A week or so ago my Aunt Cammy and Uncle Bob helped escort some of the US Navy ships along the Columbia River. They are very active members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. She sent out this email with the attached photos of their experience. It was so cool that I had to share! We are so proud of them!!!

*Cammy and Bob have the white and blue boat in the pictures.
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Hi everyone:

I’m attaching a few photos from our Rose Festival Escort of the US Navy Ships this past week.  We escorted them along with boats from Multnomah, Clatsop and Clark Counties; upriver on Thursday and downriver on Monday.   There were three ships and but only two auxiliary boats, so we ended up escorting all three ships both days.  We intercepted pleasure boaters along the way and told them to not make any aggressive moves toward the ships and to maintain their distance.  The US Coast Guard safe boats met us at the Astoria bridge to help as the ship passed under the bridge.   They also made security sweeps of the harbor and the bridge prior to the ship’s arrival in Astoria. They are also well armed.

The photo of us in front of the USS Ingraham #061 (PICT AUX activities to warships 2012 387) is a little deceiving – we were a bit further away than it looks!  Also note the sailor with the camo uniform and gun on the USS Lawrence (PICT 1597).  PICT 1607 are all the sea lions ‘resting’ on the docks where we launched the boats.  The dock is completely submerged by their weight.  The people have to fight them off the dock with bats and clubs to get to their boats.  Needless to say, there are not a lot of folks moored here!

Also we learned the US Navy has a ‘drive up window’!  Monday we were running a bit ahead of the USS Lawrence and heard some of the sailors calling to us.   They signaled us over to the side and indicated they wanted us to come alongside the ship.  Keep in mind the ship is moving down the river at over 18 knots – approx 20mph -.  Bob is at the helm and Mike Davis (another Aux. member).  As we pull alongside – 18 knots & a 6’ wall of water in front of us from the wake of the ship and nothing but 50’ high gray steel on the left side--- they want us even closer to the side of the ship.  I think we were within 3’ of the side of the hull.  Then they drop a canvas bag over the side down to us.  Mike grabs it and I pull it onto the deck of our boat.  Inside is an anchor and three hot lunches on paper plates wrapped in foil; complete with utensils!  I emptied the bag – except for the anchor – and the sailors pulled it back up to the deck.  Then we moved away from the ship. 

We had hot chicken breast, rice, broccoli and corn for lunch courtesy of the USS Lawrence!!!!  Now that was an experience.  I’m sorry to say I did not get any photos as we were all three a little busy!

It was a long day and we were dragging by the time we got home.  We had left the house at 5:00 am and got home about 6:00 pm and on the water all day, but we had an exciting time.

Hope all is going well with you.  We’ll talk soon.

Cammy