Coos Blues
17 August 2010 | Coos Bay
Jay
8/16
We got up at 0500 and were on our way in the gloom. We motored over a totally flat Pacific Ocean. Slowly the wind built until we were able to make sail @ 1130 this morning. We sailed almost to the entrance to Salmon Harbor. The trouble at the end was that the visibility dropped to 100 feet. As well the wind dropped to less than 5 knots. We motored through the gloom depending on radar-GPS- and sounder to make it in to the harbour bar. We made it just fine. Unfortunately, the fuel filter gave out just before we made it into the moorage area. I quickly threw the anchor and, as Anita talked to the Coasties, I changed the filter. Got going just in time to see a large barge blitzing our way. He would have creamed us for sure. It is so sad these guys don't listen to the VHF.
No sooner than we arrived at the dock, the coasties came over for an inspection. That took another 45 minutes. Then registration. It was 2000 before we finished supper.
During the day one of the fellow cruisers we met in Newport ran into difficulty and had to be escorted into Salmon Harbor. She arrived and soon was victim of the inspection routine. I don't expect she took it too well. She was a crew of one. Note my comments earlier about small crews. She is quite a character. Seems she cooked her batteries as the regulator on her alternator was broken. She intends to get a full refund and new batteries. Woe betide the store that deals with her!
My first meeting with her was interesting. Anita, although she is fifty something, is slim and has longish blonde hair and still has a pretty face. I was walking the dock and said, "Good afternoon" to her. She snorted and looked at Anita and sneered, What's it to you?" I got the idea right away that she saw Anita as a second wife/girlfriend. She saw me as the kind of person who ditched women when they didn't serve him well. I am rightfully modest about my appearance. I don't know how I could be a love em and leave em kind of guy. Things didn't warm up until Anita let it slip that she was the first wife of 34 years. Then, we were OK.
Yesterday we were entering Salmon Harbor and the visibility dropped to zero. She didn't have radar and was having some trouble with the regulator on her alternator. I called on the VHF and offered to escort her. The Coasties said we should look after ourselves and they would send an escort boat. I was thankful as we were just going to make the tag end of the slack if we booted it to the mouth of the bar.This morning she came over and thanked me for the offer of assistance and wished us well.
43 latitude and we still need the heater on in morning and evening. By now those of you who are reading this blog have the idea that you are going to need fall Georgia Strait gear when sailing this coast. I hear on the ham nets that it won't get warm until we leave San Diego.