Maiden Voyage
Finally, Cinnamon is back in the water, rigging tuned, new batteries and fresh fuel in the tank and the Yanmar 3gm30(f)(v) engine clicking and clacking to life. We arrived at Rocky Point early Saturday morning to get the sails bent and ready for the trip up Multnomah Channel to the Willamette River and then down to the Columbia and up to Hayden Bay Marina.
Our good friend Dana Sewall and his buddy Ralph from Hayden Bay came down the channel in his Cape Dory 30 to escort us and be a standby boat in case we needed assistance. Dana arrived just as we finished our preparation and we cast off from the dock at Rocky Point. Cinnamon’s new prop and little diesel engine pushed her out into the current and away we went.
We started out slow as the area in front of the marinas along the channel are 5 mph zones to prevent wakes from rocking the houseboats. After we cleared the marina we brought up the rpms on the engine and feel what she is like at hull speed.
We made good time up the channel and rounded the corner into the Willamette and that is when things got exiting. First a large tug heading up river was coming into the docks at on of the shipping terminals and was on a heading straight for us. At least he made it clear early where he was headed so we stayed clear of his path. It was about then that we looked behind us up river and noticed a large car carrier ship had just left the terminal and was quickly overtaking us. Dana was leading the way and instructing us on the radio to stay to the right of the channel as the main channel was to the left and there was plenty of water. As we approached the mouth of the Columbia the ship had slowed and wasn’t overtaking us anymore. It was then that we found out why. Just as Dana cleared Kelly Point and out into the Columbia river a huge tug, the biggest I’ve seen on the river, came swing around between Dana and the point and headed back up river and an even larger Honda car carrier came steaming down the Columbia. For a few seconds I lost sight of Dana between the tug and the ship. The tug cleared and the ship passed and we headed up river on the last leg of the journey to Cinnamon’s new home.
One last obstacle to clear, the Vancouver railway bridge that has to be opened to allow sailboats to pass was open as we approached and Dana was on the radio asking the operator to keep it open for us. Just was we cleared the bridge the operator gave three heart stopping blasts on his horn to signal he was closing it. From there it was just a short way under the I-5 bridge and into our home sailing waters in the Portland Yacht Harbor.
We shook out the sails for the first time and in NW light winds made a few gybes up river and then turned her back into the wind and back to her slip at Hayden Bay. Cinnamon’s new home.
