Look what floated past our houseboat today!

Rescuers (in training?)

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:22:55 -0400

I looked out and saw the Portland fire boat and it looked like someone was in the water, so I grabbed my camera. They were about half a mile off, so the photo isn't great, but it looks like they are practicing with their rescue system.

--Brian

Portrait of a Moocher

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:37:00 -0400

Here is one of the group of injured geese who patrol the moorages, mooching for food. We feed them cheap cat food - the kind that is mostly corn meal. It is good for them and seems to keep them healthy. As healthy as a goose can be who cannot fly.

--Brian

Log salvors

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:25:00 -0400

Here goes that log salvage barge again:

I guess they are chasing after all of those thousands and thousands of logs that have been floating down the river for the past couple of weeks. All that flotsam is a pain for most boaters, but 'tis an ill wind that blows no good. I imagine these guys have been and will be pretty busy cleaning it all up.

--Brian

Bank to bank flotsam

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 10:31:00 -0400

We have had a lot of rain in May and early June. Now the dams are full and there's nowhere for all that water to go but past - and beneath - our house. The high water washes a lot of debris off of the banks. Sometimes whole, large trees will float by. Today it is bank to bank with smaller flotsam.

The rains have stopped and so maybe the river will start to recede now.

--Brian

Passat

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Thu, 20 May 2010 13:24:00 -0400

Here is Passat. According to the USCG registry she was built of steel in 1961. And she still looks fine.

--Brian

Snug little cruiser

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Sun, 16 May 2010 13:59:00 -0400

Here's a snug little cruising sailboat. I think the sign board on the side says Whiskey Jack.

--Brian

Fall on the river

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:44:35 -0500

Got a break in the rain...

--Brian

Bald Eagles

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:07:59 -0400

I was working on some updates when I heard Bald eagles outside and it sounded like a bunch of them. We went outside and saw three of them and heard a fourth. Here are two of them that landed in the trees across the channel from us. Sorry if they aren't too sharp, it was cloudy, getting dark and they are far away - the recipe for blurry photos.

--Brian

"Cat"fish?

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:25:00 -0400

Janet has been feeding catfood to those injured geese. It's mostly corn and seems to be better for fowl than for cats. And the fish have learned to like it, too. If you think fish can't learn, think again. I think they see the geese "up there" on the surface and come up to wait with them. It took weeks for them to learn, but they most certainly have done so.

I was curious what these fish were, so I dropped in a line with a salmon egg about two feet below a bobber and got this guy almost immediately. It's really a Northern pikeminnow, but since they like catfood so much maybe we should be calling them catfish.

--Brian

How do you erect scaffolding around a houseboat?

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:00:00 -0400

They are working on a big boat house in the next marina up from ours. Here they are moving the scaffolding around.

--Brian

Wildlife

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:36:28 -0400

It's been a busy summer for us and at the same time pretty slow on the water. I haven't seen as many interesting boats as in the last couple of years, and the few I have seen I haven't had time to photograph and prepare for posting here. Sorry.

Meanwhile, as far as I know the wildlife is not experiencing a recession. Here are some geese that visited us for a few days. There were actually more than a dozen and I have other photos. Maybe some are even better than this one, but it will do for now:

This character is actually still hanging on the side of the house as I type. Patient as a fisherman, but waiting for insects. If he is patient enough he may get one of the termites that come out in the evening. He's about 2" long right now, so I don't think he's fully grown.

--Brian

Community forum

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:53:34 -0400

I have setup a forum for marina dwellers in the Portland area. That includes residents of floating homes and livaboard boats. If you look over to the right side of your screen, at the bottom of that side-panel there is a link to the forums. Or you can click here.

Please visit, add a question or answer, and tell me what you think. Right now there are no postings or answers, so don't go there to lurk - you will be bored. Please go there to participate. Add your own question, comment, or advice. Please follow the rules and remember: we are all neighbors. If this devolves into rudeness I will shut it down.

--Brian

Minimalism

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:15:00 -0400

This gentleman says he traded his noisy, gas-guzzling jet ski for this craft. It is actually designed to be paddled in this manner.

He seems to be very enthusiastic about the switch...

I think some people lose track of the joy of being on the water when they get some horsepower under their butts. Nothing is so pure as rowing or paddling a small boat where you can see, hear, feel and smell the water.

--Brian

Burly girl

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:47:00 -0400

Here comes someone pushing two fully loaded gravel barges upstream.

Who else, but Nancy Ann

--Brian

Fast tug

nospam@example.com (wildbird) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:34:19 -0400

Here's a fast little tug for rescuing disabled pleasurecraft. Looks about like a big life preserver and I guess that could be appropriate.

--Brian