Into Coos Bay

Cape Arago...just south of Coos Bay

Arrived Coos Bay at about 8:30 am this morning. As I said earlier it was mostly a motoring trip although I did get some sailing in during the afternoon when it was nice and sunny. Very calm seas, no wind waves and very low swell. I amused myself on the ham radio during the night. Radio(propagation) conditions where good and made a Russian and Ukrainian contact. Several east coast and Hawaii. Some people stay up way to late and I talked to a couple of guys in Texas at about 3:00am.
I found I get extra attention on the radio when I say I'm a maritime mobile station...guess it's something different.

Arrived about 7 miles from Coos bay at 4:00am, so not wanting to enter the river bar in the dark, I put the boat in kind of a stall position and went below to doze. By 5:30am the south wind had come up, sooner than predicted, and I motored into some chop to get to the river bar entrance. The big jetty provided lots of protection and the bar was super smooth.

Tied up to the transient dock here at the Charleston Marina and have been enjoying talking to the folks crabbing on the dock. Looks like the south wind will blow until Wednesday, so I'll be here for awhile.

Forgot to mention in the earlier Newport post. Had a beer on Braum and Anna's boat Tarpan. They're a Dutch couple who have some extensive cruising experience. Their current cruise has take them from Europe to Maine, throught the ST Lawerence Seaway, crusing the Great Lakes, trucking the boat to Seattle, wintering in Victoria and now down the coast to Panama. Hope to see them again down the coast.

Haven't found the internet yet, so can't post any pictures. Maybe tomorrow.

Out of Newport

Out of Newport this morning at about 7:30. Wind was from the SE for a while and could do some sailing. Now its light and from the south, so the motors on. Going slow so I make Coos bay at about 5:00 am otherwise it'll be too dark to see the way in. Saw the first gray whales just a bit ago. Maybe 9 or 10. Tails out of the water and all. Might have got a picture and will post later.

Gray Whales off the coast of Oregon

Ed

Well Tracey headed home in the rental car this morning, dark and early at about 5:30am.  The cat was not pleased.  She'll come on back down, when I'm somewhere south of San Fransisco and it's a little sunny and warmer.
I almost got out of Newport this morning.  Sunny, no fog with a good breeze out of the north.  Unfortunately about 6 miles out the electric autopilot gave up the ghost and started slipping.  Now, I don't really need the tiller pilot for sailing.  Mighty Thor the Monitor does much better and is much stronger.  But the tiller pilot is nice if there's little or no wind and when  coming into harbor alone, it can steer while I get the boat ready to dock.  So figuring it would be shorter to turn around and see it I could get it fixed in Newport, than continuing for the 65 miles to Coos Bay, I turned around.  The plus side is I did have a nice sail back and today there is almost no swell.  Will wait for parts here at the marina, where the office ladies said they would be happy to accept shipment for me.
Ed

Pirates Plunder

Yesterday we took in the aquarium and Pirates Plunder Village.  Shame on me for not getting pics of the village.  Needless to say it was a little scary.  I think it was one half square mile of 'made in china' and garage sale items from over half of Oregon state.  One sign showed that a glass cow (swimming) originally priced at $49.99, now only $3.50.  That's right, you read it correctly.  We were in the mist of let's make a deal heaven.  Ed contained his excitement - but Gayne, it was a close call.
They have a very nice aquarium, but it doesn't beat Seattles.  Relaxing day.