What are the Odds?

          Amanda and I took a vacation to the Oregon coast for the weekend. We visited friends in and around Portland, enjoyed the Rose City Comic Con, and camped at Fort Stevens on the coast for a few nights. We wanted to make the trip in case our East coast transition happens sooner than expected. With school coming to a close, but still enough time to see folks and places, it was a must-do this past weekend.

          We spent a day in Astoria, perusing the used book stores and the waterfront. We came across a museum that was more than we wanted to spend per person, but there were some coastguard cruisers hanging out behind it and we had a look. I also wanted to go to the marina to look at the sailboats, but compromised to go to the docks on our way back to the campsite. Lucky for us, we went to the only marina we needed to see.

Amanda standing in front of the display anchor outside of the maritime museum

          Back in Hammond, Oregon we pulled off into the public marina parking lot, parked, and headed to stroll the docks and look at all the marvelous vessels. To my surprise, I saw a familiar visage on the far dock, a spitting image of the photo Cynthia sent me. The masts looked wrong, with mast steps up the main that made it look like aluminum, but the figurehead and doghouse were unmistakable. Amanda, mocking me as I started power walking trying to find a way to the dock to get a better look, said, “I’ve never seen you move so fast before!”

          “I swear it’s a Fung-built Walloon!” I replied as I hurried around the maze of docks. I was a man on a mission. “What are the odds that we come to the right dock? Only 40 were ever built, and out of those who knows how many are still surviving!” Back in 2014, around the time we purchased Drumbeat, I saw one Walloon schooner for sale up in Vancouver, BC. Beyond that, I haven’t been able to find any information on other surviving vessels.

Look at our find!

Nice transom!

          Finally I found the correct entrance, and sure enough it was a Walloon! The Snow Queen out of Portland, undergoing what looked like a refit project. Even so, she looked beautiful. I’m not sure if she is a sister ship of Drumbeat (12 were ordered by the Navy, one of which was Drumbeat) or her cousin. Either way, what a find! We walked around her dock and reminisced about our visit with Drumbeat. Snow Queen looked a lot less intimidating than Drumbeat did, but we were seeing her in her element, swimming in saltwater, around other enormous vessels. I think this was reaffirming for Amanda that it wouldn't be an insurmountable project, sailing her or fixing her up.

The bow of Snow Queen

Amidship

          I also discovered my GoPro microphone was shot. I thought it was because of the waterproof housing that all I ever heard was static, but alas it is the device itself. So again, there is no audio, but here is a short video of our find. As for other information, it is a Robin Fung built vessel, launched in 1967. We left a note in, I'm sorry to say, a used peanut butter and jelly sandwich bag, poking out of a cockpit seat and hopefully well-enough secured. I'm hoping to hear back from the person currently restoring her.