This is a big day for me, as I will be anchoring in a new spot. I will be getting closer to the ocean. This could mean big waves, big winds. The weather says increasing afternoon winds at Astoria, cloudy and light fog burning off later in the day. The tide is ebbing early, so I get up at 0600 and slide quietly from the dock at 0700hrs. It is cloudy and cool, so today is long pants and shirt again. There is fog along the tops of all the mountain peaks. I decide early on that I will go ahead and pull into Cathlamet and pump out the head and buy some ice. I elect to go the short cut behind Puget Island. There is always a very shallow spot near the number 5 can. Today there was only 4 feet of water. Periodically the sun tries to burn through, but can't seem to hold.
The bridge to Puget island appears with a cloudy background and tells me I am almost there.
I turn on "1" can and enter the slough. Many rv's are camped along the shore and they have 2 new yurts set up
with nice decking. They must rent them, as they do their cabins on the hillside.I get ice and pu
mp out and am back on the river in 30 minutes. My speed continues to pick up and I work my way up to 9 knots at 1030. It is about this time that I see my 3 pelicans floating but later take to flight. I immediately recall my childhood memories of when our grandmother would take Jean and I to Galveston, Texas for vacation. We would fish for days on the piers and watch all the pelicans. What wonderful memories we created. I'm glad that I can still remember them.The sun is beginning to come through and Miller Sands looks really inviting with its long sandy beaches and deep
water. I pull off and fix me a bit to eat and coast down river in neutral . I am not that far away from Tongue Point but will be busy finding my anchorage, so its best to eat while the waters and winds are calm. In hindsight, this was a really important decision. I'm glad I did it.
The river bears to port at buoy "2". Not long after I pass it I meet 2 different ships coming up river going pretty fast with big bow wakes. The wind and seas have increased once I round Miller Sands, so my intuition bears fruit. The waves from these ships really put me up in a standing position to steer. Shatoosh does well with them, but it is enough to get my attention. The winds increase and so do the seas. We are 20 statute miles from the ocean and we start to feel the flooding tide begin. I look carefully in the binocs to pick up the next buoys but the seas are so bad, I can't make them out. Off to port there are a zillion little fishing boats. I hold my course and can begin to see the buoy and channel marker near Tongue Point. Making this turn puts Shatoosh with the waves on the beam which I don't want, so I watch for a break in the wave set and make my turn which now makes me headed for all those fishing boats. I zig and zag through many and then have to make another turn back down river. Finally I am in the channel going towards Mott Basin, Mott Island and Lois Island anchorage. I could tell this anchorage was large but it is huge. It is 1 mile long and .5 mile wide. I was told that this was dredged at 20 feet and the anchorage housed the fleet of Naval Ships. The docks at the basin held the ammo for all the ships. They would come in and load up with ammunition. I make my way in and motor around looking for a good site. There are only 3 other boats anchored in here. The wind is calm and the water flat. I'm anchored and holding firm at 1315 hrs.
water. I pull off and fix me a bit to eat and coast down river in neutral . I am not that far away from Tongue Point but will be busy finding my anchorage, so its best to eat while the waters and winds are calm. In hindsight, this was a really important decision. I'm glad I did it.The river bears to port at buoy "2". Not long after I pass it I meet 2 different ships coming up river going pretty fast with big bow wakes. The wind and seas have increased once I round Miller Sands, so my intuition bears fruit. The waves from these ships really put me up in a standing position to steer. Shatoosh does well with them, but it is enough to get my attention. The winds increase and so do the seas. We are 20 statute miles from the ocean and we start to feel the flooding tide begin. I look carefully in the binocs to pick up the next buoys but the seas are so bad, I can't make them out. Off to port there are a zillion little fishing boats. I hold my course and can begin to see the buoy and channel marker near Tongue Point. Making this turn puts Shatoosh with the waves on the beam which I don't want, so I watch for a break in the wave set and make my turn which now makes me headed for all those fishing boats. I zig and zag through many and then have to make another turn back down river. Finally I am in the channel going towards Mott Basin, Mott Island and Lois Island anchorage. I could tell this anchorage was large but it is huge. It is 1 mile long and .5 mile wide. I was told that this was dredged at 20 feet and the anchorage housed the fleet of Naval Ships. The docks at the basin held the ammo for all the ships. They would come in and load up with ammunition. I make my way in and motor around looking for a good site. There are only 3 other boats anchored in here. The wind is calm and the water flat. I'm anchored and holding firm at 1315 hrs.
By 1400 the winds pick up and holds steady all afternoon. It is lumpy with the waves and I'm guessing the wind is about 15 knots with gusts to 20. It is 2030 hrs now as I write this and the wind is still blowing. At 1800 hrs the clouds filled back in. I decided I had better take my shower as quickly as I could. I sat on the stern, the water hot, the breeze chilly. I was back in the cockpit in 5 minutes. My, oh my, what a great day.
Day's run:38.9nm
Total:75.9nm
