Racing To Port

Today’s weather report, from our weather router, finished up with this summary: “You may wish to consider stopping by late this afternoon. You “may” be able to squeeze in some uncomfortable sailing in through tonight and early Fri/am, but keep in mind you will need to stay in your next port for several days.

Conditions have turned ugly along the Oregon Coast, and are on track to get uglier.

When I phoned Jeff this morning to read him the weather report, he was on the radio speaking with a fisherman, who was heading in. The fisherman said he was heading for port, and suggested Jeff do the same. Jeff said to me: “When the 100 foot steel fishing boats are heading in, you know you don’t want to be out there.”

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of places to hide along the Oregon/Washington coast. If there are any calm bays to “drop a hook” I don’t know about them. Jeff’s sole option is to head to the nearest port, which in this case is Newport Oregon. Conditions are worsening quickly, and Newport is still five hours away. The storm isn’t slated to really start roaring until tonight, so there should be plenty of time to get to port.

The current plan, once they are in port, is to leave one crew member on the boat, and everyone else drive to Seattle, for a few days with family. Then drive back to the boat, once conditions are calmer.

-Ken W

PS I noticed that Eric and Christi Grab, of Kosmos, a Nordhavn 43 now circumnavigating, posted a comment on one of my blog entries yesterday:

http://www.kensblog.com/aspx/blob2/blobpage.aspx?msgid=463430&beid=9420

There were actually a bunch of comments on yesterday’s blog entry, so you may want to look at the bottom of yesterday’s blog posting.

And, lastly: I gave the links yesterday for the Passagemaking Under Power list. Scott Bulger suggested the group try to define “The Perfect Passagemaker”. I don’t know if the group will stick with it, or the conversation will die out in a few days. My hope is that it becomes a vigorous debate of the pros and cons of all the different systems on a passagemaking trawler. If so, it should be a list well worth reading…

 ***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE

SANS SOUCI HAS ARRIVED AT THE DOCK IN NEWPORT OREGON – 13:30 Oct 30 2008


5 Responses

  1. Wth less than 2 days travel remaining Ken, it could be a good time for you to join the boat and get the feel of it again. Hope the weather lays down soon. Happy Bithday

  2. I’m too old to remember when birthdays were a good thing…. that said… it beats the alternative. -Ken W

    PS Thank you!

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