraged to meet at Netul Landing at 10:30 a.m., and head downstream on the Lewis and Clark River. The two groups plan to meet on the Lewis and Clark River. After a flintlock gun firing and huzzah, together the groups will paddle to Netul Landing for refreshments. Participants need to bring their own kayak, canoe, paddleboard or any non-motorized watercraft and need to wear a US Coast Guard approved personal floatation device. 

100 Paddles is sponsored by the Lewis & Clark National Park Association which supports park education and interpretative activities at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.”

The yellow line points to the ambitiously named Astoria Yacht Club and the orange indicates how far upstream I went today.

While I was figuring out what I forgot, a happy dog splashed around the boat. “He likes to go in all the boats,” his walker explained. Coincidently, I also got the same tail-wagging greeting when I returned later.

HEY! Get back here.

Waiver signing and a nice kerchief for all, as modeled by one of the Park employees.

Boat, paddle, life vest. A simple combination for a fun day ahead.

Also heading out today were some fisherman.

Getting ready while all those darn kayaks line the boat ramp.

Ten boats in this picture but I did not get a total attendance figure.

“Are you tied up?” I heard as my boat started to drift. I quickly got tied up and waited to leave.

Expedition leader, Mitch, awaiting a gather around.

We had guides in a lead, middle and trailing kayaks. He explained that it was not a race and we were all to stay together.

A water auditorium with Mitch behind the blue kayak.

Off we went

The fishing boat at the dock heading for the Columbia River.

As the flotilla spread out, Mitch sends a boat back to the rear to make sure everyone was having fun.

I unfurled a quarter of my sail at this point and it seemed to make the paddle easier.

Astoria’s Regional Airport is ahead where the Coast Guard helicopters are based.

Two of the park employees passing a water hazard. Behind is the 101 bridge from Astoria to Warrenton. These are often mudflats but the tide is a plus 6.4 feet now.

We went under the Business 101 bridge by the community of Jeffers Garden and then up the Lewis and Clark River.

On the west side, the river bank is mostly ‘wild’ and without buildings.

On the east side was Astoria Marine Construction with a large trawler pulled up for repair.

Several other boats docked.

A fellow paddler with a well done homemade kayak. We discussed kayak seaworthiness and inverted bows.

We grouped up at the entrance to a grass route parallel to the river that would take us under Fort Clatsop.

Note the tree formation to find this route again. We followed the channel upstream about a quarter mile.

Park rangers on the bank to welcome us.

Here we met with the group that had done the shorter trip downstream from Netul Landing.

“Turn down your hearing aids!” we were cautioned.

BAOOM! (but no smoke)

“Hip hip huzzah! Hip hip huzzah!”  Then we crowded up for a group picture. I had the outriggers folded in so I wouldn’t get stuck in the grass or be a road hog.

In August 2015 I visited Fort Clatsap and checked out Netul Landing. My notes are in the last part of this blog post.

We then headed north to the landing for visiting and cake.

The party strung out behind until we re-entered the main channel.

Soon I spotted the most beautiful boat. It’s a small Chinook ocean-going canoe.

The owner had made a wood mold to create the finished boat, gunnels, deck and all entirely of light fiberglass so it would never rot. He now has the molds to create more when the time comes.

It is flat bottomed and reflects a design that has evolved over thousands of years. A sweetwater, or lake canoe has evolved into a different design. A brief explanation by trailtribes.org can be found here.

Pulling out at Netul Landing.

Two landings techniques were notable. One was to accelerate into the ramp, grind off a little hull, and then step out dry. Another was to park parallel and then roll out and accept the wet. The Chinook canoe was treated more carefully.

I was privileged to help carry the canoe to the trailer.

A closer look at the home built boat I paddled with back at the river’s mouth. It has a built in wheel. When on land he just drags it around like airport luggage.

A little bit of cake was still left by the time I got there.

This is a lightweight under 40lb. canoe by ‘Advantage’

The Rangers went around asking if anyone needed a ride back to the Astoria landing to fetch their cars so they could come back and load up their boats. I didn’t know that this was an option but it worked out well for most as the wind was picking up. I can’t guarantee they’ll do a shuttle next year but it could tempting after a 5.1 mile paddle.

The literature downplayed the short trip down from Netul Landing as suitable for less experienced kayakers but it is a good place to launch to paddle the entire river. The Lewis and Clark river runs about six miles.  I headed upstream alone as it was was still only one o-clock.

The first adventure was a black creature rustling ahead behind the shrubs. After just leaving the Lewis and Clark expedition I first thought BEAR and cautiously steered for the other bank.

The river banks were otherwise quiet, grassy, non-threatening and played their part of a pleasant day out on the water.

I reached the first upstream bridge in about twenty minutes.

Here is the bridge from google’s street view. It has a pull out if you wish to drag a boat down to the water.

Here’s a ‘googlemap’ view of the upper Lewis and Clark river as it crosses under a couple of bridges.

Heading back downstream I dodged the pilings. I only hit one because it was hiding underwater. The flipper’s shaft bent about thirty degrees but still worked almost fine.

Back near the Netul Landing the pilings are more frequent and often made of steel.

By now the wind was gusting up to 24.2 mph mostly from varying angles ahead.  That meant much fun tacking through the pilings.

I passed and greeted an inflatable that with the aid of the wind, was easily paddling back upstream.

One of many small mini gardens growing atop the pilings.

I beached under the riverside trail at the fort and got out warmer stuff to wear. Dave and Melissa had given me a waterproof bag as a gift and it proved handy to keep my sweatshirt dry before getting it soaked later in the bay.

The Astoria column with the boatyard in the foreground.

One of the boatyard buildings as seen through a wet sail.

It was a windy and splashy trip back along the edge of Young’s Bay. With the sail mostly rolled up (reefed) the boat still felt flat and secure as it reached almost 14 mph.

This boat has what is referred to s a ‘wet ride’.

I had invited two guests. One observed that 100 paddles sounded like about 96 too many. Group rides are how I got started but it can be a solo sport. This trip follows a historical route that led to the building of the winter encampment of Lewis and Clark in 1805-1806. I appreciated the Park staff giving us a sense of the importance of the place that I would not have noticed alone.

The other invited guest had a tight timeline. I couldn’t see not being out in the water all day if I had cleared off enough of my obligations and there was fun was to be had.

Fort Clatsop also offers three hour guided paddle tours throughout the summer where they will provide the two-person boats and equipment. The registration is done online.

Lewis and Clark River Paddle Tours

Hop in a two person watercraft and paddle along the lush riverbanks of the Lewis and Clark River. See bald eagles soar while you calmly float through history and hear a unique perspective of Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.The themes of these three hour ranger-led paddles will vary and include natural and cultural topics geared for all interests. Tours will run Thursday through Sunday during the summer. Tours will start on June 24, 2017 and run through September 3, 2017. The park will provide water craft, paddles, and life jackets however, if you are a special size you may want to bring your own life jacket. …There is more to read, you register online, and the Tour is free with park admission.

I saw one bald eagle today as I ‘calmly floated through history.’

Go to: https://www.nps.gov/lewi/planyourvisit/paddle-tours.htm for more information.

Due to a battery failure, I like the results of my phone’s MapMyTracks ap better as it shows 3.6 miles more distance.  I think the phone covered the faster return trip when the Garmin had ‘died’. Even better, the phone picked up a top speed of 13.8 mph (!!) versus the 7.9 on the Garmin. Paddling usually averages around 3 mph.

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9-13 December: Allan’s trip to Seattle

I managed to find the slow way out of town. Here I am watching a crew clearing the large tree that recently took out the city’s power. Down the road I was stopped again as traffic watched a crane working on a new culvert.

Left is the tree top and right is the sizable trunk with fresh wires in between.

After arriving in Seattle and settling in and visiting with my brother, I attended a Christmas party with old friends Saturday night.

A bunch of Moto Guzzi owners-but no motorcycles parked outside in the snow.

Next day started with some detective work.

A Wedgwood grade school classmate of mine had posted this picture on her Facebook page. The house in the background looked familiar but I couldn’t find it on google’s street view.

The car may be a classic but it was just a couple of years old at the time.

Soon the case was solved.

Here it is almost sixty years later.

Next, I walked a little further to our grade school, past a ‘Little Free Library.’

“Every book is a Tardis”

A small portion of the Wedgwood grade school’s playground has been made into learning gardens divided by grade level.

A greenhouse just like ours with an ambitious self-leveling water collection system already half full for the sixth graders.

The faucet by the fence is plumbed a long way from the school.

For the third graders

A friendly sign.

I went by my old house and noticed a more efficient heat pump had been installed by the new owners. Mom’s plants are maturing in the foreground and our Scottish Terrier’s play area was behind the fence.

Across the street was a beauty berry bush.

Next, it was down to the water where Seattle likes to boat.

We are at the site marked number one.

In spite of a Seattle SeaHawks game and a forty degree day melting the snow from the day before, I saw a couple of boaters.

The Aqua Verde Cafe rents little boats and serves up Mexican food.

A tetrapanax highlights Aqua Verde’s small garden. The Interstate 5 bridge is in the background.

One of these tours might be convenient. They know where to go and will try to bring us all back right side up.

Birds of a feather flocking off the dock.

Next, I headed for Duck Bay in the university’s Arboretum, my favorite place to canoe as a kid.

Duck Bay residents.

When I was a kid, we used to drag our boat to the mud bank closest to the “You Are Here” arrow and muck our way in.

The Arboretum now has dedicated graveled landing sites, and they’re not very near the car at all. I was told at the visitor’s center that with the scarce parking, most boaters launch from the University crew house and paddle across the highway of motorboats going through the Montlake cut.

The university rents canoes from the upper left.

When I was a kid, this seemed a lot bigger.

Here’s the water route that leads to the noisy freeway bridges.

Next place to check out was at the south end of Lake Union next to the original Boeing airplane plant .

The mouth of Cedar River has a small park and a boat club centered around its racing shells.

When Boeing is done building the plane on the right it will be towed over the slender bridge to the field to the left.

Not the prettiest place to paddle, but lots to look at.

The couple on this bridge were waiting to see a plane take off.

A sign you don’t see very often.

I was behind the building when there was a loud roar overhead.

I missed the potentially fatal jet blast, dang.  The couple on the bridge was excited to see the plane take off,  whoa! How did the locals know the time of this thunderous event?

Later, back at my brother’s place:

A couch surfer’s view of my brother’s apartment on the last morning.

When a guest stays too long they look like prey.

On the way home, I stopped at Trader Joe’s for a few special groceries from the ‘big city.’ There I learned when not to get another free sample.

Sign at Trader Joe’s

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6 November: boating on Young’s River

Sunday, 6 November 2016

Allan goes boating on Young’s River

It’s been 84 days since I had set sail. During that time I had installed a fence, helped plant thousands of bulbs and watched a record rainfall during September. Life is good; today its even better.

I had been been looking at a list of over twenty local kayak launch sites that Columbia River Kayaking located upriver in Skamokawa posted. Given that I had an almost free day,  a 17 mph SE wind, and a high enough tide all afternoon, it must be a sailing type of day. Young’s River is remarkably close, wide enough to tack upwind and as yet unexplored by me.

The launch site post states that the… “Astoria Yacht Club is located at the SE corner of the Old Young’s Bay Bridge. The Yacht Club is a funny name. It consists of mooring for a commercial gill net fleet around salmon net pen docks, an old green building, picnic shelters and tables, and an outhouse.”

The dock with the Old Young’s Bay Bridge in the background

It continued: “The boat ramp and dock are atrophying into oneness with nature. At low tide, the launch area is a marvelous mudscape. But it serves our purposes just fine.”

a modest but capable boat launch at a +3′ tide

Fishing dock art

heading past the first ‘yacht’

Looking back, the boat ramp is on the right.

I first checked out the nearby bridge and probably could have cleared it but the goal was to get near another launch seven miles upstream at Olney, where the river is much more narrow.

Signs not seen by cars such as how to call ahead to get the bridge raised.

off into the grey

According to a chart Skyler gifted me, these might be male ‘oldsquaws’.

this might be a ‘harlequin’

a house of gulls

I think he was sorting out his nets.

rain ahead with a good breeze blowing my way

Here I thought I was getting near to an inattentive heron on a piling.

As a squall came throughI reached my top speed of 7.9 mph.

not a lot of color but a nice cloudscape coming my way

I just finished a couple of books set atop the isolated mesas of Venezuela. This could be their view from the Orinoco River.

After tacking upstream and expecting a quick trip back, the wind died.

I headed around the first island to at least set a landmark as to how far I had gotten.

A tree stabilizing the upstream end of the first island

Looked like bamboo getting established

a relic

There was a small river I’d passed earlier. I wanted to check out its bridge.

Entrance to Wallooskee River

A modest breeze powered me up.

looks pretty low for a sailboat

kit cat

Too low, turning around

The breeze had been fronting another squall.

The wind is gone, rain is pouring, and it’s back out to the main river.

A wet and shy heron

the sail catches the rain and drips it down

so I hung it off to the side and encouraged it to drip elsewhere

The Astoria Column

A Cormorant Column and the Lord Nelson Column

Here is a photo I found of the view from the Astoria Column looking up the Young’s River.

I made it up to the edge of the river’s view and partly up the river edging the tree line on the left. The launch is off the picture to the right.

power boat returning to dock

an accidental wet lens effect

The rain paused long enough to pack up and get back to the SALT pub to hear about Skyler & Carol’s adventures that day.

A working class yacht club

Putting an old GPS on a waterproof box with a small battery shows I was moving ninety six percent of the time and faster than a brisk walk.

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3 Sept: Paddle the Shores boating

Saturday, 3 September 2016

Allan goes boating in Ocean Shores

Last year I attended a paddle race that looked to be frantically fun. I would see how fast I was compared to other boaters (Last year’s race). All human powered craft were welcome and the pictures showed a wide variety.  This year I thought it was history but the organizer called and asked if I was coming.  So, with no training (as usual), off I went.

Emerson Park on Duck Lake

I arrived with a half hour to set up, register and be in the water.

They’re unloading a 26 foot Huki. Long and slender with an outrigger (or ama, as it is called in Hawaii).

These are considered ocean canoes for two. (class: OC-2)

I think he said “Stay left of first island, then right on the next, then stay left.” Mentally I was flipping the map 180 degrees to align with the lake but in reality, I planned to stay in sight of someone ahead-then pass them at the finish.

Bob showing us the six mile course.

Pretty hard to get lost

With the tailwind drifting me into these beautiful boats, and six miles ( 5.6 on the GPS) to catch up, a few feet back is no big deal.

Some people start really fast. Now, I need to start passing them all, except the lead boat so I don’t get lost.

Steve and his canoe, a fine paddler indeed as I had this stern view most of the race.

Boat racing class: C-1 (m). A canoe, one person, male. The more classes, the more winners.

If you brought a sea kayak for one (SK), there were six other boats out there in that class. There was also one fast sea kayak (FSK) which are extra long and slender but I couldn’t spot it.

Headed around the first island, on the left, I think.

We disturbed the gulls as we passed one of the support boats.

The first of a singular set of boats I managed to pass.

Back at the finish. I was twenty seconds behind Steve and his canoe, but always catching up.

Last year did 1 hour, 8 minutes. This year I was slower by 82 seconds.

Meanwhile, I noticed later looking at this photo at home, was another ‘MaryBeth’ kayak like the one I have at home.  (That means I purchased it from our friend MaryBeth.)

The red #20

Brady raced in the class: SOT (y). (Sit On Top (youth). He finished with a first place medal in the two miler.

The start of the two mile event.

A home made canoe and a Huki behind me.

Turns out I could get better pictures from the back of the crowd.

Off they went.

Paddling hard

Around the one mile buoy.

Michael’s brilliant home built propeller pedal craft. He started late but finished first in pedal craft. He also posts a lot of pictures for the Sound Rowers club based around Seattle.

The left view shows the chain to shaft transmission. the right shows the bar he uses to adjust the prop’s height. The plate that protects the hull is under his car rack.

Next up was the poker run.  We were each given a map to six docks to gather playing cards. I had more time to look around and enjoy as we went another three miles to the various neighbor’s docks.

And their little dog too.

waterlilies (nymphaeaceaes)

This pedal boat also entered the six mile race. I caught up with them here in the poker run. Their Nauticraft’s ‘Escapade’ has a simple belt driven propeller .

One person to pedal, two to give encouragement and wave.

A semi-transparent ‘skin on frame’ design. I think this was the boat that was doing eskimo rolls near the dock later. Apparently there are roll competitions as I listened to a tale of an eskimo roll with no hands.

Oooh, an ace. No prize here.

Combining the 2 mile sprint and the slow poker run.

I maxed out at 6.9 mph last year with faster times last year too. Looks like I need to rest even more and save up more energy

Now it was cardboard boat building time.

Our team with two sheets of cardboard, three rolls of tape and a couple of box cutters. Bob had a plan.

More teams at the ready.

Our budget kayaky boat with a seat.

Also a paddle board and prams. 

We all used lots of tape for waterproofing.

Meanwhile, I had earlier taken a photo of the Girl Scout parents. Their troop was sharing the park with us today.

Here they later are building a cardboard boat with us.

The Girl Scouts are ready to launch. Our team’s boat is in the background.

Each team was allowed one helper to help with the launch.

And we’re off.

The ‘S.S. Win’ skimming away while the Girl Scout brings out her cardboard paddle.

The first and second place boats were still loading up while most of the pack took off.

Our team launching last…

…but fast.

Her boat was sound but the paddle was bendy.

Our boat headed opposite the crowd around the buoy.

First and second place

The last sunken boats including ‘S.S. Win’ swam back. The Girl Scout is still heading out to the buoy.

No one is left on the water but the support boat. She’s still heading out to the buoy…

…and back.

A strong design indeed as they took this boat out to play after the race.

Great fun for all but, unless someone else steps up to run the show, this year is the last.

More bountiful and bolder deer than on the LB peninsula.

Attractive planters with spiky plants at their city hall as I started the long drive home.

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14 August: boating the Upper Willapa

Sunday, 14 August 2016

Allan’s boating excursion

Returning to the scene of part 2 in the August 7 blog 

The last time I was on the Willapa river my goal was to find the most shallow part that could be paddled. I had been advised it was just over 2 miles up from the Wilson Creek launch .

Just a couple more miles upstream!

With a slight tailwind, here I am back at the bridge 2 miles upstream from her dock.

This resulted in a formula:  GIVEN: (glass half fullism + pity (ghf+p)) equals a multiplying factor of 2.25,   AND: ( a stranger’s given distance (sgd) x (ghf+p)) equals the ACTUAL DISTANCE (ad),  The formula looks like: (sgd) x (ghf+p) = (ad).

Substitute the given values: (“2 miles” x 2.25) = 4.5 miles actual distance.

This was proven true today, twice.

Into new territory. The wind was predicted to be 15 mph and carry me right upstream. It wasn’t blowing yet

The river is salty on its incoming tide which might explain this sharp high tide vegetation line.

Lots of attractively planted pilings. I bumped over a few underwater which must be even more a thrill with an outboard engine.

The second bridge. This is about the upper limit for small fishing boats according to LeeRoy’s Ramblings  , an excellent local fishing blog.

A typical North American small fishing boat.

Wow, what a destination!

This is a “no tickets’n turnstiles” budget water park featuring a unique high dive with tidal adjustable height.

Also featured is a water swing plus a return ramp up the beach. (More about this river’s beaches later)

The locally sourced return ramp

Many hours of work involved, and such an accomplishment! The old time artistic signature above and the modern era disclaimer below.

This was worth paddling by many times as the river kept pushing me downstream while I  studied and imagined this place in use.

A not so quality picture of a couple as they quickly kayaked downstream. “Just another 3/4 mile.” they said.

Applying the earlier formula again, briefly, ((2.25) x “(3/4) miles)”  equals just under 1.75 miles to go. I measured it….

Looked like a tree wanting its picture to be taken.

…and with a slight round-off error factoring their downstream exuberance…

Upstream at the ‘end of the line.’

…it was actually 1.5 miles upstream from the kayakers’ friendly ( ghf +p ) advice and 4.5 miles from the dock near the launch.

Shallow rock bed all the way across. Time to wade like an explorer or turn around.

Banging into pilings and shallows resulted in a rod becoming bent and a flipper stopped moving. One flipper would equal only half speed so I took a few minutes to replace it.  I can straighten the damaged rod later.

Headed back downstream against a wind.

An attractive farmhouse with a beach.

Returning under the first bridge with a wet lens.

Past the cute ‘Lany Bug’ again.  It just called for another photograph.

Last visit I thought this ramp only needed a replacement dock. Now I think the bank washed away from underneath it too.

Adjacent to the ramp the riverbank looks scrubbed.

Alert boaters must become shorter than this stick.

I learned that when a ski boat is being towed the towed person gets soaked.

Back at the launch I installed the other pontoon and headed into the brisk wind downstream.  I intended to to paddle down and sail back.

A fine house and a riverfront fishing camp.

A turret, skylight, fireplace and style.

The beginning of a very long row of pilings.

Tightly spaced and extending around the bend.

The head wind still blowing should make for a quick trip back.

The apparent source of the pilings, an old mill.

Remember the water park’s beach ramp? This is the typical river beach. I learned to wear knee boots, they built a ramp.

Part of a old belt system I think

It’s next to the burned and ruined dock

It looks like a small cedar shake operation still continues.

Where’s the wind?

Getting a scrub before boarding

A house with a fine view while the trees slowly grow back.

Calm, windless water. It was still a faster trip upstream against the current than downstream against the wind.

A shy deer from Raymond.

Professional model deer from Raymond

A colorful rail on what looked like a day care center.

12.3 miles with about 20% of the time not moving.

Piecing together about three trips, I’ve now paddled  the Willapa river end to end except for the swampy bits on the upper left of the map near Raymond.

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5 June: Bone River boating

Sunday, 5 June 2016

Allan Paddles the Bone River

James Swan, the author of the book, ‘The Northwest Coast’, built his residence at the mouth of this river in the mid 1850’s. In his time it was called the Mouse River or the name it had always been before: The Querquelin.  The Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum is currently running a photo exhibit of ‘Swan’s Land‘ which I plan to see soon.

Mr. Swan’s sketch of his residence with Toke’s lodge on the right

The Bone River is just below Bruceport

Today’s plan was to use the northwest wind to carry me to and from the river’s mouth and also to use a rising tide to go up the river, a falling tide to return.

Starting at Bay Center and going for a  gold star

1 pm to 6 pm will be clear of the vast mudflats.

Passing Baby Island at 11:20 with a rising 2.4′ tide and mudflats.

There is a short road upstream just north of the bridge that would make an easy starting point if you’re comfortable leaving your car there.

Looking downstream from the turn off.

A peaceful highway view that soon will have a red boat distraction coming upstream.

The town cafe and biker bar. I will return.

Oyster farmers unloading.

A large parking lot at the launch with an oyster white sheen

Another working boat coming in just before I leave.

Between those two points lies the Bone River

I found a skinny cup for the small cup holder in the little yacht. I can now sip drinks enhanced with salt spray.

Off for more oysters.

First view of the river’s entrance

I tried for a better photo, twice, before pulling down the mast. The bridge is really too low .

This works.

The swallows swooped in and out faster than I could snap the shutter.

A calm river with very little current. In four miles there will be hazards only a more nimble little boat can ascend.

A hot day today. The birds and animals seemed to be snoozing. Here is a stray fishing float we will follow up later. Note its location.

Convenient for logging, the trees were all pretty young.

This line of pilings to tie up log rafts were the only human relics I saw past the bridge.

A mild wind was blowing upstream.

Not enough wind to bother with the sail.

A head scratcher.

This was the end for me today. The water was five feet deep but this hazard is is best conquered with light little boats like Mary Beth’s 39 pounder she sold me.

 

One outrigger pulled in but it’s still like turning around a motorhome.

Quiet trees on a warm day

Now it’s time to get back to the launch. The day is still, quiet, and the wildlife seems to be snoozing until the evening. I speed up to 4 mph and head back to the bay. A 33 sec. YouTube video putting you there is here.

Potential sea beans for Skyler on the right side but they’re muddy and it would kill the plant.

Same float, different place. Now it’s in our yard.

A survey post where I wanted to land to see where the old village/homesite might have been.

I walked out to what I thought might be a marker for this historical site.

It was a marker for a recent survey and a ‘witness post.’

When I got home I reread the book’s passage and decided the more likely village site was upstream of the bridge.

“The river wound round this point in the form of a horse-shoe…”

The circle indicates a field that may contain the site of the old illustration.

Possibly a historic field next to the highway

In the 1966 book: ‘Coast Country’ by Lucile McDonald, she describes the recent finding of James Swan’s old fireplace. The site has also changed due to building a highway through it and flooding.

Sea beans for Skyler by the survey site. Plump, thick patches of sea beans everywhere. I took a few and we had them for dinner the next night.

No salt required on these little green delicacies.

I sailed back to Bay Center.

Closely spaced floats in rows marking oysters

Six o’clock Sunday evening and the port is quiet

A view of the 101 bridge just south of the Goose Point Oyster plant from Bay Center.

A rough oyster shell beach.

Lots of ‘stopped’ time today, like a staycation tourist.

Using this and google maps you can see how far upstream it is navigatable.

Outside of the Dock of the Bay eatery

Some of the interesting art inside. I couldn’t see an artist’s name on these prints but very interesting in a ‘how things work’ way.

Reasonably priced hamburger steak dinner including the option of ‘oyster dressing topped with hollandaise sauce and melted cheese.’

Baby Island on the way home at 8:20 pm with a falling +2.1′ tide. It’s back to being mudflats again.

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