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2013 Columbia 150 - Friday
Quick down river run on the final day: Floating
dock back to the cars at Cathlamet.
Last night was kid of rough - lots of wind and waves, and
at least one speedster roaring down the backwater. Such is
life on the river.
We got an early start - the first day of a trip like this
needs to be a long day. The last day needs to be a short day.
I had planned this very well.
There was a tiny bit of wind in the early morning - not really
enough to up sail for.
We met Midnight Mike at Westport. He is in his Newport 16
but doesn't have his rigging set up yet. He is VERY proud
of his British Seagull outboard (though he does back it up
with a Johnson)
Mike had been planning this trip for a while,and at the last
minute had to drop out. I was glad he was able to come down
and join us for our final run.
It was a very calm day - even down by Jones Beach. Tom came
over and handed us hot coffee and cocoa.
As we approached Cape Horn, it was dead calm. I said "Mike,
swing over by the rocks, I want to take a picture that looks
like I'm touching Cape Horn." He did, we got a few feet
away, and I took this shot. Then the current grabbed us and
tried to slam us into the rocks - I had to fend off or we
would have been busted all to flinders.
That's right, people: I TOUCHED Cape Horn.
Jo-joma passed the cape without incident.
Mike spent an inordinate amount of time back by his British
Seagull motor - and eventually swapped it out for the spare.
Ever wonder why the Brits are such good sailors? British Seagull
outboards.
I climbed into rigging to get a shot of Mike at the tiller.
As we neared Cathlamet, we spied the Katie, a pretty
little tug that looked built for working.
She was parked up river from this Chinese junk (get it? a
junk junk? I'm hilarious.) I have to say: I really like the
lines on this boat. If I were to decide to throw everything
away and waste the rest of my life restoring a hulk, it'd
be one like this. She must have been a beauty in her day.
We rounded the corner of the harbor at Cathlamet to be greeted
by Ann - she and Phil hadn't noticed we spent a couple hours
at Rainier yesterday and when they got to the floating dock
and didn't find us, they decided we'd go ahead to Cathlamet,
so they forged ahead and ended up spending the night here.
They were probably more comfortable than we had been.
Daily tally for the final day. Comes to 134 miles by my GPS,
close enough to 150 to count.
Boats were loaded and good-byes were said. Tom introduced
us to the traditional Potter Group Good-bye Salute where everyone
circles up, puts their hand in the middle and shouts "We've
Cheated Death Another Day!"
View
Larger Map
Mike wanted to see the Columbia
River Maritime Museum at Astoria, so we drove down the
Washington side of the river to the bridge. On the way, we
saw the half sunken wreck of US Navy's biggest hydrofoil:
The
Plainview, as she rots in the water off the 401, just
east of Dismal Nitch Rest Area
At the museum, we met Julius (r) who has built a St Ayles
Skiff, the boat that is used for the international Scottish
Coastal Rowing competitions. It's a beautiful boat, one
we considered building at the Toledo
Community Boathouse, but we couldn't see how we were going
to find enough people to be interested in competing.
Inside the museum's Barbey
Maritime Center for Research and Industry, Mike and I
had a great conversation with this man, who's name I cannot
remember for love nor money. Still - that's one great picture.
And that's it - another Columbia 150 in the bag. No deaths,
very little maiming, no breakage to speak of.
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