Bar Crossing Set for Thursday

Katja writing: Decision was made: Coby was too tired to cross the bar -- especially with the couple of hours more work needed. A day of light work and rest is called for. This choice was re-enforced when an anchor was dropped by accident-- without its chain! 

This morning Dave Hewitt, a  friend here to see Coby off, retrieved it. Very helpful that Dave is a dive master! 

We decided to spend the night on land -- and found the delightful and newly re-opened Commodore Hotel.

How wonderful to have all these good friends around us!  Some couldn't wait until tomorrow, and are disappointed that they won't see the actual crossing -- but they understand the decision. 

Arrived in Astoria

We have arrived in Astoira. Idyllic passage with some adrenaline in the last hour. At celebratory dinner. More tomorrow.

Departure Day!

Departure Day! Some nerves, lots of stuff still to pack, but we will make it. Glad Katja is floating down the river with me -- would be too hectic otherwise. 

Here is Coby's Global Navigational System (GPS)!

Wishes & Comments

If you leave thoughts, comments or wishes, I will pass them on to Coby. After traveling down the river, we'll spend a little time on land in Astoria on Tuesday, and look for an internet café -- I'll check the blog and he can look at what you say with his own eyes before he sets sail. 

Those who know him enough to have his number and who want to, please call him Tuesday afternoon. 

Starting Location

Until I find the right gadget and how to link it with this blog, I will give you the navigation coordinates (latitude and longitude) for Coby's location. Maybe you can look at our route to Astoria.

Snookums is docked at Tomahawk Island, on the Columbia, in Portland. 

45 degrees 36'23.N

122 degrees 39'23.W

elev. 2'

Departure planned Sunday from Portland

(Katja writing)

Due in part to my food poisoning episode this week, we have pushed the departure back one day to Sunday the 7th, early. I will go down the Columbia River with Coby, a two day agenda. 

Blessedly, our change in plans enabled us to have a relaxing dinner with Ali and get a good night's sleep. Today we are doing everything we would have done until the wee hours -- we are trying not to add any extra tasks with the extra time. Breathe.

Plan to rest and re-test communication systems in Astoria. Then Wednesday morning, I will disembark, and Coby, si Díos quiere, will cross the bar. I can wave from an observation tower. The river is so wide that we will need binoculars to see each other.

He received a wonderful waterproof video camera from a friend, and a waterproof film camera from another. We will have to wait until he makes port to see the images; he will be sending me test messages of 160 characters max. We have sheets of text abbreviations and acronyms to help us. I'll post the public portion of these messages here. 

Testing Coby's overboard system

Practiced with safety equipment with Scott and Larry as crew. Sailing upriver at about four knots,  I lowered myself into the Columbia.  Attached to the boat by my safety harness and tether, I slid back on the jack-line that runs on the outside of the boat to the stern where I was dragged by my tether until I caught hold of the rope ladder, and climbed up aboard. It all went swimmingly!

I also tested my backup to the backup safety system -- two hundred feet of floating line knotted every eighteen inches, with a little buoy on the end, that I let snake out behind the boat. Tried pulling myself back up in while I was in the water -- very easy self-rescue. We likes it!