I got up at 0530 hrs, looked out the window and there were stars and some clearing of the skies. "Oh, this looks good," I say to myself. Made coffee, ate some almonds, stowed the electrical cord, made my bunk and waited for dawn. Quietly, at 0650 hrs, I slip my lines and head for the exit of the marina. The sunrise is beautiful, the ships anchored in the mooring basin are turning off their lights. There is a slight northeasterly breeze and the skies are blue. There was nothing of this sort mentioned in all the weather notices. One just has to be prepared to move at a moment's notice.
There are 5 ships anchored and one coming down river at a fast clip. The wake flips my water bottle off the shelf and knocks the lid open, spilling half of the water. I grab it quickly, but the carpet is soaked. I pass Tongue Point and Margaret from Storm Bay hails me on the radio. She was up early and took a walk and noticed I had already departed. We wished each other great journeys and expressed how much fun we had getting to chat. Kindred spirits for certain. I admire them alot, as it is not easy to sail long distances and be out of country for years. Good on ya, mates.
Shatoosh is clipping along nicely against the weakening current at 7.3k with the flooding tide. Perfect tides for my up river trip. I approach Jim Crow Point at 0900 hrs. I had heard that up in the cove, there were guy wires across the top of the cliff to the adjacent trees. This line had a long rope hanging from it and you could anchor in very deep water and tie up to this line. Today is just the perfect day to check it out, except if the wind was westerly it would be better protected. I ease myself in behind the point and can see the ropes and lines, but the rope hanging is very close to the rock cliff. The water is very deep 50-70 ft, except for the waters near the shore and I found it to be 18-20 ft. This is not something I'd want to try, when there is a nice anchorage slightly up river from here and in shallower water. Well, the cliffs are beautiful, and I'm glad I stopped. I opened the curtains, kept my life jacket on and my fleece pullover on and enjoyed the fresh air.
The line is hanging in alignment with my flag staff.
The Ansac Katherine is moving fast downriver and loaded to the max. I just barely get a shot of her bow wake, before I have to take her wake. This sunny weather is such a refreshing change from the rain. I love the sun, but we just don't get enough to saturate my bodily needs.
This has been a fast upriver jaunt and I arrive in Cathlamet at 1030 hrs. The place looks pretty deserted.
This has been a fast upriver jaunt and I arrive in Cathlamet at 1030 hrs. The place looks pretty deserted.
The sun holds until noon and then intermittent, scattered sprinkles come and go all afternoon and evening.
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Tomorrow, I've got favorable tides all morning and part of the early afternoon, So will have a leisurely breakfast and take my time getting to Walker Island. What a nice easy day, tended to maintenance, stitched up a hole in my worn out jeans and had a really nice long, hot shower. I love living on Shatoosh, life is so simple and close to nature. Moving with the tides, helps me connect to the rhythms of the universe.
Days run 24nm
Total run 142nm
