10/15 - 10/29 - 2017 Snake/Columbia River C-Dory Cruise

For anyone that is interested, as I usually do, using both Garmin's Home Port and MapSource software, I have plotted out the various waypoints and possible routing that we will be stopping at and following along the Snake and Columbia Rivers. While I would not just run the course I plotted on auto pilot without a very watchful eye, it's probably still helpful to have the information just for timing, distance and other such navigational items. Both of these files are saved as *.gdb files, that one can load into their Garmin chartplotters that read these type files, or on your computer if you have the above software. The mapsource file runs on my GPSMAP 541 while the Homeport file runs on my GPSMAP 840. If you would like one or both files, just email me at mcs2442@gmail.com, and I'll send you the file. Surprisingly, both files have the same name, but the one run from Homeport is about 3 times the size as the one ran on Mapsource. 208 kb and 80 kb. Colby
 
Live update...Driving west bound on HWY.14 Boardman OR. to the 205 bridge.
Well after living my entire life in the PNW. and boating the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to the ocean for the past 30 years, today was one of those days where the river was just flat out beautiful and I mean FLAT, as in like a lake, frog water, mill pond however you want to say it. The only spot that had a few white caps and perhaps 1 to 2 foot sloppy waves blowing upriver was a five mile stretch right before Hood River and about 2 miles below Hood River, but it is known as the wind surfing capital of the world. I hope you guys are blessed with that kind of water when you head out.
I'm looking forward to joining the group in Washougal / Camas or down by the I-5 bridge if I can find you.
Have a wonderful trip and enjoy the adventure.
Dave
Raven Dancer.
 
Dave, Thanks for the live updates. Yes, it can blow like stink one day and be nice the next. Hope for the good, always.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Doing some more considering of the trip plans, mostly my own logistics. I'm thinking now of possibly showing up at Hells Gate on the 15th, then taking my rig sans the boat, to Astoria on the 16, then flying back out to Lewiston on the 17th. Any recommendations on long term parking in Astoria? (I haven't checked with the West Mooring Basin yet, although I assume that's our ending point.) I would catch the 6pm bus from Astoria to PDX the evening I get there (16th), then stay with my brother at his commuter apt to fly out in the morning. Then see if anyone wanted to pick me up at the LWS airport on the 17th to run me back down to Hell's Gate. Wasn't sure I wanted to do that earlier, as if for any reason decided to pull the boat out along the way, I'd now have to get my rig in Astoria.... but staying positive about the trip, would sure make it nice if my rig was in Astoria when I got there, cutting a little bit time off for the trip back home. Colby
 
Might want to check with Tyboo and make sure there is a boat launch at the boat basin in Astoria, I don't recall one. There is a very nice one with lots of parking a little ways downriver in a town called Hammond. There is another nice ramp with parking up river around tongue point and up the john day river. Also right across the river in Illwaco there is a ramp and lots of parking.
Maybe Tyboo will chime in and confirm.
Dave
Raven Dancer
 
Thanks Dave, I'll have to look into those, and hopefully Tyboo will chime in. I went ahead and already made reservations to get from Astoria to PDX, then fly to LWS. The bus ticket, (actually Amtrak, but they have a bus service) was fairly cheap at $18, from the Astoria Transportation Center, to Union Station in Portland. I think that's refundable at 80%.... Then I have access to some pretty cheap airline tickets with my retirement benefits, that are fully refundable. I figure we're planning on cruising all the way to Astoria, so I went with that. Maybe doing a little more logistics that I need too...but would rather have things in place before I leave here. For now just have to plan on getting to the Astoria Transportation Center in time to catch that 6pm bus... Colby
 
The East End basin in Astoria has a ramp but if the sea lions are still hunting salmon in the river there will be no place to safely dock there. The West End basin does not have the sea lion problem nor does it have a ramp. This time of year there should be plenty of transient moorage available at West End basin, and it is a short ride to the other one with the ramp.

Dave is right about the Hammond ramp - it is one of the best locally.

Which brings up another point. If one was truly wanting to say they completed a cruise of this scope, then a trip downriver to Buoy 10, or a mile or two further if conditions allow, is a must.

There is a place in Hammond called Sturgeon Paul's, named for Sturgeon Paul who just happens to be my son in law. He has a large fenced lot that may have room to store a few rigs if others choose to try Colby's idea. You never know what kind of stuff he has going on, though, and the lot is usually filled with whatever.

If it is only one or two rigs, then you can just leave it at my house in Warrenton. With a couple reminders as the day approaches I can even be counted on to get you to the airport and pick you up at your final port to get you to the truck. We are taking off in the morning for a week or two in the San Juan Islands, but I certainly plan to be back home within the first week of October.

Really, though, if you are traversing the whole river you have to at least get to within sight of the end. It is over five miles wide down here.
 
Mike, thanks for all the good info. I'll PM you with more details. And heck yeah, I may even want to go look at that bar if I'm dragging the boat out that far again. LOL. (Assuming it's not quite as bad as the water under the Golden Gate was when I did that...) But I'll motor out at least as far as you suggest! Colby
 
Well my wife won't be along, so that kind of looks like fun... LOL. Colby

p.s. video blocked to me too. Msg shows
This video contains content from SME, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds. Go figure...
 
Video probably blocked by the photgrapher, Niel Rabinoweitz, due to his copy right. One of thosd pix was a cover shot for NW Yachting mag in about 2006 or 7. I have that issue at home, signed buy the FaCdory guys.

No back to the regular programing.....

I-84 East bound was opened this weekend. No access to Multnomah Falls and the lodge there or those trails, or to Eagle Creek and up to Crown Point, but, the freeway is open both directions now.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Got my logistics mostly all figured out for the trip now. Next, any one arriving a day early at Hell's Gate able to pick me up at the Lewiston Airport on the 17th around 11am? Assuming this all works out for me, it's then possible at the end of the trip, I could take 3 back to Hell's Gate if there is still a need. Colby
 
It's less than two weeks away when I will be pulling out of my driveway to head west. And I'm pretty excited for the adventure. Any more details for the River Run? Don't know if the fires are still burning, but I know there was already some snow in the higher elevations. Temperatures along my driving route, and along our cruise route have fluctuated from the mid to upper 20's to barely the low 70's. (Along the River, the lows have been more in the low to mid 40's. Colby
 
Dear All Lewis & Clark Snake/Columbia River C-Dory Expedition Cruisers:

This trip planning is now complete, and everything has come together. In a few weeks we will be on our way!

We are leaving the dock at Hells Gate State Park (Lewiston, Idaho) 8:00 AM on Wednesday, October 18, 2017.We plan to arrive at West End Basin (Astoria, Oregon) some time on Friday, October 27, 2017.

This is 10 days of river cruising, approximately 400 NM, down the mighty Snake and Columbia Rivers, following in the large footsteps of the 1805 original journey.

We have 8 planned stops along the way as follows: (1) Lyons Ferry Marina, (2) Port of Kennewick Marina, (3) Boardman Marina, (4) John Day La Page Park, (5) Port of Hood River, (6) Port of Camas-Washougal Marina, (7) Port of Kalama Marina, and (8) Astoria West End Basin. There are also 2 planned days for wind contingencies, side trips, or chilling out.

We have five (5) vessels and nine souls committed to the entire trip as follows:

1. Jim & Kath – Pounder
2. Chuck & Penny – Two Bears
3. Floyd & Eiko – Far C’r
4. Bernie & Bob – Vega
5. Colby – Midnight Flyer.

In addition, we have John & TBD – Firefly doing the 126 NM Snake River portion with us. Finally, we have Dave & TBD – Raven Dancer doing the 91 NM Camas Marina to Astoria leg.

Colby has decided on how he is getting back to his rig at the trip end. Chuck and Penny have made their own car logistics to get back.

Jim & Kath, Floyd & Eiko, and Bernie & Bob are hanging loose for now. Their rigs will stay in Lewiston until the trip end. If we can get a ride from someone on Saturday, October 28th back to Lewiston that would be great. If this does not work out we are prepared and happy to rent a vehicle to retrieve our trucks and trailers.

If there is anyone else participating in this adventure please let us know. Also, if others will be joining us on just certain legs of the trip, now is the time to identify yourselves.

Bon Voyage.
 
Jim, I'm planning on arriving Hell's Gate a few days early, and then taking my rig to park at Tyboo's down by Astoria. Then I'll fly back to Lewiston and call you or Lew to come get me at the airport around noon on the 17th. Unless you guys find another ride back to Hell's Gate at the end of our River Run, I could take 3 of you back as that's more or less on my way home. (Maybe 4, but that may be too cozy for a day's drive, and may put me over gross on the F150.) (I'd just have to detour off the main drag as I head up to Couer D'Alene to jump back on I90). Colby
 
something you might check out- a mile or two up the John Day river there used to be, & may still be, a very nice boat in campground called Philippi park that has nice docks. It may be a nice quite place to tie up. We used to camp her now and again & really enjoyed it. LePage park is right next to the freeway & RR tracks and a bit noisy.

We live close to Kalama, if you need any ground based support, give me a call
 
Jim Gibson":3ujcr0j6 said:
If there is anyone else participating in this adventure please let us know. Also, if others will be joining us on just certain legs of the trip, now is the time to identify yourselves.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking about joining from the Kalama dock to Astoria, but I'll have to see what day you get into Kalama. The 25 Cruiser is still new to me, and I'm getting much better at handling it, but not sure I'm up for a round-trip to Astoria quite yet.
 
Fred on Anita Marie has a Cruising Atlas for the Columbia, Willamette and Snake rivers he has offered to loan for your use. I have it here at my house and will see that Colby takes it along if you would like to use it.

I have no idea about the weather on the rest of the river but down here at the mouth of the Columbia it was beautiful today.

We got back from the San Juan Islands and the Stuart Island gathering yesterday and I am getting the boat set up for the crabbing season. If the tides cooperate I just may have some fresh dungeness to give to some weary river rovers when they reach the sea.
 
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