some background

Last spring, I helped Ed and Teri bring their Hunter 356 down the Washington coast from Port Townsend, Washington to Portland. Shortly after completing that trip, we started talking about sailing it to Mexico and perhaps beyond. We set a departure date of September 7, 2011, and left the day after that (due to my needing a follow-up medical appointment). We motored to Saint Helens, and spent the night at the City Docks there. Next morning we motored down the river as far as Jim Crow Point, and anchored there behind the point in about 30 feet of water. The dredge Oregon was operating just downstream near Pillar Rock, and we saw lots of piping and infrastructure on the water as we ended the day. Saturday dawned - well, it didn't really dawn. The fog just got brighter. Visibility was about 50 yards. I don't know how it came to pass that I got to drive, but I did! It was my first time driving a boat in low visibility conditions, but radar, chart plotter, and an autopilot make it easy! I called the dredge though, and they advised me to pass them on the Oregon side, which I did. Near Rice Island I made a position report on Channel 13, and a tug towing a barge answered to tell me that they were headed up the river and the we would be meeting soon. I was on the "green side" and they moved over to the "red side" and it was still amazing how close we passed! I had nearly lost sight of the tug when the tow became visible. The fog lasted all the way to Tongue Point, and then it opened and lifted to glorious sunshine.

We spent the day readying the boat to go to sea. Lots of small jobs and we got them all done. This morning (Sunday) we checked the weather and decided to leave for Eureka, California. We decided this knowing that there was forecast winds from the south, because the wind speeds were not supposed to get more than 15 knots. On the way from Astoria to the bar, a distance of 15 miles, the wind kept building until it was sustained at 30 and we saw a gut to 38 knots. The sailing was fun, but we decided to return to Astoria and wait it out. Had T-bone steaks and yams for dinner.