RIBnet Columbia River Meet - 31 Mar / 1 Apr 2007

Donnie144 · 03 February 2007, 00:18

If you guys get a RIb rodeo put together any where near Washington I would love an invite.

PacificNWrib · 04 February 2007, 01:59

Donnie,

We sure will. I think it would neat to do a Columbia river run or a Puget Sound run. Either one will have plent of gas stops, the Columbia river has the dam issue.

JB

Donnie144 · 04 February 2007, 20:10

Columbia either way sounds like a good deal…you’re back on the water. Hopefully what ever you decide it’s up and running by spring

JB either way I’m game. I have yet to do a Columbia river run and have been wanting too. But pub hopping in the sound or just cruising is also fun. I comfortably have about a 70 mile range on mine so depending on where we go and how much fuel we go through we could always through a couple 5 gallon jugs on my boat. I don’t think I have ever needed to refuel in a day. But I’ve also never done a full day of running it’s usually run to dive site stop or idle and then run to the next.

prairie tuber · 04 February 2007, 22:34

Where on the Columbia R. would you guys start? When would you go for it & how many days would you plan for?

Donnie144 · 05 February 2007, 17:27

Prairie Tuber I don’t know the Columbia at all except for the small portion near Portland and the small area near Wenatchee so hopefully someone smarter then I can plan this. But if you think you could make it down for a run on the Columbia then I would be game to trailer out to the north eastern side of the state so your run wouldn’t be as long. If we wanted to do the sound I can plan that one. As for how many days? I have a lot of vacation time planned all ready this year so I would be able to join in on 1-3 days.

portoflongview · 06 February 2007, 00:00

hi guys....

columbiachop and pacificnwrib and i are down on the lower section of the river so no dams to deal with and down here, we also have trees unlike the dessert stretches... makes it a little nicer on the eyes... lots of wild life too seals, eagles etc.. good beaches too... also being right off i5 makes it really easy to get to.

two ways to go either toward the mouth or up towards portland with lots to see in between.

seeya -pd

columbiachop · 06 February 2007, 05:22

i agree. the lower columbia is very beautiful. if we started in portland or even longview, we could make a day of it (each way). i think from longview it would be somewhere around 50 miles to the ocean.

there would be a great stop in cathlamet for fuel, drinks, and food. then there is several cool little towns between there and astoria. astoria is a great finish place as it is a beautiful old port town. the columbia river bar starts around there and if the weather permited, we could cross and officially make it to the pacific.

the columbia river bar is the roughest section of water in the u.s. so it can be fun and interesting. big waves, currents fighting against them, and moving sandbars make it the "pacific graveyard".

it's a grand finale

my families place is about halfway there and has a dock/shop in case we needed tools, fuel, etc.

PacificNWrib · 06 February 2007, 06:22

Either way is fine with me. I think we should start in Portland and head towards the coast. Also, if we did an eastern trip through the Gorge. There are a lot of towns on the river and the Full Sail brewery in Hood River. Both trips would be a blast.

I think a two day trip would work out fine. One day towards the coast and a day back to Portland. I will work on the details and shoot for sometime in March or April?

Comments or suggestions?

Donnie,

A trip up the sound would be awesome! Final destination at Friday Harbor or somewhere in the San Juans. We could make that a two day trip during the summer months and camp overnight on one of the islands. I used to live in Redmond and a couple of us launch in Kirkland, ran through the Ballard Locks and came back through and had dinner on Lake Union.

O.K., I am really stoked!

Donnie144 · 06 February 2007, 17:58

Hey guys all three sounds like awesome trips to me and count me in for any or all of them. The first trip in March or April also work great I’m in Utila diving from March 8-18th so later March or any part of April would be awesome. I’ve only been on the Columbia fishing so any trip would be new to me and a lot of fun. Are we looking at camping or hoteling it? Me personally I’m always up for a good steak cooked over a fire.

As for the San Juan’s let’s do it. I have a couple friends coming for a week of diving July 21-30 so that time frame is out for me. As for places to stay up there there are several Islands that are camping only and usually first come first serve. With that being said I have also never not found a place to camp either. If we wanted to base camp in one spot and take day trips I could run the fifth wheel up to Anacortes Friday morning and stake out a couple spots at Washington Park they have a nice boat launch there and just make day trips.

Sounds like we have got a good summer starting to evolve.

Stoo · 06 February 2007, 22:59

According to Google Maps, it's only 4,038 miles! Count me in... I wish...

4str · 07 February 2007, 14:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donnie144

Hey guys all three sounds like awesome trips to me and count me in for any or all of them. The first trip in March or April also work great I’m in Utila diving from March 8-18th so later March or any part of April would be awesome. I’ve only been on the Columbia fishing so any trip would be new to me and a lot of fun. Are we looking at camping or hoteling it? Me personally I’m always up for a good steak cooked over a fire.

As for the San Juan’s let’s do it. I have a couple friends coming for a week of diving July 21-30 so that time frame is out for me. As for places to stay up there there are several Islands that are camping only and usually first come first serve. With that being said I have also never not found a place to camp either. If we wanted to base camp in one spot and take day trips I could run the fifth wheel up to Anacortes Friday morning and stake out a couple spots at Washington Park they have a nice boat launch there and just make day trips.

Sounds like we have got a good summer starting to evolve.

I've camped at Clark Island (NE of Orcas Is in the San Juans), nice camp sites and there is even a reservable group site. I was there in peak summer season a couple of years ago and there was I think 2 other campers on the 20 or so camp sites. The other northern islands in the San Juans get a lot more campers and it is hard to get a site in the summer.

This sounds like fun, either the Columbia or the San Juans, or both!

Donnie144 · 07 February 2007, 17:34

Right on sounds like we have a forth boat being added to the mix.

I’ve only stayed on the smaller islands around Whidbey Island. I actually haven’t done a camping trip out of my RIB I’ve only done them out of a smaller 13’ SIB I use to have. But have heard many a story about people going and finding a spot but it’s always been on Sucia Island.

4STR how often do you go out diving? I’m usually in the water every weekend and I’m always looking for more dive buddies and boats to go along. During the summer I try to do at least one camping/diving trip a month.

PacificNWrib · 08 February 2007, 19:38

Excellent,

I guess the date I am shooting for is the last weekend in March. If we launch somewhere either in Portland or on the Columbia, let's say Camas/Washougal port, it is about 100 miles to get to the Pacific.

Which we could easily do in a day. With several stops along the way and for any equipment malfunctions (Kalama, Longview, Astoria).

I like the idea of camping, but it might be a little cold.

Donnie144 · 08 February 2007, 22:45

The last weekend in March works well for me. We will plan on a Saturday March 31st launch?

Camping in the cold doesn’t bother me a bit it’s the camping in the rain that sucks. I am game either way but putting my vote in for camping if there is a camp ground around with a dock. I took a quick look and didn’t find anything but didn’t look that hard either. If we don’t camp are we thinking mooring in Astoria and getting a local hotel? I wouldn’t mind launching a bit east of Portland and running west. Where would be the safest place to leave the vehicles over night and not have to worry about them?

4str · 09 February 2007, 05:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donnie144

Right on sounds like we have a forth boat being added to the mix.

I’ve only stayed on the smaller islands around Whidbey Island. I actually haven’t done a camping trip out of my RIB I’ve only done them out of a smaller 13’ SIB I use to have. But have heard many a story about people going and finding a spot but it’s always been on Sucia Island.

4STR how often do you go out diving? I’m usually in the water every weekend and I’m always looking for more dive buddies and boats to go along. During the summer I try to do at least one camping/diving trip a month.

I dive at least a couple of times a month. Spring thrrough fall the boat gets out at least once a month on a dive trip. I've camped on Sucia and Patos too.

The end of march sounds good. Not sure about camping in the rain but what the hell.

columbiachop · 09 February 2007, 06:49

hey guys. i won't have my rib together by the end of march, but i can roll with the C5. i'll just need to visit the chiropractor the next day.

i have a couple ideas for places to stay.
1. vista park camp ground in skamokawa wa. that's across the street from my families place.

2.we can crash in the house too. it's not big but has 5 beds and 3 bedrooms (money saver). we can park the boats right at the dock overnight.

3.there are rooms to rent at a cool waterfront place facing the river with a dock. i'll check on prices. i found a picture of my son and i heading into skamokawa. the rooms for rent are just out of the picture but on the waterfront. two fisherman bars and an interpretive center for fun.

4.there is a chance we could stay at a friends place in altuna. it's a vacant, creepy house that i swear is haunted. it would be free and has a spectacular view up and down the columbia river all the way to astoria. no dock, but we can tie the boats up to pilings if we dare.

5. i don't see why we can't camp on the islands scattered thoughout the river. we camp on them and play paintball out there too.

here's a pic i already posted of my c5 tied up in front of the altuna house. astoria 10 miles in the distance. the ocean about 13 i think.

one final note. there is a HUGE rope swing along the way. must be 60 feet up and only accessable by boat in a cove surrounded by cliffs. i'll dig up a picture.

columbiachop · 09 February 2007, 06:53

also, for those who have never been in this part of the columbia, it's huge.

in the picture with the boat tied up. what looks like the other side of the river is only halfway across. those are islands and they line the river for many miles. tons of places to explore.

sales pitch done

can't wait.

andy

columbiachop · 09 February 2007, 07:25

i just google measured the trip via the river.

nw portland to the pacific-98 miles

longview to the pacific-60 miles

skamokawa to the pacific-30 miles

Donnie144 · 09 February 2007, 16:05

OK OK you guys talked me out of camping…or maybe I just realized we are doing this in march and the chance of rain is about 99.999%. Columbia all of the options you give sounds great coming back from 10 days of diving on March 15th money savers are always good and option 3 sounds pretty cool too. Being we are taking a full day each direction I would say lets launch in Portland but it looks like I’m running the bigger boat so I’m probably not the one that should make that call. I know I can make a 100 miles and just a couple hours if I need too. Columbia if you can’t get the RIB up and running by March you are welcome on my boat if you would like. You have a fancy SIB I had a tiller on mine.

4str next time you head out diving if you are looking for an additional boat send me a PM like I mentioned I’m out about every weekend.

SOLENTER · 09 February 2007, 22:52

God only knows how much fuel its going to take just getting across the pond
wheres the best place to land & is any one else comeing in from the cost ??