Friday, April 11, 2014

First Cruise of 2014 and Moving Day

Well Kay and I are activly moving out of our rental onto the boat.  The shed is 90% completed and she has a washer/dryer and a full size frig.  Over the past few years, we have downsized in anticipation of moving to Alaska.  Man how much junk can you collect over 4 years?  a lot and we have to downsize big time in order to have room in the shed and on the boat.  We both are finding we have to rethink how we do things.  Do you really need it, if you bring something new, what are you going to get rid of.  Where is it going to go?  We have to be out of the rental by the end of the month and we have given a lot of stuff away and are in the process of sending family airlooms to our kids and grandkids. We have been living on the boat for about a week and so far love it.

We did take a break last week and joined our yacht club at Coon Island for the first cruise of the season.  It started out crappy though.  As we hit the key for the starbourd engine, nothing.  The old batteries gave up.  So I ended up changing out two big 8-D batteries.  These things wiegh about 125lbs each and I had to get them from the engine room to the dock.  Needless to say we got a late start and didn't get to Coon Island until after dark.  This was scary as there are logs and trash in the river as it is high.  But we were met with smiling faces and cold beer!  Had a great time, but some of the Oregon fisherman are rude and could care less about damaging other boats!

Heading up river finally to Coon Island!

Longview Yacht Club (LYC)

LYC Docks


Blue Bill Ducks and a gull


Cormorants


Navigating past the salmon fishermen

Coon Island

ASD tied up at Coon Island

Lots of current





Coon Island trail.  This is a nice place in the summer





Fishing on a gloomy day

Farm on Savie Island


Heading home


Cow farms


Yep, cows


Fishing boats everywhere





Old barge


These piles are most likely over 100 years old


Birds use them for nesting spots, especially ospreys





King salmon are in


Nice boat leaving sand Island by St. Helens OR

Hog line

It can be tough picking your way through all the fishing boats

Sand Island


St. Helens OR

Corp boat

More hog lines


Right near the shipping channel


See the seal head?



Hog lines up and down the river and I am too busy to fish!

Kitty adapting to his new home

Fuel barge and a bulk ship passing in the Columbia River

Fuel barge escort

Smoother behind ASD

Cowboy Steve



The shed!  Filling up fast

Can't wait to get cabinets installed

Yacking on the phone

Taking the canvas down to clean...big big mistake


See all the mold?

What a pain in the ass!  Next year it stays in place

At least it was a nice day for a few hours, then it started to rain!