Snow on Empress in Scappoose, Oregon, Christmas 2008

During Christmas week, the Scappoose, Oregon area received an unusual amount of snow. Fortunately, Empress is in the excellent care of Captain Fred Voosen, who lives aboard Anna D in the same marina. The photo above shows Anna D after Fred and his wife, Lynne, had shoveled a path to her along the dock finger.

Snow on the starboard side of Empress, her gangway, and the dock finger before Fred and Lynne shoveled the snow off her.

Snow on the foredeck, bow seating, and pilothouse windows of Empress.

Snow on the port side of Empress. The Multnomah Channel is not frozen and other marinas are visible in the distance.

According to Fred, all the snow is gone now (December 28). However, some flat-roofed boat sheds on the Multnomah Channel collapsed under the snow load and some boats were damaged. Thanks to Fred and Lynne, Empress came through unscathed.

Thanksgiving 2008 on Empress in Scappoose, Oregon

After an 1100-nautical-mile, week-long voyage from San Pedro, California to Portland, Oregon, Empress now is tied up at her new marina, McCuddy's Landing on the Multnomah Channel in Scappoose, Oregon.

In the map above, North is to the right. The Multnomah channel (where Empress is tied up) separates Sauvie Island from the mainland of Oregon and the Columbia River separates Sauvie Island from the mainland of Washington. The location of Empress at McCuddy's Landing is shown by the red marker on the map. Downtown Portland, Oregon is in the lower left-hand corner of the map and Vancouver, Washington is in the lower left-middle area of the map. The Columbia River goes downstream to the Pacific at the right-hand edge of the map and upstream toward the dams and locks at the bottom of the map left of center. The Willamette River runs downstream from Portland to where it joins the Columbia River near the south end of Sauvie Island.

James Klein holding Lola the English Bulldog on Sauvie Island across the Multnomah Channel from McCuddy's Landing. The south end of Sauvie Island is mostly working and gentleman farms and ranches, while the north end is a wildlife reserve.

Marcellite Klein and Marcellite Penhune with the Thanksgiving dinner they cooked aboard Empress.

Lola after her Thanksgiving dinner. "I ate too much, but it was great!"