Alaskan Sea-Duction: Beacon Rock Part 2

Beacon Rock is a great place to just watch stars and find satellites. The nights were clear and warm and we had lots of fun with our friend Ron and Jerry, Kat and LJ. They hiked to the top while mom and I watched. Mom enjoyed herself in reading and looking at what happened on the rock. The water was low and clear. I took a couple of dinghy rides to explore the area. We thought the dock would be crowded, but only 2 other boats showed up. lots of folks showed up in the park and swam near the dock and kids everywhere because you could hear them screaming all day long!

On Saturday I was up in the sunroom when all of a sudden I heard a scream for help. A young man, 14 or 15 was swimming between the dock and land when he started to go under. He was about to drown. I grabbed my man-over-board kit and headed that way. I totally forgot about the life rings on the dock. When I realized this, I grabbed the ring, threw it to my buddy Ron who launched out to the kid. His dad was also swimming toward him. Lucky for the kid, Ron's shot was right on and we pulled him to the dock. He had swallowed some water, but otherwise he was OK. Ron and I looked at each other and said "We just saved a life!" We toasted our beers and felt good.

Sunday we started home. remember that thin channel up to the park, well Ron found the other side and grounded himself on the rocks. He was able to back down a little and get off. Now it was my turn and the pucker power was great. Mom kept telling me the depth (I think she was a little scared cause I didn't ask her to call it out) and we exited the park with 8 feet of water. Plenty of depth! The ride down river was at 11mph and we had a great clear veiw of the gorge. Mom and Kay rode in the Sunroom and I turned on my blue grass music upstairs and everyone was happy campers. Until.....

We approached the upriver of Gov't island and there is a channel between tis and a small island on the north side. Well it was warm and I think all of Portland and Vancouver idiots were on the water. As Ron and I entered the channel, a tug pushing a tow up river was entering the channel on the down river side. Between us were tubers, skiers, jet skis and rocket speed boats. What a mess! The tug and I started to blow our horns and all these idiots didn't seem to care. Boy I was sure glad to get out of there as all the traffic pushed me over toward the outside island and shallow water.

The next obstacle was the fisherman. I gotta tell you Washington and Oregon boaters are some of the most dangerous boaters I have seen. No PFDs, blows right by you on step, anchors out in the middle of the shipping channel! I refuse to slow down and ASD has a big big wake!

Then we came by Sauvie Island OR. Thousands of people on the beach. The farther you went down river, the less cloths they had on until the end where all the boats are sterned tied, naked bodies everywhere. I could get the binocs away from Kay!!!! There was a small boat in which these guys mooned Kay and I missed it!

The wind was against us the entire way. When we got back to the dock it took me 4 times before we got hooked up and tied up. We traveled 168 miles round trip and mom was happy. What more could you ask for!! Love ya mom.