Lower Monumental

Wednesday Oct 6

First stop, Lower Monumental dam. (Monumental, not Monument, as we had thought)

 They are all starting to look alike, and I've got to say, I'm starting to get tired of dams.  A couple of things to note.  I don't know why, but this dam seemed noisier.  There was a loud deep rumble that began after we thought the gate was down, thinking it was the water beginning to flow, but we were stationary.  This noise stopped before we began to rise.  It just seemed creepier.  Also, there was a 'skin' over the rocks of the wall underneath, and it was peeling off, a lot.  Several times, our fenders caught and flaked off pieces....kerplunk.  And near the top, there was even grass growing on the wall.

And above the dam stands Monumental Rock, aptly named.

Looks like a washbasin on a pole to me, but I guess it is a bird habitat.

A LONG trestle, active, and at 144 ft clearance, it's the highest working trestle in the country.

Near an area called Ayer, we over heard parts of a conversation between our buddy boats discussing the attributes of a possible anchorage.  A few more bends of the river, and we heard Maxine clearly.  We gave a call, and discovered they were only 3 or more miles ahead of us!  In addition to the 17 'extra' miles we did yesterday, they had some minor problems and were travelling a bit slower today, so we are back together again!

We are here at Lyon's Ferry Marina, which is now run by KOA.  There is a wonderful couple running the shop with a very friendly staff.  Pump-out, power, fuel, showers, store and restaurant, espresso and WI-FI!!!!  We promised to pass on the good word!  Oh yes, special-order belts for our friends--they gladly run things in from town.

'Town' is Starbuck WA.  Ha ha, Al finally got me a Starbuck (no S, but there IS espresso in my future).

And as I write, PROOF it is a working trestle drove across: