Going north along the Pacific Northwest Coast of the US is clearly not the way to go if you are in a sailboat and prefer to sail. After leaving Eureka I’ve been holed up in Brookings, Oregon for over a week waiting for a decent couple of days to make a dash north to Newport, Oregon. The number of ports along this coast suitable for boats with deep draft are few and the bar crossings can be a limiting factor when winds and waves are up.
My lousy back decided to go out this past week making the departure decision even more tricky. A front has targeted the Washington and Oregon coast for some much needed rain but that means big wind and waves which are a no go for motoring north (especially with a bad back). Looks like another few days of waiting for that to pass and hopefully the ocean will calm down and I can finally make a move. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see much of Brookings thanks to my lame back but the few people I met seemed very nice. Maybe I’ll be back and see more of the place another time.
The Coast Guard station here is directly across from the transient dock and they are fairly active so that makes for some entertainment. There is also the fishing fleet constantly on the go. Pelicans can be heard hitting the water in search of prey and harbor seals prowl the channel. The water seems to be brackish and is causing more than the normal growth on my “past its prime” bottom paint. I’ll definitely be a bit slower than normal I think. I found no one offering cleaning services here. Maybe in Newport someone might be able to wipe the hull clean for the final push home.