July 6-7

We spend the first few moments that trying to track down an"unusual"noise in the engine.  Thankfully just have to tighten the alternator belt and off we go.  Astoria is our next stop to top of the tank, drop Jim off and hike around to find forgotten items like a lid for the popcorn pan. Kind of hard to make popcorn without the lid!  I had no idea there were so many stores in Astoria. Hiking is always welcome and we traipse all over. One gem is one of the largest honest to goodness variety stores I have found in decades.  Treasures are purchased and we take the trolley back to the boat so we can do last minute weather, tides and current checks.  Crossing the Columbia River bar is always daunting and planning helps take the edge off. 

We decide all systems are go for departing the next morning.  After a good night's sleep Jim heads of to the bus stop and we prepare to cast off.  Using a website that Bill O. told us about we pull up the current predictions for the bar.  Tide is one factor but today there is a very strong ebb current so we don't want arrive at the bar at the same time that current is making large angry waves. We jump the gun a bit and end up cruising back up river for awhile to let the waves die down.

Now we are good to go and with reefed main and head sails we sail across the bar and turn north.  We are able to sail until 2:00 when we decide we better motor so we can get across the Gray's Harbor bar safely as well.  It is a wet and wild ride into Gray’s Harbor as you can see from the photos.  We do a good job of stowing hard and sharp objects but our cushions and charts sure went flying about!  We tie up around 8:00 p.m. with the aid of a skipper from Vancouver to whom we hand the bow line.  Dinner is chicken quesadillas that have been warming in tin foil on top of the hot water heater for the past couple hours.