Visit to San Francisco Maritime NHP

Glen just returned from an exciting trip to San Francisco, where he gave a presentation to a group at the National Historic Park on the history of MLBs and our 36391 in particular. We hope one day our boat will make its home there, where 1000s of visitors will see it, ride on it and read about the history of these great rescuers.

Here he is with Bill and Gordon out on the newly re-engined Point Reyes MLB:

 

Catching up

Well, I guess we have a little catching up to do.  So, you'll be seeing some older posts as I fill in and hopefully add photos from our 2015 adventures and more.

Home at last...

Phew!  We made it.   580 miles on the Columbia and Snake rivers.  14 days.

The boat performed admirably, never hesitating, splashing through windwaves as easily as cruising a glassy, lake-like river.  It was exciting, beautiful... frustrating and exhausting at times.  Both Glen and I have quite a few bruises from living day-in and day-out on a boat that was meant for 4-hour rescue calls staffed by 20 year-olds.  Our knees are creaky, but we're glad we did it.

It's good to be home.

Choppy river

Happy Birthday, Cap'n Glen!

We started out early from Umatilla this morning and into a nasty headwind on the Columbia.  Choppy all the way to Boardman.  I mean white-water, 10-foot spray choppy.  Tough way to start the day.

But we're here at Boardman, 9:45am, and having a late breakfast and second-tea.  It's a nice facility, with a walking trail we are about to explore...

Smacked by a beaver

One of the great joys of this trip is all the wildlife we've been seeing.  Many, many pelicans, osprey, geese, jumping fish, muskrats and more.

Our first day out of Lewiston, we decided to overnight in Lyons Ferry.  This time, we went to the north side of the river, and explored the Palouse River estuary.  As we sat on the side deck of the boat, our feet dangling over, we saw a beaver swimming across the reed pond.   A few minutes later a second one appeared, and we watched them climb the bank and then dive back into the water.  

The larger beaver swam towards our boat, watching us, then did an abrupt u-turn.  Several minutes later, he came back, came within 15 feet of us, and did another u-turn.  Then we thought he'd gone.  

All of a sudden, we see a streak come from under the boat and pop up just 5 to 8 feet in front of us in the water. It's Mr. Beaver.  He looks at us sideways and swims off with his head high above the water, making a sound like heavy, huffy breathing.  Just as he reaches the end of the boat… SMACK goes his tail in the water.  

We just got severely chastised by a beaver for being in his territory.  (At least I think that's what went on.)  I don't think he appreciated our laughter of delight at his warning.

Making Lewiston

Thursday the 29th.  Our goal is reached!

We left Boyer Marina Thursday morning and within 30 minutes were inside the lock at Lower Granite Dam.  It was the easiest dam yet.  Well, the easiest on the Snake, anyway.

Shortly after that we spied our friends Joe and Garla.  They'd been trying to meet up with us at Boyer, but the hour grew late and the round-about-route meant they'd arrive pretyt late, so they went on to Clarkston ahead of us and found a hotel there.  Then they drove down the river-side highway looking for us Thursday, and we found each other!

Glen took the boat onto the bank, gently bumping it up against sand, boulders and driftwood (what a guy!).  After yelling back and forth for about 20 minutes, I invited Joe aboard.  We FINALLY used that tender we'd been towing all these day, and got Joe into it and aboard.  He made the final leg of the upriver trip with us clear into Clarkston/Lewiston.

Joe found a great dock for us at the Quality Inn so we were within walking distance of downtown (both downtowns) and had great resources nearby for restocking the boat.

We're staying two days in Lewiston, leaving Saturday.  I declared to Glen that I NEEDED SHORE LEAVE!  :)

So, here I am using the hotel wi-fi and catching up.

Boyer Marina & Little Goose Dam - River Trip day 6

So we left Fishhook, and headed for Little Goose Dam.We began to see more and more driftwood in the water, and even had to maneuver around some inside the lock itself.

The boat is happy running day after day, even occasionally at 1350 or 1400 rpm.  I'm told that those old 471 Detroits are just happy as can be at that speed, so no worries.

We're taking pictures and video along the way, and will post those as soon as we can.

Little Goose dam entry was rocky and rolly, but Glen managed it as beautifully as could be.  The river is like glass on the up-side of the dams, and we cruise at near 8mph for 10 to 15 miles afterward.  The weather is settling into a nice blue-sky pattern, so that helps.  Less and less wind every day, more and more sunshine.

We made it to Boyer Marina and park, and what a nice surprise that was!  Another lovely Corps of Engineers park, hosted by very wonderful, welcoming concessionaires who run a nice restaurant and inn on the site (Almota Inn).  The dinner we had was FABULOUS!  The chef, Leo Haas, was trained in fine schools in Salzburg and elsewhere in Europe.  He and he wife chose to take on this park last December, and are steadily upgrading the facilities and making the place a destination.  Which is saying something since it's a VERY difficult place to find and get to.  (I think you have to through Colfax.)  But I highly recommend it.  A nice little RV park with big, beautiful trees, a swimming beach, access to fishing, etc.  It sits almost at the foot (2 miles away) of Little Granite dam, so the fishing is pretty fine.