beluga

beluga

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Wednesday

Its 8:30 Pacific time and I'm sitting at my computer looking out the windshield.  Dave hasn't gone by yet, the 9th hole is right in front of our site. Its pretty dark by now.    Hmmm.

Dave's back and neck have been giving him some trouble since we got here.  We're both wondering if this cooler, moister climate is not good for our joints.  My knees haven't felt this bad since we left!  I'd almost begun to think that my arthritis was gone...

At any rate, we'd decided to forgo golf and just do some Astoria sightseeing.  We had lunch at the quirky Bowpicker.  I hesitate to call it a restaurant, I don't really know what to call it - a food truck, a food boat?
At any rate, it is a large, old, red and white boat (called a Bowpicker) sitting on a trailer near the waterfront that only serves fish and chips.  Nothing else.  We stood in line for about 20 minutes for the pleasure of eating albacore tuna fish and chips (complete with malt vinegar) in our car!!!  Quite an experience.  One of the best things we've ever eaten.

After lunch we walked across the street to the wonderful Maritime Museum.  It is in a  beautiful building, full of windows on the river.  We learned a lot.  We learned about the terrible "bar" that is the point where the powerful Columbia River tries to shove  itself with fire hose force into the Pacific Ocean's current.  The ocean doesn't like the idea and the fighting waves are often 40 feet high!  The conditions can change from calm to life threatening in as little as 5 minutes.  The ocean going vessels need a "bar pilot" aboard to navigate  the area.  The bar pilot boards the freighter while it is under power, coming alongside  in a small, powerful boat and climbing up a "jacob's ladder" to reach the outgoing ships bridge.
The Columbia Bar's  nickname is 'Graveyard of the Pacific" because, since 1792 there have been 2000 large shipwrecks.

On our way back to Beluga, we drove up to the Astoria Column, high on a hill overlooking the river.  From that vantage point we could see the river, the ocean, all the bays and surrounding inlets, Tillimook head, Mt. St. Helens, the Saddle Mountains, Clapsock Spit and Cape Dissapointment.

Quite a day.  We're on overload.

Now  its 9 p.m. and very dark,  Do I need to go and see where he is?  Did he take an LED golf ball?


1 comment:

  1. Gee, now it's 6:25 EST ....and do you know where your husband is?? Hope you found him, Sue. Do keep us posted ...we'll be on the lookout! No, he's not up the hill from here ...just looked and there are no lights on there. Quiet place ....looks kind of lonely to me right now. I think it is missing you!

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