Sailing Adventures with Nordic V: November 2009

Friday, November 27, 2009

More on Astoria

We have become good friends with a lady who lives on her boat on the next float over from ours. Her sailboat is fifty footer with a fifteen foot beam and it has all the bells and whistles. Barbara is from Valdez Alaska and is travelling south to Mexico as well. We have had plenty of laughs together. Her and pirate girl have become fast friends. (uh oh) Barbara is overwintering here and will continue on to Mexico somtime in the future. We hope to see her down south someday! We have also met her cousin Hank who is a boat surveryor and has a wealth of knowledge of the waters here. He also has become a good friend and has offered up local information on marine shops etc.

The Columbia River Bar has a long time and very interesting maritime history and has claimed many ships over time. Navigating the bar now is relatively straightforward as long as you pay attention to the tides and the weather. The safest time to cross over the bar is at high slack tide with moderate to calm weather. Crossing any other time can prove to be quite hazardous. Careful planning and respect for the conditions are all that is needed to cross safely. We had a small snag when we were starting our crossing. We were waiting for the tide (about 7pm, high slack was at 8), when our radar went out. The Columbia River has a very busy shipping lane and we have had difficulty seeing any ships or pick up bouys if any fog rolled in; not good without the radar. The captain radioed Cape Disappointment coast guard and asked for assistance. They picked us up on their radar from the lighthouse and checked in with every 20 minutes to ensure our correct position going into the bar channel. Blake was able to fix the radar (fuse) and we had our complete navigation back. the coast guard stayed with us until we radioed that we were fine and able to continue on our own. When we were almost to Astoria, a coast guard zodia cam alongside and requested a boarding. They told us to maintain our speed and position and they would come alongside. To say the least it was a little distracting!! (I was on the helm at the time) They boarded the boat, and helped guide us into the marina. After we were docked we were given another inspection and found no infractions. They asked the same questions as the fellas in La Push "without reaching for them, do you have any weapons?" and "Does you toilet have a holding tank?" Guns and poop are important!! And in that order...

Today is November 27 and we are heading out tonight on the 9 pm tide. If all goes well, we have a weather opportunity to keep going approx. 200 nm south to Coos Bay. If we are doing well with shifts and all that, we may just keep going!!

We will stay in touch, and update as soon as we can.

Blog ya later
Cathy

Cape Disappointment lighthouse

Bridge over the Columbia River

This house was used in a film called Goonies. We did not see it, but apparently it is famous!!

River pilot coming alongside a ship in the river

Blake and I at the Astor Column. 164 steps.

Barbara and me on top of the Astor column overlooking the Columbia River

In bound ship heading up the Columbia River

The Astor Column - the murals tell the story of the expedition of Lewis and Clark

The Triangle Pub est. 1934

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

sighhh;waiting for the weather again....

High seas and winds continue to keep our intrepid crew tied to the dock! (does two constitute crew? hmmm) System after system has been blowing onto the coast here, and we have been "holed" up in Astoria, an historical fishing village at the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. Sooo, as they say, when you get handed lemons; make lemonade!!

We rented a car, took Josh back to the Port Angeles ferry as he only had a few days to spend with us. With the weather forecasts so dismal, we decided he might as well return home and perhaps join us another time. A few days later, we went to Tacoma and picked up our vehicle. Nice to have wheels.

We have been doing alot of upgrades to the boat. We decided to install a navigation system that can be seen from the helm in the cockpit. This way, whoever is on the helm is able to see the plotter and radar without having to leave the helm. With just the two of us to take the boat to San Franscisco, it was a necessary addition as there are times when you can't leave the wheel. We also upgraded our current electronic chart program (nobeltec) to a program called Coastal Explorer. The program was written by the same people that wrote Nobeltec and is very user friendly. It can read existing charts already on your hard drive as well as charts or information downloaded from a disc or the internet. Very cool.

We have replaced wiring, old hoses (fuel and water), installed new guages, replumbed the water system adding a pressure tank. I have started painting the foreward head. Blake has installed an inline fuel polishing system and a new transfer pump so if we get any dirty fuel we can polish it when we receive it and then pump cleaned fuel into the day tank. Good stuff!!

The good thing about doing all these chores now is that we won't have to do them when we get to the warmer weather. And it hasn't been all work. We have toured the local maritime museum (amazing), attended a jazz concert at the Liberty Theatre (built in 1925 and completely refurbished) and sussed out the local drinking hole complete with pool table, friendly locals and lots of history. The Triangle Pub has been serving it up since 1934 and they still have the trap door in the floor where fellas were actually shanghaied!!

Although I have more to write on Astoria and pictures to post, the coffee shop is closing and they are sweeping around me. (take a hint lady)

I will try to add some pictures and more "Pirate Girl" tomorrow.

Blog you all later
Cathy

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

westport weather/ ocean shores music

Blake's temporary shop; building new galley counter top!

Looks so shiiinny....

Planning stages

Ocean shores jazz music festival

A little gospel to lift your spirits

Fixing spreader bar lights after the trip down from La Push. It was a little rough!!

Main street Westport Friday November 6 (happy b-day bro)

More main street West Port

South jetty not keeping the water out of west port!!

Saying goodbye to Kim. We will miss her. Safe journey home, hope you can come back when we are into the warm weather and sailing!!

Pirate Girl: After the Bar

Yep, that's right. She picked up these "maties" from the bar

Yikes it's Ghecko... Come back you yella bellies, I'll cut this guy into snacks

Noooo......

Pirate Girl goes on a binge. Can she save her new buddies? Does she want to? Damn you ghecko

More Pirate Girl Adventures Neah Bay to La Push

Blake and Pirate plotting the next course. Don't trust her Blake, she always has a plan!

Plundering the cookies!! What are you up to Pirate Girl?

She has made her move and has managed to jump ship!!

I think Pirate girl has stolen the local bus...

Oh no!! Pirate girl took the bus to the Bar!!

Now we know what she needed the cookies for; something to bet with!! What are you planning next you scallywag!!

Remembrance Day

I wanted to be sure to write something on this day as I usually spend a portion of it with my mother and I am missing our tradition of watching the services in Ottawa and sneaking glances at each other to see who has started to cry first. My phone call to her was the next best thing...

Let's raise a glass to my father; I am proud to be the daughter of a veteran for without his (and many other's) courage we would be in a very different world today. He was an amazing role model for me and gave me the encouragement that I needed to be an independant, adventurous woman able to take on this sea-farin' journey. Thanks Dad.

This past weekend Blake and I went over to an area of Grays Harbour called Ocean Shores. We attended a Jazz Festival which included eight bands all of whom played everything from "Won't you come Bill Baily" to "When the Saints come marching in". The music was very good and the bands came from Chicago, St Louis, Seattle and Aberdeen. People were dressed up in the styles of the 20's and 30's and there was plenty of dancing. We attended a gospel-style performance (without the preacher) Sunday morning. The name of the group was Black Swan and the female vocalist could hit all the notes!! We enjoyed ourselves very much.

Blake headed out this morning to Bellingham to pick up his son Josh. Josh has offered to help us get the boat further south, hopefully as far as San Franscisco. With the confused seas, the steering is tiring and we do not have wind vane steering and our auto pilot can't handle the sea state. According to the weather forecasts we have been looking at, the conditions won't be as unsettled off the California coast and so the watches should be less challenging and Blake and I will go it alone. Anyhow, for the next couple of daysthere is a break in the systems, and we may leave here tonight or first thing tomorrow morning. Depending on how it is going and what the forecast says, we will go as far as we can without coming to land to make up for some of the days holed up for weather. We'll keep you posted!!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Hold out for weather they say, well they are right.

Well it is my turn to write something, Hello friends and Family, We have learned that opinions are like as- h--es and most people have one and want to share it, we are making our way to Mexico and will be there when the weather lets us. We are 5 days travel to San Francisco and 72 hours if we decide to go off shore and B line it 24 hours a day. We will decide when the weather breaks what is the safest for boat and crew to go south. kim went home and will be back to work after seeing our newborn niece in Prince George (Nora ) Janna's new baby.

Thank you Kim for all of the help and fun that we had in the last 4 weeks, We love you.

We picked up a new weather program that is put out by XM and Serious Radio called XM WX and it has been very helpful in making the right decisions on safe travel.
I spent an hour with the US Coast Guard in Lapush to learn about the shallow and deep bars that are in front of all of the shelter points from Lapush and San franscisco bay, After San Fran the Trades will be with us and we will be able to set some canvas and turn up the music. That is where I will be able to really relax and start to holiday. Almost every locker in the Nordic is full of new parts, hardware, sinks, stainless counters, radios, lures, ropes and the list goes on of stuff bought when i had money and no time to complete all of the finishing touch's on the Nordic. Now with the weather delays we are getting to all of the small things that needed to be done. In the last two weeks I actully found myself sitting doing nothing at all. The Nordic is in fine shape and will pack us many miles in safety. We have met a lot of people and have heard some very interesting stories of Ocean travel and cool places. We plan on being on the Nordic until April of 2010 at least and will be back in Canada for xmas with family. We have no plans to race anywhere and take chances on getting beat up by mother nature, we make the best of each day and I think of friends and Family throughout the days. We would like to offer the Nordic V to anyone that would like to come and enjoy her with us wherever we are, Contact us on the Blog or My cell #250 202 0102 will be on until we get to Mexico. We are presently in Grays Harbour 40 miles north of the Columbia river and will be out of here as soon as we can. If anyone is into deck hand for part of the trip we have room and welcome you. I have been talked into trying a pair of "SWEAT PANTS " well you don"t want to know what I think of sweat pants, the name grosses me out but I have them and will try them out, so watch for a picture of the "Sweat" pant.

We hope all of you are well,

Till next time Cheers