to sample some clam chowder at the Chowder Bowl. It was excellent! Now I have to have some at the Whale’s Tale to see which is better. We putzed and puttered the rest of the day away and then came home for a steak, chicken and salad dinner.
Friday was a crabbing day. Let me re-phrase that. Friday was a crab net throwing day. I got lots of exercise at two different locations in Yaquina Bay
but still got zilched! I did, however, get some great info for crabbing when the caravan gets here in two weeks. There is a boat that will take 12 people out in the ocean at the head of the bay for three to three and one-half hours for crab. They provide all the traps and bait. We provide a license and the muscle to pull the traps. The norm has been that everyone comes back with limits (12) or near-limits(10+). The cost is $42. Sounds good to me!
After our non-catching attempt, we came home, got cleaned up and went to lunch at another highly recommended restaurant, the “Local Ocean”. It also was excellent. I had a bowl of clam, mussel and chorizo soup and Claudia had a bacon-wrapped albacore fillet on a bed of stir-fried vegetables and crispy onions. For those of you who might want to imbibe in the soup, fashion a large napkin to cover the front of your shirt. I tell you this from first-hand experience. My brand new, never worn before, Carhartt shirt is now emblazoned with two circular spots of chorizo soup that will, hopefully, come out after being soaked with a pre-wash spot remover before the next wash. Notwithstanding the aforementioned “whoops”, this was another 5-star dining experience. The bathroom scales have been banished to one of the cargo bays for the remainder of the trip. We then headed north to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse
After our non-catching attempt, we came home, got cleaned up and went to lunch at another highly recommended restaurant, the “Local Ocean”. It also was excellent. I had a bowl of clam, mussel and chorizo soup and Claudia had a bacon-wrapped albacore fillet on a bed of stir-fried vegetables and crispy onions. For those of you who might want to imbibe in the soup, fashion a large napkin to cover the front of your shirt. I tell you this from first-hand experience. My brand new, never worn before, Carhartt shirt is now emblazoned with two circular spots of chorizo soup that will, hopefully, come out after being soaked with a pre-wash spot remover before the next wash. Notwithstanding the aforementioned “whoops”, this was another 5-star dining experience. The bathroom scales have been banished to one of the cargo bays for the remainder of the trip. We then headed north to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse
to pre-run it for the caravan and then returned home for paperwork…LOTS of paperwork.
Today, Saturday, is a dribbly day! It is clousy and overcast and everything is wet and dribbling. I had a lot of stuff to do on the Internet and the Elks Lodge is closed. RATS! The wi-fi here is marginal, at best. I had to stand outside the office and one-hand the computer while trying to get through all the garbage mail to the important stuff so I could get some work done. It was NOT fun! Anyway, by typing letters and messages off-line in Word (in the motorhome) and then doing a one-handed cut & paste (at the lodge front door, holding the laptop in one hand and typing with the other), I got them off. This was the epitome of multi-tasking!
Since the day was poopy, Claudia and I stayed inside and worked on the calendar and the schedule to get the events on the calendar, on the proper day and at the proper time, as best we can. I think we have it about 90% done at this point. When Ron and Juanita finish running the trip in a few days, we’ll be able to do all the finalizing and correcting. We are now on our second pot of coffee! Even Gizmo went back and licked his bowl clean for the second time. Tonight is Octoberfest at the lodge so we ate a very light lunch in preparation for tonight’s belt stretching event. The menu was Pork Wiener Schnitzel, Bratwurst, German Potato Salad, Sweet & Sour Red Cabbage with streusel for dessert. Yum!
We even had a German band.
Well, since the day began poopy, it might as well end poopy. It is now raining!
I just made reservations for us to go to the Lincoln City Elks RV Park on Monday. The park is just under 40 miles south of Tillamook so we will drive up to pick up our caravan supplies when they arrive from Texas, supposedly on Tuesday or Wednesday or whenever. From what the lady at the park told me, we will not have Internet at the park, which will be a big PITA! According to our highly flexible tentative schedule, my next good Internet access should be Friday, possibly Saturday, but for sure on Sunday…maybe!
Sunday the 13th, our last day full in Newport. The first stop of the day was the Undersea Gardens, which looks like a large modern barge floating on the water.
There are lots of ports to look out, in, and down into the water. The underwater ports show critters that are normally found within Yaquina Bay. Across from the gardens is a long rock sea wall that is totally covered with the nastiest and most obnoxious varmints known to seafarers…California sea lions , aka shark food…Orca bait…fish thieves…etc.! We can hear them from the Elks Lodge several blocks away. They even scared Gizmo last night when he was out for a walk. Why they are protected is beyond me. They eat a BUNCH of salmon and they eat 24/7, 365 days a year. I think we need more sharks up here!
After our quick tour of the Undersea Gardens, we headed for the Oregon State University aquarium, which is a modern, beautiful facility and a great stop. We then went almost next door to the Hatfield Marine Center, more of a scientific marine facility with a lot of hands-on exhibits. Next on the work schedule was a stop at the brewery to talk with the manager and set up the menu for our dinner. I also borrowed on his expertise as to which was their best beer. He recommended two; ”Brutal Bitter” and “Dead Guy”.
After our quick tour of the Undersea Gardens, we headed for the Oregon State University aquarium, which is a modern, beautiful facility and a great stop. We then went almost next door to the Hatfield Marine Center, more of a scientific marine facility with a lot of hands-on exhibits. Next on the work schedule was a stop at the brewery to talk with the manager and set up the menu for our dinner. I also borrowed on his expertise as to which was their best beer. He recommended two; ”Brutal Bitter” and “Dead Guy”.
For the purpose of a semi-scientific study, I bought a bottle of each to be consumed prior to our dinner so I can give a first-hand opinion as to the worth of the brewery. It’s the least I can do for our guests!
After finishing up with our work, we headed for the Whale’s Tale to do a comparison test of chowder. The only way to give a legitimate comparison is to sample both within a short period of time. So, I will again sacrifice my waistline for the good of the caravan and consume another bowl of chowder in the interest of fair and balanced reporting. After consuming chowders at both the Chowder Bowl and the Whale’s Tale, and after much thought, pondering, calculating and deliberation, I have determined the best chowder is found at the Chowder Bowl. It was double-superb!
We are winding down here in Newport and will head for Lincoln City tomorrow. Again, our Internet is supposed to be non-existent, as in “none”, so be aware and have patience. I am sure y’all can hardly wait for the next installment of the Stardate blog, but let not your hearts be troubled, one will be forthcoming as soon as I have reconnected with the electronic world. Stay safe! Stay warm! Stay dry!
After finishing up with our work, we headed for the Whale’s Tale to do a comparison test of chowder. The only way to give a legitimate comparison is to sample both within a short period of time. So, I will again sacrifice my waistline for the good of the caravan and consume another bowl of chowder in the interest of fair and balanced reporting. After consuming chowders at both the Chowder Bowl and the Whale’s Tale, and after much thought, pondering, calculating and deliberation, I have determined the best chowder is found at the Chowder Bowl. It was double-superb!
We are winding down here in Newport and will head for Lincoln City tomorrow. Again, our Internet is supposed to be non-existent, as in “none”, so be aware and have patience. I am sure y’all can hardly wait for the next installment of the Stardate blog, but let not your hearts be troubled, one will be forthcoming as soon as I have reconnected with the electronic world. Stay safe! Stay warm! Stay dry!
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