Boat capsizes near Columbia River bar

[Irishrover]

Yester day before I head out to the Ocean from Warrenton I was sipping coffee and listening to the weather and bar report. The Low tide at the north jetty was 9:30 am. For me those are real gentelmens fishing hours. I usually wait about an hour after low tide before crossing the Columbia River Bar. I prefer a quite bar crossing. While I was waiting I heard the Coast Guard dispatch a recue chopper and boat to the scene of a capsizing out near the north jetty. There were four people in the water and at 7:30 that tide was riping out. From the reports the boat was an Alumaweld style boat. They had taken a big wave into the bow and the next wave took out there windshield and flipped the boat. One of the servivors was able to grab a hand held vhf radio and broadcast a distess call. This action saved their bacon for sure. I'm glad the four of hem were recued and with no injury. The Coast Gaurd did a fantastic job, I apprecieate the fact that they are around.

When I crossed the bar at 10:30 when I crossed the bar it was near to being flat. While out fishing I tried to figure out what took place out there. I hope more detailes come out later. We can all learn from the misfortunes of others. Fishing is fun and out one the ocean it can be fantastic, but safet ubove all else is paramont.

 

[OnTheFly]

Sneaker waves can humble a boater in a heartbeat. I was trolling the jaws at Barview one time but holding way back. All of a sudden a series of large swells came in and not five minutes later, I had lots of company. Everybody pulled back. Glad to hear those guys got out safe.

 

[TimberTodd]

The men and women in the Coast Guard are heroes for sure. Thank goodness everyone is okay.

 

[alm21]

Don't mess with max ebb. We crossed around 8:30a yesterday and encountered some pretty big swells. Makes me think about investing in an emergency beacon. The Coast Guard barely picked up their radio signal but obviously it was good enough to save lives.

 

[Irishrover]

I think that is a good idea. In October when my new boat arrives it will be a must item just like life vest.

 

[OnTheFly]

New boat? You retired guys are kill'n me.

 

[Irishrover]

New boat? You retired guys are kill'n me.

It wasn't my choice my wife made me do it.

 

[GraphiteZen]

I was staying on the coast a while back. Walking back to my room there were three people sitting on lawn chairs out front of a room smoking. One was wearing a coat, hunkered down and holding his elbow. It wasn't until I said hello and asked what had happened to his arm that I learned they weren't in the happiest of moods as just four hours before the young man, his father, and grandfather had just had their boat flipped out around the first buoy past the end the Yaquina jetty. He had dislocated his shoulder, his grandfather was still in the hospital with a broken leg, and they all suffered mild hypothermia. One of the few comments he made was, "That water is f***ing cold, man." and took another drag off his smoke looking out over the parking lot. He was very shook up. And for good reason.

 

[Irishrover]

Cold for sure ocean temps of the Columbia are running 55 to 56 degrees. It will take your breath away.

 

[OnTheFly]

It wasn't my choice my wife made me do it.

She's got to be the greatest wife in the world!