Have you been to Martin Slough (Kalama WA) recently?

PNW_Wesley

I often pass Martin Slough on the interstate and see boats anchored there. I have been tempted to take our boat there, but the path from the main channel to the enclosed bay looks to be shallow and filled with obstacles.

Have you been to the slough recently?

Any tips about the best path to/from the enclosed bay?

What is the depth in the bay?

Any concerns about fouling the anchor?

Thanks.

lloyds · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:36 am Post subject:

Surprisingly, it isn't as bad as it looks.

B~C · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:47 pm Post subject:

i used to go there every now and then. You need to go down river and come back up to the lagoon favoring the freeway side of the channel. Don't try to enter from the upstream channel as there is a wing damn across it......and give the downstream point a wide berth, I saw a yacht teetering on the wing damn that extends off that point.
I don't recall the actual depths of the lagoon and channel but there is plenty of water no matter the tide

hardee · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 2:53 pm Post subject:

I have driven by that same place many times. About a year ago I saw a 30+ footer drying out the front half of the keel. Handily parked it up on on of those wing dams. IIRC it was up there about a week. Boating is and adventure Wink

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

PNW_Wesley · Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:54 pm Post subject: Martin Slough

Howdy Ken and Harvey,

Thanks for the info. I will set sail for there some day.

I have gotten Zenith wet many times this year, but I’m holding off until the winds on the Columbia die down a bit. The boat will take it, but 50 miles against 2 foot chop makes for a long day.

I finally anchored via my new windlass recently. Middle of the Columbia, north of Vista House, in 34 feet. A very pleasant event. Now I’m looking forward to spending more time on the hook.

Wesley

Marco Flamingo · Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:31 pm Post subject:

I was last there in 2016. While it's not a destination that I will likely visit again, it was interesting.

There is a yacht club private moorage just barely visible from the freeway. I forget which yacht club. It doesn't matter to me as I don't have any memberships and therefore no reciprocity. There were shallow spots, but I was in a 16 so it didn't matter much. Every place where I beached was firm sand, no mud. I also went up the Willamette River into Portland (mostly on plane) and circumnavigated Sauvie Island.

I went back into dead end sloughs to anchor for the night in very shallow water and didn't worry too much about fouling. It is still tidal and that has to be taken into account. Anchoring in the back sloughs and sitting low in the cockpit, waterfowl would slowly return and surround the boat. No company and no mosquitos!

Bad things can happen, but it seemed to be a fairly straight forward boating excursion given slow speeds and little wind.