Astoria Again ???

Hello All - Astoria seems to beckon - should I be looking for work here??

After a pleasent trip UP the Columbia River, a very nice week in Portland, followed by a faster trip DOWN the Columbia, I'm once again stuck in Astoria !! But not for long. To all of you who came down to River Place to visit, and those who took me to your homes - Thanks!! The Waterfront Blues Festival was great, the weather for the first couple days was NOT. Then it changed and all was right with the world.

While tied to the breakwater I met some other cruisers - four Swedish fellows on "Royal Treat' who are off to San Diego, and Ken and Becky on "Polaris" who graciously invited me to raft at their houseboat on the channel near Scappoose on my way downriver. It was a hot, muggy evening, and Ken had cold beer while Becky prepared the shish-ka-bab. This is what cruising's all about and I hope to see them "south of 20" in a year or two.

I headed on down the river Saturday, the afternoon presenting 20 kt winds against an ebb tide and river current to make an uncomfortable ride. Around 7 pm I anchored behind a point in calm water and started receiving the first of many weatherfax that would show some vicious winds and seas off the California coast and heading north. So - arriving in Astoria at noon Sunday, I knew I would be here for a few days. A stationary high pressure center and a heat induced low had joined forces to produce two gales - one west of Eureka, the other just west of Coos Bay - and the byproduct of these gales was 14-18' seas all along the coast as well as questionable conditions to cross the Columbia bar. Heck, the fishing boats were even staying in !!

It's now Wednesday night and I'll be outa here tomorrow, with more pleasant 20-25 kt winds in sight. There are several other boats "waiting the weather" here - an American singlehander who just arrived after a 57 day crossing of the North Pacific in a 30' boat, and Wally, Velva, and Jose aboard a Kettenberg 50, "Walk and Talk", who pulled in here Monday after a thrashing coming down from Cape Flattery. We spent several hours this evening looking at the current faxes and deciding it would be OK to leave tomorrow.

I'm waiting on a small load of laundry in the dryer here at the mooring basin, I hit Fred Meyer today and provisioned, the fuel and water tanks are full, and I'm ready to head for San Francisco. The engine's running fine following repairs and it looks like there will be great sailing conditions down the coast. I don't plan to be shoreside again untill I'm under the Golden Gate, so I'll get this off tonight.

I hope you all are enjoying the summer !!! Oh yeah - for those of you who haven't heard, daughter Hollice has announced wedding plans - next June, on a beach, in Hawaii - details as they are forthcoming.

Fair Winds - Terry