Just a quick update. (To answer Pat Seaton's Question) I am not sure we could have picked a tougher July to sail south in. We left Coos Bay on the 23rd for an eighteen mile trip to Bandon. It was actually a nice afternoon when we left and we arrived at the entrance to Bandon around 6pm. The wind had risen to 25 knots out of the north by then but we figured we were home free. Ha! There is a bar to cross to enter Bandon and the seas were breaking at 14 ft at the entrance. The coast guard came to the entrance from the Bandon side and called us to let us know we could not come in. Oops!!! And further more the bar would stay closed for two more days.

Our choices were to return upwind to Coos Bay or go downwind to Port Orford which is just a hidy hole along the coast. We went south, Oops. When we got to Port Orford it was dark, blowing 35+ knots, foggy and there was a tug towing two barges out there somewhere. We felt the only safe choice was to keep the wind at our backs and continue through the night to Cresent City.

We ended up 40 miles offshore and when daylight broke we had to turn east acroos the north west wind and wind waves in order to make landfall at Cresent City. We arrived safely in port at 3:00 Monday. (It appears we are attending our own personal scholl on rough weather sailing and seamanship.) We still love it and are content to wait (for a while) in CC for better weather.

PS Ken's mother is not going to like reading this particular message.

Hi everyone! We left Tillamook Bay and arrived at Newport, Oregon on July 14th. Newport was a fun stop. We walked from the marina all the way across the Newport Bridge.The bridge is long and tall and the wind was blowing pretty hard. When we got into town we shopped for groceries and caught a free shuttle back to the marina.



We left Newport at 4:45 AM on Monday the 17th and sailed and motored 92 miles to Coos Bay. It took 12 hours and 45 minutes to get here and the seas were very rough for the last 5 hours. We are still in Coos Bay waiting for the weather to improve.

It seems like a long way from Olympia to Newport, Oregon by water. Melaina stayed with us until Eliot picked her up in Port Townsend on Tuesday. We loved her company.

By the way, a big thank you to all of you who came out to send us off. You made it a very special day. I understand that Bob and Pam olefson have some picture from Percival Landing and Boston Harbor that they are going to share. We will post them when we get them and find an internet wifi site.

Our biggest surprise so far is that we have had to motor most of the way. No favorable winds yet. Our first, and only, night at sea was exhilerating and scary. We crossed the blue water line and then were treated with a spectacular sunset. Then around midnight the fog closed in and we had zero visibility for the next 12 hours. We entered Grays Harbor at noon in pea soup fog. Paula, bless her, did her part in the middle of the night while I tried to get some rest.

Since we left Grays Harbor we have been bar hopping our way down the coast. Astoria, Tillamook Bay and now Newport.

We love it out on the ocean and the ports are interesting and fun to visit.

This is Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor. Paula and Melaina in Port Townsend.




Sorry the internet connection is really slow so I'll do more pictures later.