Now jump ahead to July 2008...and Tom DeVries stops by again:

Tom reports:"I returned to Newport, OR, this July (2008). The R/V Hero was not at its former dock; the docks themselves seemed reorganized, and all the berths taken by out-of-work salmon boats. Farther up Yaquina Bay, however, near the LNG tank, was the familiar green hull, at anchor" (left).

A bit of an update...the most recent reported sighting was in February, 2010, in Willapa Bay, Washington, near Bay Center. This is about 35 miles north of Astoria, OR.

So what happened ? Bill Wechter sold the HERO, and in September 2008 he towed it north to Bay Center, WA to the new owner. I spoke with the new owner on 6 August 2010, he is quite happy with his purchase. He is rather secretive and would prefer that I not reveal any information about him. And I have yet to find any usable pictures. This site contains a few, but they are © the photographer with no use allowed. My efforts to contact him have not been successful.

However, a friend or two went to Bay Center to take pictures...