After breakfast I take a nice long walk on the sandy beach, heading up river. The tide is out and I see lots o
f fresh tracks. With the coyote on the dock last night, I am wondering what I will find this morning. The sun is shinning and I'm excited to take advantage of it. Before I get off the docks I can see deer tracks from the cat walk. As I venture out along the shore, tracks are everywhere. There are more deer tracks, single deer and deer with fawn tracks, there are some that would be consistent with the coyote, but then there is a set of a larger padded print with longer claws. The animals that are common are raccoon, beaver, opossum, otter and muskrat. I see a killdeer and her tracks. A small creek is flowing from a dammed pond. I had spotted this as I came down river yesterday. I climb up to see the dam and the pond. As I continue there is a set of very fresh tracks of a deer in the most recent section of falling tide which means to me that a deer is very close by. It is not but a few more minutes that I see her and she has turned back down river headed towards me. We see each other about the same time and she turns back up river and vaults up the steep slope into the forest. I can't venture further as the beach stops at the water's edge, so I return to Shatoosh and drink a whole bottle of water. I am sweaty from the walk
, but feel invigorated. I need to get me a chart of animal trac
ks.
f fresh tracks. With the coyote on the dock last night, I am wondering what I will find this morning. The sun is shinning and I'm excited to take advantage of it. Before I get off the docks I can see deer tracks from the cat walk. As I venture out along the shore, tracks are everywhere. There are more deer tracks, single deer and deer with fawn tracks, there are some that would be consistent with the coyote, but then there is a set of a larger padded print with longer claws. The animals that are common are raccoon, beaver, opossum, otter and muskrat. I see a killdeer and her tracks. A small creek is flowing from a dammed pond. I had spotted this as I came down river yesterday. I climb up to see the dam and the pond. As I continue there is a set of very fresh tracks of a deer in the most recent section of falling tide which means to me that a deer is very close by. It is not but a few more minutes that I see her and she has turned back down river headed towards me. We see each other about the same time and she turns back up river and vaults up the steep slope into the forest. I can't venture further as the beach stops at the water's edge, so I return to Shatoosh and drink a whole bottle of water. I am sweaty from the walk
, but feel invigorated. I need to get me a chart of animal trac
ks.
It is 1100 hrs as I depart this lovely strip of land that Lewis and Clarke called Diamond Island because of its shape. My speed picks up to an easy 8.5k as I slide down river with the fast current. By 1200 hrs I have slipped under the I-205, the I-5 and the train trestle bridges and come upon the Laser Acee and the Cisne Blanco from Panama. The Marinius Green from Rotterdam and the Corello Arrow from Nassau are all tied up in the Portland Harbor. I have to slow down to allow 2 families of Canada Geese to cross the harbor.
At 1130 hrs I am back to the mouth of the Willamette River, which means, I have completed the circumnavigation of Hayden Island. In front of me is the tug Betty Lou making another run up the Willamette River with a barge in tow. This is the 3rd time I have seen this busy tug on this trip. I remember as a kid watching Marjorie Main playing Tug Boat Annie and how much fun I thought it would be to run a tug. I still think that.
At 1245 I slow down to investigate a small inlet on the chart. I can see several fishing boats in there with a small sailboat and a few floating homes. There would probably be a chance for me to enter but I hold back as it is still low tide. I see a man on the un-named island in front setting up a tent and he has pulled his small sailboat up on shore. I'm in about 6 feet of water so back out and start
to drift down river as I see an immature eagle and a crow on shore eating a fish. For about 15 minutes I slowly drift down on them. Finally the eagle hears my engine and flies off, but I do get a photo of him. I take a head break, fix lunch and bring it into the cockpit to eat. I continue to drift along in deeper water. I send a voice message to my great nieces about all the animals I am seeing.
to drift down river as I see an immature eagle and a crow on shore eating a fish. For about 15 minutes I slowly drift down on them. Finally the eagle hears my engine and flies off, but I do get a photo of him. I take a head break, fix lunch and bring it into the cockpit to eat. I continue to drift along in deeper water. I send a voice message to my great nieces about all the animals I am seeing.Another hour later I see a head bobbing in the middle of the river. It is a lady out swimming with out a life jacket. I turn and pull over to see if she is needing help. NO, she says, isn't it a wonderful day?
I come up on Channel marker #13 at 1355 hrs which is the entrance to Bachelor Island Slough. One cannot enter here but this is part of the Ridgefield wildlife area. It looks like an interesting place to anchor in calm weather. By 1430 hrs 
I am at Warrior Rock light on the end of Sauvie Island and just beyond is St Helens. I proceed to Mayday Marine Barge and spot Mike, my mechanic. I wave to him and let him know I'll meet him in the morning and then head over to the city dock.
After tying up, I head up to the street to discoverer there will be a bluegrass concert at 1800 hrs and the tents are set up for the city food court and the odors make me feel hungry all over again. I dump my trash, use the restrooms and return to Shatoosh. a large Grand Banks Trawler pulls in and I assist them with docking and the winds are picking up. Two men are onboard and we begin talking. They are very interested in Shatoosh and have known about Albins, but have never see one. The younger man has circumnavigated the world in his Catalina 36, named Patriot and the older man and his wife crewed for him often at various legs of the trip. We talked for a long time and all of us felt a common, kindred spirit between us. It is wonderful to talk with people who have sailed the oceans, as there is a shared experience that few have done. Many dream of sailing the oceans, but few actually ever do it. You come away from an oceanic voyage with a different perspective on life. You are humbled by the forces of nature, you gain incredible confidence in yourself as you maneuver through waves, latitudes, longitudes, time zones and become one with the ocean and your vessel. There is a spiritual gift that is given to you. You become part of a unique group of people.
I am at Warrior Rock light on the end of Sauvie Island and just beyond is St Helens. I proceed to Mayday Marine Barge and spot Mike, my mechanic. I wave to him and let him know I'll meet him in the morning and then head over to the city dock.
After tying up, I head up to the street to discoverer there will be a bluegrass concert at 1800 hrs and the tents are set up for the city food court and the odors make me feel hungry all over again. I dump my trash, use the restrooms and return to Shatoosh. a large Grand Banks Trawler pulls in and I assist them with docking and the winds are picking up. Two men are onboard and we begin talking. They are very interested in Shatoosh and have known about Albins, but have never see one. The younger man has circumnavigated the world in his Catalina 36, named Patriot and the older man and his wife crewed for him often at various legs of the trip. We talked for a long time and all of us felt a common, kindred spirit between us. It is wonderful to talk with people who have sailed the oceans, as there is a shared experience that few have done. Many dream of sailing the oceans, but few actually ever do it. You come away from an oceanic voyage with a different perspective on life. You are humbled by the forces of nature, you gain incredible confidence in yourself as you maneuver through waves, latitudes, longitudes, time zones and become one with the ocean and your vessel. There is a spiritual gift that is given to you. You become part of a unique group of people.
St Helens is where there is a merging of the Multnomah Channel, Lewis and Clarke River, and Lake River into the Columbia River. A busy crossroads. This has been an enjoyable day and my longest run of the trip. I got to join in the free city concert, have a Thai dinner, meet interesting new people, and track animals like Lewis and Clarke did 200 years ago. I return to Shatoosh and watch the Thursday night around the Sand Island Yacht race, have some peppermint tea and go to bed early. Wow, this has been a busy day. Day's run 26 nm Total 103 nm
St Helens to Coon Island
19 June 2009: Friday
It has rained all night long and as usual the rolling waves in the marina cause a restless sleep. I'm ready to get up at 0500 hrs. to put the coffee water on and get dressed. The rain has stopped, but it is chilly, so I sit up in the bunk, cover back up with the down bag and listen to the mantra and meditate.
Mike, from Mayday Marine is going to check the valve clearances and he starts work at 0730 hrs. I head over to his barge and find it impossible to dock down river into the slip with this current so I tie up on the outside head to current. It is calm and not raining. He finds the valves very loose and the linear gasket disintegrated. After getting the the clearances adjusted, he points out I should replace my wing nuts on my batteries with regular nuts which I will do. He also deliveries vessels up north, so I ask about his strategies about cruising north along the coast. He is such a professional. It is always such a delight to pull in and and get the engine worked on. I have such confidence in his work. He is a teacher and takes the time to explain what he is doing and I like all of that.
The World, the first condominium ship for multi-millionaires passes us going down river and it is too far off to get a picture of it. I watched a program on it on the Travel channel. It is going around the world, the owners get to decide where they cruise, each owns their apartment and get to design it and furnish it from several first class decorators. It is the ultimate in ship cruising. Go to wikipedia to read more about it.
Mike, from Mayday Marine is going to check the valve clearances and he starts work at 0730 hrs. I head over to his barge and find it impossible to dock down river into the slip with this current so I tie up on the outside head to current. It is calm and not raining. He finds the valves very loose and the linear gasket disintegrated. After getting the the clearances adjusted, he points out I should replace my wing nuts on my batteries with regular nuts which I will do. He also deliveries vessels up north, so I ask about his strategies about cruising north along the coast. He is such a professional. It is always such a delight to pull in and and get the engine worked on. I have such confidence in his work. He is a teacher and takes the time to explain what he is doing and I like all of that.
The World, the first condominium ship for multi-millionaires passes us going down river and it is too far off to get a picture of it. I watched a program on it on the Travel channel. It is going around the world, the owners get to decide where they cruise, each owns their apartment and get to design it and furnish it from several first class decorators. It is the ultimate in ship cruising. Go to wikipedia to read more about it.
I head back to St. Helens docks to tie up and have some breakfast. As I venture into town all the usual eating places have shut down. I go into the Gallery for a latte and have a very interesting chat with the owner of the residential hotel on the corner. He tells me that he has owned the place for 15 years and he owns a black Clydesdale mare which he bought as a foal. Apparently there was a breeding program in BC for draft horses which would be used for horse meat and sent to foreign countries. This didn't go over well with the Canadians so a ranch in Oregon rescued all the horses, so he and his partner went over and bought 2 of them. He has trained them himself and rides the mare often. Her neck width is 24 inches, he says. He is all interested in my little Albin and thinks it is the perfect cruiser.
Before I head out at 1030 hrs I have
to take this picture of these 3 fishermen. I slip into the Multnomah channel and head up river. It is stormy looking, but calm and I make an easy 5k. On the way to Coon Island the skies open up again with torrential rains, but with the rain Gods on my side it all stops as I dock Shatoosh on the east side-inside at 1215 hrs. I am starving, so quickly heat up the burner and have an egg and cheese omelet. The sun comes out and I am in heaven again.
to take this picture of these 3 fishermen. I slip into the Multnomah channel and head up river. It is stormy looking, but calm and I make an easy 5k. On the way to Coon Island the skies open up again with torrential rains, but with the rain Gods on my side it all stops as I dock Shatoosh on the east side-inside at 1215 hrs. I am starving, so quickly heat up the burner and have an egg and cheese omelet. The sun comes out and I am in heaven again.I assist a sailboat to dock. It is a Dutch design with a 6ft draft. The skipper is of French Huguenot heritage, as I am. His ancestors came to America with the Winthrop colonization around the 1630's to settle the Boston area. His favorite cruising destination is Warren Slough. I have never been able to locate this, but will try again this year. He also tells me about how he gets through Devil's Elbow. There is a deep cut near the mainland side of the shoal area that he first saw a tug go through. He always uses it now and since he has a 6ft draft, I would have to believe him.
I took Pashmina off the cabin top and gave her a good scrubbing, put her back on top and cover h
er up with the tarp. I pack up my sea bags, dirty laundry and electronics. Clean the refrigerator, ice box ans consolidate the few remaining food items.
er up with the tarp. I pack up my sea bags, dirty laundry and electronics. Clean the refrigerator, ice box ans consolidate the few remaining food items. 
Speaking of dirty laundry. This is my laundry bag that my twin, Jean, made for me when I moved aboard Sabra in Hawaii in 1980. Some things are just perfect and never need to be changed, altered, repaired or thrown away. I dearly love this laundry bag, it comes to Shatoosh nice and clean, folded for the next journey and is filled with old, dirty worn boat clothes and taken home, laundered and the cycle repeats itself, month, after month, year after year, decade after decade. I feel it is a perfect laundry bag, just as Shatoosh is a perfect cruiser.Later in the afternoon a wonderful little cruiser comes in and docks right next to me. It was a Bayliner 26. I enjoy the couple very much and they had looked at Albins before this current boat. He has always loved them. So I was more than happy to show him every nook and cranny. We talk to 2130 hrs. sharing stories and have a wonderful time.
Day's run 7 nm
Total: 110 nm
