Cruising the Columbia River

[journey on]

We're going to cruise the Columbia River next week, putting in at Camas. Never have done this before we have the following questions. Forgive the innocence, but here are the questions:

1. Are there any marinas upriver of Portland, or can we anchor?
2. Any special things about going through the dam locks?
3. Winds on the Columbia River, especially through the Gorge(wherever that is)?
4. Where can we get a Columbia River cruising guide?

The southern Boris

[Cheers]

Go here & you may find all you want to know about the upper Columbia: http://groups.msn.com/CBratsOnline/cruisin.msnw?action=get_message&mview=1&ID_Message=904

Get the Columbia River Cruising Guide at West Marine, GI Joes, Fisherman's, or Boaters World.

[B~C]

here's a link to some good info from B. Dam to the mouth http://www.boatoregon.com/Library/ColumbiaGuide.pdf
Unless you have a strong, salmon like, craving to run upriver, I would suggest going downriver, musch more neat stuff to see and do. But, if you're going upriver there are places to tie up at:
Beacon Rock- a WA state park with floats and mooring bouys & a crapatorium just below B. Dam

Hood River & The Dalles both have marinas

Just up from The Dalles is Horse Thief WA State park

Just up river from the J.D. dam is the John Day river, a mile or two up the J.D. river is a nice, boat only, campground with floats and facilities run by the Corps of Engineers. I believe it is called LePaige park

Up from there on the WA side is Crow Butte, a nice park.

There is also a nice little port in Arlington

I've never been through the locks and other than the John Day arm, have never boated on that upper section. There is a reason that chunk O' river is know as the wind surfing capitol of the world be close to a port in the afternoon. I've driven the chunk of interstate along that river a bunch and noticed that water can get real nasty...it's not like there are large waves...more like just big holes in the water, not fun looking.

As Cheers said, a cruising guide can be found at GI Joes and West marine, these stores are easy to get to off of I5 just before you hit the Columbia at the Delta Park exit

enjoy the river, I hope to spend most of the week putzin around the river below Portland

[B~C]

a link on locks...or...a lock link http://www.boatoregon.com/Library/SafePassage/Locking.htm

[El and Bill]

If you haven't seen our site on a cruise down the lower Columbia, you might check out:

http://www.geocities.com/bill_fiero/colrivmid.htm

[journey on]

Thanks for all the help! We printed out the guide, read El and Bill's pages (we've heard about the wind, appreciate the geology,) and we'll give it a go.

Boris

[Cheers]

PS - Great Resturant at the Camas Dock.

[oldgrowth]

[lloyds]

Hey Bob, is that restaraunt open again. I know it used to be years ago but several years ago the lumber company took it over. I didn't realize it had reopened. Personally, I really enjoy the upper river. The geology of the region is fascinating. It is another world up there. Just make sure to try to do all your traveling in the mornings. When I sailed I would go up to Hood River for a week each year. Where else can you practice heavy weather sailing in fresh water. Great fun. There is also some terrific fishing for small mouth and walleye for virtually the whole length upriver from portland. There used to be a fuel dock at camas. But they tended to close in late september for the winter. You can rent a car in Hood River and go see the local sights. Maryhill across the river is a great art museum. The observatory in Goldendale. The steam train out of Hood River. Cascade Locks is very boater friendly as well.

[Cheers]

Lloyds said:

[Knotty C]

We just returned from a trip to Beacon Rock. It's got a great dock at the state park with electricity on the dock. The only suggestion I can make is to make sure you have a good chart or follow the aids to navigation very carefully. The river is very low and there are a lot of sand bars exposed right now. The first time we launched in the Columbia River we were lucky to have an experienced boater with us because we would never have known about all the sand bars.

We have cruised the river from Illwaco to the Dalles, but have never gone through the locks.

Have a wonderful time.

Dee

[lloyds]

The locks are a piece of cake. Just call the lockmaster and tell him your intentions and he will give detailed instructions. Tugs and barges will get first priority. I was hired by the contractor to do some QA/QC when they built the new locks back around 1990 or so. That lock, before it was put into service was a huge rock canyon. The sun never reached the bottom of it. It was an incredible feeling to climb down on the scaffolding to the bottom and look up at those rock walls

[KFoote]

Hey Everyone,

I have really enjoyed reading about your experiences with boating on the Columbia, I set off with my pal Bob this coming Saturday.

The excitement is building.

Keith
Foote's Rest
22' C-Dory Cruiser

[colbysmith]

Boris, if I had better timing, I should have brought the boat out and joined you. We just came back from an Alaska Cruise on Princess Cruises, and now preparing to head out west again in a week for a drive down the coast and some sight seeing in San Francisco (without the boat). If I had a little more time, I would have loved to hooked the boat & trailer up and hauled it out with me. Colby

[rogerbum]