Cathlamet, WA and Cannon Beach, OR

We had a nice little travel weekend with some friends: the Watsons, Lees, and Gunnings. Our first stop was Cathlamet, WA where the Chamber of Commerce put on an annual Crab and Oyster feed at the Sons of Norway Norse Hall.

The Watsons rode with us and were a bit ahead of the Lees who had to drop their dog off at the dog sitters on the way out of town. The Gunnings would meet us at the venue. First we headed into downtown Cathlamet for a quick stop at Howie's cafe. They boasted the world's best maple bars, but they only made 8 on Saturday and they were all gone. We consoled ourselves with some mini-cinnamon rolls.

Jay, Mary Ann and Carla showing off our mini-cinnamon rolls

Soon after John and Karen Lee hit town.

The paparazzi captures a couple of celebrities

We walked around town and I saw an interesting feature on a gate.

We had a 3:45 seating for the feed so headed over to the Hall to see what was up. We took a bridge from Cathlamet to Puget Island.

The bridge leading from Cathlamet to Puget Island

We saw a few of these Sons of Norway buidlings in small towns we drove through. This picture actually has a women in the doorway who said "you don't have my permission to post my picture".  So, I used Aperture to take her out.

The hall

We saw the guys cooking; there were quite a few steam pots going for the oysters

Manning the oyster steamers

 Jay and Mary Ann have an oyster bed at their place on Hood Canal.  They sell them to the local eateries who harvest them. Jay told me that each of these mesh bags contain 6 dozen oysters.

A small mountain of oysters

We met up with the Gunnings and found our assigned seats. There were big sheets of plastic on the tables with our names written where we were supposed to sit.

Carla, Karen, John, Mary Ann and Paula Gunning. Jay and Norm Gunning are heading over with IPAs

First step is to get in line and pick up your 1/2 crab and side dishes. Later high school girls come by with 5 gallon buckets of oysters for the tables.

First course is 1/2 a crab. 

 We were  definitely crab/oyster feed virgins. People brought burners to melt butter with. We brought crab crackers (things to crack crabs with, not eating crackers).

Digging in. The buckets are filled with oysters

 We really needed oyster knives. We bought one and split it.

Empty shells start to fill the table

 The high school girls came back and picked up the shells as we finished. They were great - lots of smiles and not attitude or rolling eyes.

Paula enjoying her crab

Boys will be boys. I think Jay will be in trouble when Mary Ann sees this picture

There are two ways to get from Puget Island to Astoria and Cannon Beach. The long way is back over the bridge then head west on the north side of the Columbia to the Astoria bridge. The short way is a ferry that carries about 15 cars. We all headed over and were almost the last 3 cars on the ferry.

On the ferry

The sun was going down as we headed across the river but we got some good light.

Looking east up the river

Paula stayed toasty warm in their car but I got some pics of the others.

I stopped Norm from taking his own pictures

John and Jay enjoying the view

Karen and Carla

Mary Ann, Karen, and Carla

It was a very stormy night when we pulled into Karen's aunt's place in Cannon Beach. I took the opportunity to relax.

Doing what I do best

After a fantastic Sunday morning frittata and brats we took a little walk around town. Cold and wet!

View of Karen's aunt's place from the beach.

These trees are blown inland even more than the trees in my hometown Palmdale, CA

Does the wind ever blow in Cannon Beach?

Along the way I tooks some pictures of the local wildlife trying to recapture the magic of my wood duck picture a week ago.

A gull in Cathlamet

The ducks were just to port of our ferry when we were docked before leaving

Looks like he got something for dinner