Three people drowned on the Lower Columbia River in the past week, all folks who were in large, powered craft, and who alerted the Coast Guard of their plight. In the most recent incident, the survivor swam a hundred yards to shore after being washed overboard and holed up in a fishing shack until the Coast Guard found him several hours later. His companion went down with the ship -- a casualty of an anchoring debacle. Two drowned a week ago when their pleasure craft lost its engine and dragged anchor onto an exposed shoal at the mouth of the River, during an ebb current. Breakers, some ranging up to 15 feet, upended their craft and made it impossible for the Coast Guard rescue vessel to reach them in the surf. The survivor grabbed a line from the CG vessel and was towed to safety. His 13-year-old nephew was trapped inside the overturned hull, and washed ashore a day later. The skipper had drowned first, a victim of a thrashing in the waves when the boat went over. All were wearing PFD's. Both incidents occurred at night. Both skippers were experienced. Both Maydayed the CG re: their plight, and the CG responded to each vessel -- response down here is about a half hour, most of the time. The skipper in the second incident reportedly radioed the CG just before attempting his route (across the channel, at night, after accepting a tow from the CG earlier due to a previous engine failure) and asked if the CG thought he should attempt it. The CG will now and then "close" the Columbia River Bar if conditions warrant it, but does not "close" the River. The CG provides information to mariners on conditions, but does *not* tell a boater to stay in the marina. Acceptable risk? I've been mulling these deaths over and wondering if any of these folks felt they were doing something inordinately risky. I suspect not. They were all "inside" the Bar, not on the open ocean. The anchoring debacle occurred some 20 miles from the mouth of the River, in waters which mariners regard as "protected," though they are exposed to considerable fetch. I've seen lots of power boaters do much dumber things on the River -- and get away with them. Were these folks just unlucky? -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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