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.