Battle Stations

Siuslaw River Bar

Siuslaw River and Dunes

Siuslaw Bridge

Pretty Dunes along the Siuslaw River

We departed Newport at 8:35am, cruised out the Yaquina River and found 6-7 foot waves at the mouth of the bar.  It was battle stations – batten down the hatches and stow the gear.  We had only 4-5 foot seas outside the bar; but because of the angle of attack, the boat was rolling more than one might expect; occasionally a rouge 8 foot swell would come along.  The seas settled down later in the morning to 2-4 foot swells with an occasional 5 footer.  We reached the mouth of the Siuslaw River near Florence at 13:10.  Waves at the bar were reported to be 2-4 feet but looked to be more like short-coupled 4–6 foot seas that covered the entire width of the bar; it was our most challenging bar crossing to-date.  Because of the narrow entrance and the river current, the boat was pushed around in the water making it more challenging to steer.  Once we were through the entrance, however, it was easy cruising.  The Siuslaw River is absolutely enchanting with a variety of plant life and pretty sand dunes along the river banks.  We made our way 5.5 miles upriver to the Siuslaw River Bridge, charted as having a 17 foot clearance (not enough for Got d’ Fever) but reported by locals to be more like 35 feet.  Fortunately for us, the locals are correct and after we lowered our antennas, we were able to clear the bridge - we didn’t have to request and wait 2 hours for a bridge opening.  Just beyond the bridge is the quaint town of Florence where we were greeted by our friends Chris and Dave, the previous owners of our boat.  They received our lines and gave us a warm welcome to Florence.  We were ready to walk the area with them, but within a few minutes, the Coast Guard showed up for a safety inspection of our boat - offered as a request but it’s really an order.  I am happy to say we passed with flying colors.  They inspected the boat for the requisite number of life jackets, fire extinguishers, garbage and oil discharge placards, and visual & sound signals.  They also inspected the “y-valve” for the product that comes from the toilet and asked if we had a copy of the Coast Guard Navigation Rules.  They were more than happy to see that we were well prepared, including onboard survival suites and an emergency ditch bag with a personal locator beacon.  The Coast Guard guys were very friendly and it’s nice to know they are around, ready at a moment’s notice.  They talked about how the fishing boats seem to be the most unprepared when it comes to safety equipment and boat maintenance, sad but often true.  After the CG boys left, we went out to dinner with our friends and toured their new-55 foot Hampton, which they had purchased just a month ago.  They love their new boat but said they still hold a special place for Got d’ Fever, known as Reel Sketchy when they owned it.  Yes, boats are like pets, they become a member of the family and it’s hard to let go.  We wish them good cruising and lots of fun with their new boat.

Will we fit Under the Bridge?

Our Friendly Coast Guard