Please join us on MV Pairadice : OREGON COAST HEADING SOUTH

I am still a little behind with the blog, duh! We enjoyed many cool things on the Oregon Coast. I will be dividing the California Coast into three posts. Bare with me I'm trying but there are so many more things to do and see!

We arrived in Astoria OR, on Friday, July 12, spending two nights waiting for the right weather window to make the Columbia River Bar Crossing into the Pacific Ocean. We enjoyed fish and chips upon arriving at a great restaurant near the West Basin Marina called The Bridgewater Bistro.

All secure with and end side tie at West Basin Marina, Astoria, OR

Out front of the Bridgewater Bistro and garden.
They grow much of the herbs and vegetables right there in Astoria. Kitchen to Farm...Farm to the table.

Swanky little place with live tunes!

Ever famous Astoria bridge linking Oregon to Washington across the Columbia River.

I was so grateful to go out to dinner that night, I made John blueberry pancakes with sausage the next morning. Breakfast team meeting and weather review dictated we would leave for Newport OR, Sunday Morning. Found a fresh fish market while walking the dog the next morning, which meant crab cakes would be in the pan this evening.

Oregon Fish and Game checking out somebody's Salmon haul.

The officers were happy chatted up with me... Oregon Fish and Game.

Now, this is what I call a fish market! I picked up King Salmon and Dungness Crab.

The evolution of the sunset in Astoria...

...signals the need to get ship shape and bedtime!!!

Sunday, July 14th, day 10 Astoria, OR - Newport, OR 113.4nm 12h 45min
We were up at 4am and off the dock before dawn. We wanted to cross the Bar at 6:30.

Patches is ready to get back on the boat after her morning walk.

Astoria Marina offices

Leaving Astoria behind, heading toward the Columbia River Bar.

The current and tides gave us a nice push, getting 10.4knots.
John was concerned we'd get to the Bar too early.

Nice seas off the bow...

Patches sees and smells land!

Passing under the Yaquina Bridge Newport, Oregon

Pairadice at rest at our transient moorage,
Port of Newport, OR on the Yaquina River.
(It's not very picturesque, but after many experiences,
we now make it a rule to always set fenders on both sides.)

Monday, July 15th, day 11 Port of Newport, OR (3 nights)
The morning after getting in are always very basic. I straighten up the living space and clean the galley. There are little or no chores done while underway. Walking the dog, getting the lay of the land and checking in with the harbor master always come first. I worked on crab cakes for dinner, while John picked out a movie.

Harbormaster also takes care of the RV Park. The grounds were lovely.
Look at this lavender!

The NOAA research vessels are moored here, where restricted offices are located.

This is what homemade fresh crab cake dinner onboard looks like! (The side is my confetti rice.)

Tuesday, July 16th, day 12 Port of Newport

I made a big breakfast of sausage and eggs. Afterwards John got busy hosing of the boat, filling the water tank and hooking up city water for showers. While I worked on catching up on laundry, I showered and I took Patches up to the little park and played ball with her until she was wore out. She loves her Chuck and goes baserk when you get it out! We anticipate a long crossing the following day, so I wanted her to get plenty of exercise today. John got cleaned up while we were gone, in order to be ready for a 3pm tour of the Rogue Nation Brewery, Distillery and Rolling Thunder Barrel Works.

The tour was awesome with lots of tasting! It was very interesting and informative.

I love how the beer tasting room is made from barrels.
This is where the tour started.
They brew beer and spirits.

The red door is the room where we sampled the ales.

These are brand new barrels, just made here by Rolling Thunder Barrel Works.
This is the only craft distillery cooperage in America, and the only cooperage in the
world to make barrels solely from Oregon Oak (Quercus garryana).

The Head Cooper is the person who crafts the barrels that release the unique flavors and
aromas locked in the wood. Careful assembly, toasting and charring provide
just the right impact on there whiskeys an ales.

Wood working equipment.

This is used to get the rings on the barrels.

The barrels are then sanded.

The interior of the barrels are then set on fire by the Head Cooper.

We received some swag from Rogue Nation
and John picked up some souvenirs of their products.

I like how Pairadice ended up framed under the bridge.

Enjoyed dinner on board with a full moon view over the bridge.
Early to bed, the following day would be more than 12 hours.

Wednesday, July 17th, day 13 Port of Newport to Bandon, Oregon 93.4nm 12h 50min

I caught this picture during my dog walk, just prior to handling the dock lines.

The alarm was set for 4:15am. We woke to an awesome full moon reflecting off the Yaquina Bay. We were up and on it right away with the coffee flowing. I was walking the dog by 4:45 and took a nice picture of the boat in the moon light. It was calm in the marina. We stored the shore power and cast off lines by 5:25. There was quite a bit of chop in the Yaquina River getting out in the Ocean due to the confluence.

Off the dock, heading out. These views are the reward for rising early on a mission.

The first few hours went pretty fast, keeping a sharp eye out for crab pots. We had plums and danish for breakfast. Got a glimpse of a huge whale jumping in the water off the bow, but no real show for pictures. John took a break and laid down in the watch berth a little after 11 o’clock.

Doesn't it look like he's in a casket?

Lunch was bagels with ham, cream cheese and sliced tomato. The afternoon kind of dragged on. The winds slowed but the seas were on our starboard bow so it was “rolly”. Patches spent most of the day sleeping on the couch between us.

Coquille River Lighthouse upon entering Bandon, OR

The crab pots returned about the time we were passing the entrance to Coos Bay. Finally between 4:30 & 5pm the seas calmed way down with just an hour left to go.
We called into the Port of Brandon Marina yesterday for slip assignment. We pulled into C20 for a starboard tie with plenty of room. Arrived 7:15pm, average speed 7.5 knots.

After getting ship shape and dog walk, a decision was made to visit the Wheelhouse Restaurant for a bite of dinner. But we did relax and wait a bit for the dinner crowd dissipate. John had blackened rockfish and I had stuffed prawns. It wasn’t long before we were stuffed and hunkered down in bed.

Thursday, July 18th, day 14 Port of Bandon Marina, Oregon

Slept in today until 6am, when we were woken by a large vessel mooring next to us. It was the US Coast Guard and they made a hell of a racket. We rose and I made bacon and eggs for breakfast! Got some laundry going and headed out for a walk about. The harbor master’s office is in an old hotel off the point where the Pacific Ocean meets Coquille River. It was built in 1900. The hotel also houses the US Coast Guard offices. The next stop was Ace Hardware for a Y splitter fitting for the water spigot. Then on to the grocery. It was a good way to find our way around and see what Bandon had to offer.

On walkabout.

Bandon, OR... US Coast Guard and Harbor Master's Office at the point.
It's an old hotel built in the early days.

Our slip in Bandon, Oregon on the Coquille River

The US Coast Guard who come and go at all hours are mooring next to us at random times of the day.
We also made our way to find some groceries and essential items from Ace hardware.

Friday, July 19th, day 15 Port of Bandon Marina, Oregon
There were so many things we enjoyed about the Oregon Coast! One of which was the Port of Bandon. After resting up we found some cool stuff to check out! The first of which was the Farmer's Market and then the best was The Washed Ashore Art Gallery.

Thank goodness for clear skies, made it easier to overlook the high winds.
We decided on the Washed Ashore Project first.

Entering the gallery was mind blowing!
Washed Ashore.org Art to Save the Sea
Just think all these art pieces are made from trash, washed ashore!
They turn plastic pollution from the ocean into art to raise awareness to the global issue.

Sea Turtle
Click any picture to enlarge!

The trash is collected and sorted by color.
The artists first create story boards for their creation.

This fishy wall piece is made almost entirely of plastic bottles!

A depiction of a coral reef made from trashed styrofoam!

An archway as you enter.

Even John enjoyed this gallery.

The Starfish is made from many different mediums including glass bottles!
It's cool works but horrifying at the same time.
Imagine all this trash washed up on our shores!

I stocked up on some produce and bakery items at the farmers market, helping out the local economy and artisans. My favorite was my new cutting board from Functional Art!