Dave said (snip): >The bar at Tillamook is regarded as on of the most dangerous on the coast of Oregon. Local commercial fishers claim lack of dredging in recent years has made the hazard greater....I've been to both spots, and during strong ebbs, the wave action is extremely intense, even more nasty than the Columbia River bar because the Tillamook bar is smaller and more confined, with no "cheat routes" around breakers. The Columbia's bar is routinely dredged for shipping.< Dave, I don't want to "cross your bow" on this one as you are the resident and I the outsider in terms of local knowledge, but from what I've been able to ascertain The Columbia River Bar and the Florence usually rate more dangerous. The Tillamook Bar was dredged, but only to a maintence level of 18. That should allow a dead center channel egress in all but big winter conditions. However, perhaps debris has built up from jetty disintegration. Given the fast run-out speed of exiting fresh and tidal water, one would think the channel keeps reasonably clear on its own. I did head down to Tillamook after joining you in Astoria last couple of Mays ago, but I was running out of time and gas money, so thought I save it for a couple of years. I'd definitely stay out of there on the ebb, and I'd definitely be concerned about the sand bars on the outside of the jetties. I wonder if the charter boat ran into difficulty as it was turning out. Still, a very terrible tragedy. There's lots on that coast, but usually not so many lives lost in such a short time. I suppose many will consol themselves with the thought that sometimes the sea just takes you. It was your time. I'm getting the same reaction as I interview on the Nootka case. Personally I feel this notion has merit when a certain level of indeterminacy exists, but such things as lack of personal flotation devices, lack of immersion apparel, under-rated vessel sizes, etc, all are cause for further reflection. Stuff happens, like propellers getting damaged, paddlers hitting a wave at the wrong angle and bailing out, etc. Where's the back up gear/plan/thinking, I always ask. Anyway, I'm looking forward to further adventures down your way. Doug Lloyd Victoria BC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ "Whatever can be said at all can be said clearly and whatever cannot be said clearly should not be said at all." Ludwig Wittgenstein ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
To give an indicator of the level of potential danger at the entrance to Tillamook Bay, Oregon, recall that within the last year, a large wave swept the parking lot at the (landward) end of the north jetty, pinning a woman under a vehicle, and almost drowning her. I repeat, she was not in a boat, but was standing in the parking lot, observing the action. She got action. Brad Bradford R. Crain Dept. of Mathematical Sciences Portland State Univ. 724 SW Harrison St. 334 Neuberger Hall Portland, Or. 97201 e-mail: brad_at_mth.pdx.edu phone: 503.725.3127 fax: 503.725.3661 >>> "Dave Kruger" <kdruger_at_pacifier.com> 06/15/03 07:55AM >>> Two more are missing; eight survived when a bottom-fishing charter boat capsized on the Tillamook Bay bar yesterday morning. The vessel was the fourth boat to challenge steep, breaking waves during the bull portion of the ebb and was skippered by a very experienced, respected captain, who had made this crossing many times. Details: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/1055678292230580.xml The bar at Tillamook is regarded as on of the most dangerous on the coast of Oregon. Local commercial fishers claim lack of dredging in recent years has made the hazard greater. There are a couple close vantage points where visitors can view the wave action, one at Barview on the north side of the bar, and the other (accessible by a several-mile flat trail) on the south. I've been to both spots, and during strong ebbs, the wave action is extremely intense, even more nasty than the Columbia River bar because the Tillamook bar is smaller and more confined, with no "cheat routes" around breakers. The Columbia's bar is routinely dredged for shipping. Fifty-sixty miles south of the accident site, charter boats at Depoe Bay stayed in, because of dangerous sea conditions. [My son worked as a deckhand *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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