We made it to Newport arriving around 5:00 pm Tuesday. We left Astoria at midnight, crossed the "Graveyard of the Pacific" around two in the morning. The trip was pretty uneventful...sloppy 7 foot seas...no wind until the last hour. We all agreed it was the roughest (motion wise) trip we've had. No one got sick but we had a lot of stuff crashing to the floor that had never come loose before and we had to throw a couple of extra lines on a few things on the deck. Spent the last night anchored in front of the Embarcadero. We're planning on relaxing today and leaving Thursday for Coos Bay.

Thursday update; we changed our plans at the last minute. The weather was forecast to turn nasty on Friday so we decided if we're going to have to hold up for a few days Newport was a better choice than Charleston, more to do within walking distance. Susan's birthday is Friday so Jimmy and RC are going to drive over and spend a couple of days with us. It's sad that we've been gone for over a week and we're still only a few of hour's drive from home.

We took the dinghy to the Aquarium yesterday then motored over to Mo's for some famous clam chowder...it was a pretty uneventful day except I got slapped at the touching pool...how was I to know it they meant the little creatures in the water. Anyway it looks like it will be early next week before we continue on. Adios for now.

Monday 08/02/10: We left Newport Sunday at 4:00am arriving in Coos Bay (Charleston) around 4:30pm. No wind...motored all the way. Anyone starting to see a trend here? I still think we should buy that Trawler. Susan says she saw a whale on her watch...JW and I think it was a dolphin...maybe it's the drugs and booze...or just another fish story.

We had a nice walk this morning and stopped by the electronics shop and made arrangements for them to fix our Radar. We have a cable that keeps loosening up and this time it went out when we needed it the most. We're crossing the bar here at Coos Bay...in the soup...we know the dredge is working so I talk to him and work out passage. The plan was for us to stay on the North side of the channel as he was dredging the South side. Just as he came into view he blasted his fog horn...he is sideways in the channel...larger than life and it appears to be turning right in front of us. So I ask you...what would you have done at that very moment? Ya that's right, "I shat myself too". After that I turned hard right and skirted down his Port side no harm no foul. It's not what we worked out. How was I to know he wasn't moving? His angle in the channel made it look like he was underway turning to the North and I wasn't about to cross his path...after all he has right-of-weight!

There's some nasty weather south of Cape Blanco so it looks like Wednesday or Thursday before continuing South I guess we'll have to see what's happening at the Casino...maybe I can win enough to fix the Radar!

Tuesday update: Radar fixed! Loose wire...different spot this time. One taxicab ride and 14 DVD's later (our limit is $5 per movie) we're set to ride out the storm...many storms. Thank heavens for Wal-Mart...Did I really just say that? Butch