Skamokacentric

May 17th, The Great White-Tail 5k &10K Fun Run

2008-05-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

A benefit for Wahkiakum County 4-H programs.
Location: Julia Butler Hansen Wildlife Refuge, Steamboat Slough Road in Skamokawa, WA
Time: 8:30 am to end
Contact: Lore Hammond-Twiet - 360-795-3278
This is an annual event the Saturday after Mother’s Day in May

Mother's Day Kayak Special at Skamokawa Center

2008-04-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

Waterfalls, wildflowers, and river history with the experienced river guides at Skamokawa Center

Mother's Day Wildflower Tour, Lower Gorge

Distance: 8 miles
Kayak Tour Date and Time:
May 13
9:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Some experience recommended; beginners welcome in double kayaks.
SPECIAL PRICING: Mothers paddle for $60, people with mothers for $70 (1-day tour normally $90).

This is an opportunity to see the Lower Gorge near the peak of wildflower season. We will begin on Little Island and paddle quiet Birnie Slough, offering a chance to learn basic kayaking skills. After crossing Cathlamet Channel for lunch on an island, we will paddle along the cliffs of the Lower Gorge. In mid-May we see blue cliff larkspur, yellow stonecrop, white shooting stars, orange paintbrush, and other striking native wildflowers. Rufous Hummingbirds, which nest in shrubs growing from the cliffs, can be seen nectaring among the blooms.

Twice Monthly Auctions at the Fairgrounds

2007-12-29T14:01:00.000-08:00

McClaine Auctions at the the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds Youth Building, the first and third Saturdays of every month. Auctions start at 2pm, previews Friday 4-7 pm. and Saturday at noon.
photo: Brian McClain: auctioneer
Tools, housewares, furniture...these are photos of offerings at the January box lot auction......

McClain Auctions is looking forward to serving Southwest Washington as your family owned, full service auction company. Consignment, Estate, Business liquidation, or specialty auction we have the ability and integrity to make your sale a success.

As a graduate of this country's oldest auction school, and after conducting estate, small animal, benefit, and consignment auctions for a few years in Oklahoma City, I have had the training and experience necessary to make your auction a success.

After retiring from 20 years of service for the US Navy in the summer of 2006, I have returned home to southwest Washington to establish some roots and spend time with my family.
Come visit us on the web at www.mcclainauctions.net
If you have any questions or comments please let me know.

Brian McClain
Telephone
360-270-2355/360-795-0333
mcclainauctions@hotmail.com

Up from the Mud......

2007-12-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

Now after an intense three months of recording in the studio of Lucky Mud Music.

Sunrise Unplugged:

"This is my first "mainstream" album (seventh overall), taking me back to the songs I grew up with from the 20s, 30s and 40s. If you've been a guest here, this is the music I play for you at breakfast or in the evening, including four original songs. I couldn't resist adding Dave Speranza on upright bass (son of Don and Kitty Speranza of the Inn at Crippen Creek, Skamokawa). This album really swings. Downloads should be available online in a couple of months when I figure it out. " Otherwise: we can mail you one for $15 including tax and shipping: 44 Old Chestnut Drive, Skamokawa, WA 98647. Email: theinn@luckymud.com

1. Blue Moon (Rogers and Hart, 1934)

2. Route 66 (Bobby Troup, 1946)

3. Carolina (Sunrise Fletcher, 2005)

4. Chattanooga Choo Choo ( Harry Warren and Mack Gordon, 1941)

5. Brother Can You Spare a Dime (E.Y.”Yip” Harburg and Jay Gorney, 1931)

6. Caravan (Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington, 1937)

7. Bye Bye Blackbird (Ray Henderson and Mort Dixon, 1926)

8. Everytime (Sunrise Fletcher, 2000)

9. When You’re Smiling (Shay, Fisher and Goodwin, 1929)

10. Out of the Blue (Sunrise Fletcher, 2005)

11. Java Jive (Milton Drake and Ben Oakland, 1940)

12. Welcome to Lucky Mud (Sunrise Fletcher, 2005)

Slow Ride....Take it Easy......

2007-10-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

One of the most scenic ways to get to Skamokawa is to take the slow boat...if you're coming from the Oregon side of the Columbia, get off highway 30 at Westport, and take the ferry across to Puget Island (nope, nowhere near Puget Sound: Captain Puget's friends were a well traveled bunch) Its a relaxing ride, will save you some dollars in gas, and the pace will introduce you to "Wahkiakum time"...... you'll then drive across the very flat and bicycle-friendly island , cross the remaining bit of Columbia River and enter the small and scenic town of Cathlamet. When you reach the highway, take a left on State Route 4. In another 5 miles, you're in Skamokawa. click here for more about the ferry ride from the blog of atul666.

Fresh Bread Fridays

2007-03-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

photo left: fresh from the oven at the Inn at Crippen Creek Farm
A perfect Ploughman's Lunch...

begins with one Don Speranza's toothsome loaves, available at Skamokawa Center every Friday.
Choose from: Focaccia (foh-Kot-cha), Pugliese (pool-Yay-zay), French or Ciabatta. Fresh at 11am. Available till sold out!

Neither Sleet nor Snow...

2006-12-24T14:55:00.000-08:00

This is Shorty. Guardian of the Skamokawa Post Office. No fear of the scales here, she weighs in at a bit over 7 1/2 pounds. "Gotta Problem with that?" Exempt from a GS rating, her work duties include, night security patrol and mousing, by day she conducts horizontal surface suitability tests for her ongoing project: Purrrfect Prone Positioning. She is currently working on the data-gathering component of the project, which is expected to last for some years.

Depopulation

2006-10-14T03:17:00.000-07:00

There are miles of pilings in the Lower Columbia area, that like the miles of stone walls in the west of Ireland, are mute reminders of the people who were here, not so long ago, and of the fish traps and canneries, log rafts and sawmills, and of the canoes, sailcraft and launches that were the automobiles of their time. Like the west of Ireland, the region's dominant economic forces originate elsewhere. Local hatcheries cannot replace the diminished fish runs of the dam-building era, the majority of Wahkiakum County's land remains in the hands of non-local timber interests, and the next major impact may be the industrialization of the Lower Columbia, beginning with the planned construction of several LNG terminals on the Oregon side of the river.

Photos: Above: Skamokawa Slough Pilings, Right: Inish Meain Stone Wall (photo by Fergal at World66)

One result of the resource extraction based economy has been the cycle of boom and bust that first swelled the population of the area, then diminished it. But this is a historically rich area. Though salmon runs are greatly reduced, the year-round availability of green grass and browse makes possible an abundance of game that draws hunters from miles around. The plants that sustained the native peoples are still nourishing those who care to seek them out. The gentle climate is encouraging a new wave of smallholders who are producing with sustainability and local marketing as goals.

Skamokawa...

2006-08-07T02:17:00.000-07:00

can be described as a very small, blink-and-you'll-miss-it village on the lower Columbia river. Most people drive through on their way to somewhere else, but some stop for awhile, and some choose to stay. After a several decade population dwindle, the numbers are just starting to climb the other way. You'll find some of the reasons for that here.

Photo: the mouth of Skamokawa Creek where it joins the Columbia River.