2011 Spring run-off - Kettle River Rising...

On May 17th the Kettle River achieved a flow rate of 18.32 vertical feet according to the National Weather Service NOAA Advanced Hydrologic Predictive Services. The highest flow of water for this river since 05.21.08. Army Corp of engineers rates Flood Stage for this area at 18.5 feet. On 05.22.06 we hit 20.18, nearly two feet higher than these images taken today. But there’s a lot of snow in the Monashee Range of central British Columbia, the head waters for the Kettle River. Anticipate another substantial rise in the river within the next two weeks with continuing episodes until mid June.

Below is what the NOAA Advanced Hydrologic Predictive Services graph looked like for that day. A point to note low water is roughly 9 feet on this graph.

It takes a bit more water under the bridges to dampen the town of Curlew on the banks of the Kettle River seen in this image from that same date.

Here are some historic high water marks of the Kettle River near Curlew WA.

Historical Crests
(1) 21.15 ft on 05/29/1948
(2) 20.54 ft on 05/27/1942
(3) 20.18 ft on 05/22/2000
(4) 19.69 ft on 06/01/1972
(5) 19.60 ft on 05/21/1956
(6) 19.52 ft on 05/14/1971
(7) 19.37 ft on 05/30/1983
(8) 19.30 ft on 05/20/1957
(9) 19.17 ft on 05/29/1986
(10) 19.12 ft on 05/20/1954

Will close this session with this final image from May 17th 2011 with the forecast for higher water to come this year at the Canadian Monashee's release an unseasonable deep snowpack into the vallys below.

Land Locked Sailors Head West…

This is a long winter in the Pacific NW. Especially here, in NE Washington, it feels even longer than many other areas as we still have several inches of concrete-like snow in the mountain valley’s. So it was with pleasant anticipation we recently packed our bags for a westbound trip over the Cascade Mountains and onto the snowless, coastal plains to visit the village of Seattle. Okay, I’ll concede that for the most part Seattle, with over 582,000 folks, passed the village mark sometime ago. Still there are village like qualities to Washington’s most populace city.

This is a rendered image from two of my photographs. The foreground is a portion of
one of two cedar totem poles, designed by Victor Steinbrueck and carved by
James Bender in 1984.


While we may think of the founding of Seattle as the arrival of the Denny Party in 1851 the area has been inhabited since the end of the last glacial period approximately 8,000 years ago. When nautical explorers first arrived the indigenous peoples, now called the Duwamish Tribe, were living in several villages scattered over the coastal plains where Seattle is located. My partner Catherine and I appreciate the very active native culture within the current mosaic of peoples in the greater Seattle area.

One of the things making this trip to the coast special is that a friend arranged for our party to spend our week in residence in a downtown condo located on Alaskan Way overlooking Elliott Bay. As sailors this was a near perfect match of shore-side accommodations with fantastic access to the waterfront.


A view from the Alaskan Way condo looking into Bell Harbor Marina
- photo J. Foster Fanning



While our arrival was marked with a big late winter thunder front, complete with heavy winds, driving rain and pockets of hail, it was only a matter of hours before the late afternoon sun made an appearance and coaxed us into an evening walk up to the Pike Place Market.


Seattle is a unique community. Here are some interesting facts about the Emerald City...


Seattle is ranked the most literate city by Central Conn. State Univ. Everybody reads here. The Seattle Public Library system has the highest percentage of library card-holders per capita in the country.


Seattle was the first American city to put police on bicycles. Seattle has the highest percentage of people riding bikes to work compared to other US cities its size.


In 1961, the restaurant atop the Space Needle became the country's first revolving eatery.


Seattle's total land area? 53,718 acres of which 6,189 acres are parks and open areas. That's 11.52%! The parks in Seattle rock. The Port of Seattle parks in town are hidden gems awaiting discovery.


And last but not least...


The Farmer's Market at Pike Place Market is the longest continuously operating farmer's market in the US (1907). So speaking of the Pike Place Market...




Pike Place Market with a partial view of downtown Seattle skyline.
Photo J. Foster Fanning

 My first visit to the market was in 1969, not long after my arrival in Washington State. What a delightful experience the Market was then and remains so now. The market is a destination unto itself. And our temporary abode was just four flights of outdoor stairs below the market. It was a fun experience hiking up to this unique landmark each day.


Pike Place Market overlooks the waterfront in downtown Seattle. Its a place of business for many small farmers, merchants, craft folks, street musicians and peddlers. Also known as the Public Market it remains one of Seattle's most popular destinations and sees 10 million visitors annually.


Built on the edge of a steep hill the Market consists of multiple levels located below the main street entrance. Each layer features a variety of unique shops and stalls. Antique dealers, family-owned cafes, pubs, restaurants and vendors of the unusual and sometimes arcane give a somewhat third world feel to this unique market.

A tidy looking pilothouse seen at the Bell Harbor Marina.
Photo J. Foster Fanning

Our lodging is on the fourth floor over-looking the Bell Harbor Marina, which bills itself as “Seattle's only downtown recreational marina.” Situated at Bell Street Pier #66, boaters can tie up amid Seattle's main waterfront that includes easy access to Pike Place Market, Seattle Center The Space Needle, and Aquarium. The marina offers accommodations for approximately 70 boats, 30 to 150 feet. Guest moorage is available year-round.

Pier 66, Bell Harbor Marina and the waterfront condos.
Photo J. Foster Fanning

Later during one second day on the Elliott Bay waterfront the HMCS ALGONQUIN (DDG 283) a Canadian air defence destroyer arrived on Pier 66. A bit of on-line research revealed this ship was built in the 1970s, early in the 1990s it was extensively converted and refitted with sophisticated anti-air weapons systems, an improved propulsion plant, and advanced weapons and communications systems. The advanced communications capability combined with extra accommodations make ALGONQUIN sophisticated command and control platform. In peacetime, ALGONQUIN can employ its high-tech systems for a variety of missions, from search and rescue to fisheries and sovereignty patrols. The vessel's homeport is Esquimalt, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island.

HMCS ALGONQUIN approaching Pier 66. Photo J. Foster Fanning

Above I mentioned the influence of our native population on the Seattle area but the influence extends across the much greater geo-political area of the Pacific Northwest. The name ALGONQUIN means "At the place of spearing fish and eels" . Its name was connected to a First Nations People who ranged throughout a territory from Georgian Bay in the West, to the St. Maurice River in the East and who made their living by hunting and fishing.

M/V WENATCHEE on an evening sail approaching Seattle waterfront.
Photo J. Foster fanning

Third day, whilst Catherine, Clementine and Lacey worked with the Burke Museum, I met a friend who purchased a home near Port Madison a few years back and invited me out for a tour. We boarded the WA State ferry, M/V Wenatchee, for a short cruise to Bainbridge Island. “Wenatchee” is derived from the Yakima word wenatchi for "river flowing from canyon." In their journal Lewis and Clark mentioned the word “Wenatchee” during their travels through the Columbia River valley in 1803-1805. In our case the M/V Wenatchee is a Jumbo Mark II, 460' 2" Auto/Passenger Ferry with a 90’ beam, 16,000 hp engines that can push the vessel along at 18 knots. The draft is 17’3” and it carries a maximum of 2,500 passengers, 202 vehicles. Not only was it a sunny crossing but we fetched along side a regatta rounding a small islet south of the entrance to Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island.

Regatta rounding the mark off Bainbridge Island March 5th, 2011. Photo by J. Foster Fanning

Sunday morning found our party at the doors of the Seattle Aquarium, as soon-to-be-members of this fine establishment. The next few hours were spent touring the 7th largest Aquarium in the U.S. by attendance (Puget Sound region's 3rd largest paid visitor attraction). The Aquarium opened it’s doors in 1977 and has expanded ever since hosting over 20 million visitors since it’s grand opening.

Tide pool, Seattle Aquarium. Photo J. Foster Fanning

The invitation from a couple of other sailors led us to the Palisades inside the break-waters of Elliot Bay Marina on Sunday afternoon. And what a fine afternoon it was starting out in the sunshine on the southern deck of the establishment with a good glass of wine and a perfect view overlooking several hundred moored vessels. Soon our hosts arrived from an overnighter on their beautiful 38’ vessel and we joined them aboard for refreshments and conversation of the boating lifestyle.

Elliott Bay Marina from the deck of the Palisades.
Photo by J. Foster Faining

While we may not have trimmed a sail or set a course, or even traveled across the water, except for a ferry ride, a visit to Seattle’s waterfront goes a long way toward sating that dreaded ‘cabin fever’ and giving us hope that the winter tarps will soon be off our vessel and we will be under way again. See you out there…

Our hosts ~ Deborah and Marty aboard THREE SHEETS NW. Photo J. Foster Fanning

"Not all who wander are lost." JRR Tolkien

The Raven and the River...

Recently while driving north into Curlew, crossing the Kettle River highway, bridge I encountered a raven flying a parallel course. Slowing my vehicle to match the flight of the bird I noted it was flying about 28 mph. It was a large raven and only about fifty feet west of my truck as we approached the bridge. So close I could clearly see the bird, the fluctuations of it's feathers in flight, and noted it’s mouth moving, possibly cawing, but it is a cold winter’s morning and my windows are up, I cannot hear if it is indeed making sound.


In flight toward the river the raven stayed at the same elevation above the western field, keeping it clearly in my view and with no other traffic I matched speeds with the bird and watched it fly alongside my vehicle. We both approached and then began to cross the river together. I, within my truck and in the structure of the overhead trussed bridge, the raven in the free, clear, cold air of a winter’s morning. Side by side the raven and I crossed the river less than fifty feet apart and nearly the same elevation above the water. As we reached the northern shore I realized what strange a thing had just happened. I had recently been reading a historical account of traveling in this northwest country 200 years ago. Rivers were not so casually crossed, nevertheless at 28 miles per hour in the company of a bird, which figures so prominently in the indigenous peoples ancient tales of creation. As we cleared the bridge the raven veered course and flew right over the top of my truck less than 20 feet above me. At that time it vanished from my sight, but not from mind…

Who's Got Cabin Fever?

Cabin Fever?

Wikipedia’s got it wrong. They say, “Cabin fever is an idiomatic term for a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person or group is isolated and/or shut in, in a small space, with nothing to do, for an extended period”... Not.


As a northern sailor I know cabin fever. Get it every year about this time. It’s a reaction that takes place when I’m isolated from my boat for over three months with another two months of winter weather to go. I know the symptoms really well. That pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace, which has already consumed far too much firewood. The tired eyes from rereading my favorite sailing books, TREKKA, MAIDEN VOYAGE, WORLD CRUISING ROUTES. Some years I reread all 21 books of the Jack Aubrey adventures by Patrick O’Brian. And then the anticipation, oft near desperate, while awaiting the next issue of Cruising World to sate my fevered hunger. Yep, I got it ~ bad…


Sometimes the only cure is for Catherine to tuck me into our loft berth and whilst I recover sipping medicinal rum she will read me excerpts from our cruising logbook...

“We dropped the hook in the small cove between Hellsgate Island and the towering cliffs of basalt forming the northern wall of the anchorage. The water was calm and taking on a hint of golden from the setting sun. After a long day passage it is most always refreshing to bring the vessel to a stop. Secure the hook in good holding sand, let out a hundred feet of chain, and take a deep breath in the cockpit. Not another boat in sight. No roads. No houses. Just a crescent, sandy beach bordered to the north by the tall dark cliffs and a small, steep walled, uninhabited island between us and the body of Roosevelt Lake and the main channel of the Columbia River. As the vessel and crew settle to quiet we spy a mother whitetail doe with a near grown fawn moving quietly from their browse under the bitterbrush and into the shadows of a lone copse of ponderosa pines. Canadian geese call in their flight overhead, vanishing into the dark but colorful western sky. As Catherine and I touch glasses in a toast to another evening aboard I note the sky and the merlot are of the same color and a smile crosses my lips thinking to myself, “we are drinking the sky”.

With that I’ll drift into a pleasant sleep, dreaming of bright sails and warm breezes, a good old boat and well found mate. Secure in the knowledge winter will pass…


Here's to your health...
Foster

2010 September Sail Cruise...

The 2010 September Cruise has been moved to:
http://fosterfanningaquila.blogspot.com/p/herman-melville-once-said-lifes-voyage.html
and is now a part of the new FOSTER'S SAILING BLOG. Please check it out...

The Thirty Mile Fire tour...

HISTORY:
On July 9, 2001, the fateful Thirtymile Fire ignited from an illegal campfire. What was thought to be a relatively simple suppression operation took a deadly turn during the peak burn period the next day. By the end of shift July 10th 2001 fourteen firefighters had been entrapped, four were dead and the fire was heading towards 9,000 acres in size and would cost over four million dollars to suppress.

Since that time hundreds of firefighters have traveled up the Chewuch River not only to pay their respects to fallen comrade but to learn from the lessons of that incident.

We started out at the Winthrop Memorial to Fallen Firefighters;

I was fortunate to once again be in the company of the Orcas Island firefighters. Adding to the learning experience were two local firefighters Pete Soderquist and Tom Leuschen who were to be our guides for the day. From here I'll let the phographic captions tell the story...

Winthrop Firefighters Memorial: http://www.methowartsalliance.org/pre/WildlandFIrefightersMemorial.htm
Orcas Island Fire and Rescue: http://www.orcasfire.org/
Fire Vision LLC: http://www.firevisionllc.com/staff.html

Tapteil Winery...

Down south of my home grounds, near where the Yakima River meets the mighty Columbia look to the west and you'll see Red Mountain. Home to Tapteil Vineyard belonging to my cousin Larry and his wife, Jane, Pearson. Many years ago Larry researched the area and chose to name his vineyard after the nearly forgotten people of the Yakima river valley ~ the Tapteil.

Wines NW describes Red Mountain in terms of wine making: "Red Mountain Appellation is Washington State's smallest viticultural appellation, federally authorized on April 3, 2001. It is an area (3,600 acres) in the southeastern portion of Yakima Valley Appellation. Six hundred acres are planted to vineyards that have developed over the past 25 years to earn their owners top dollar for the premium grapes grown there."

Recently daughter Rose and I had the pleasure of visiting with Larry & Jane as well as my cousin Jacquie and her husband David Stephens and cousin Ashley. Although too short we enjoyed the time at the vineyards and given the fact it was spring barrel tasting weekend, well that was an added bonus. Here are a few pics of Taptiel, the family and friends...
Enjoy...
Foster

Wines NW: http://www.winesnw.com/news_reviews/archive_redmtnarchive.htm
Tapteil Estate: http://www.tapteil.com/index.htm