Digging It at Hood River Marina on the Columbia River Gorge

The Pacific Northwest has been inundated with snow and rain in recent days. Eric Sanford, from Hood River, OR, sent us these photos of the Hood River Marina, which lies at about latitude 46N and 600 miles north of San Francisco. Eight degrees north and a few miles inland from the Pacific along the Columbia River can make a big difference. Eric wrote, “We had over four feet of snow in a couple of days, then [it] turned to rain and frozen. I spent several hours each day shoveling off my boat, and many around me, since many people couldn’t get down to their boats at the marina with the roads closed. A real mess, but it finally looks to be over. At least for a few days. HA!”

These photos show us why some Pacific Northwest sailors are happy to be in Mexico right now. Or why some Bay Area sailors will be smiling while they’re racing in the sunny CYC, SCYC, BYC or OYC midwinters this coming weekend. But, come summertime, the Columbia River Gorge will be rocking with sailing, kiteboarding, and windsurfing. Plus, this summer, the Columbia Gorge Racing Association will be hosting the RS Aero Worlds at Cascade Locks.