Columbia River salmon fishing

[David Hall]

As I recall,
That bar is ugly every year!

[Islandgypsy]

It's called "The Graveyard of the Pacific" for good reason.

[Keta]

Two of my friends were in a boat that went down off the CR during the Ilwaco leg of the OTC this year, they survived but lost a lot of gear.  It was not a good day to be out but I was in a 31' Cabo captained by a very good skipper and it took the water well.  We came in 5th out of over 50 boats.

[David Hall]

I'm glad it's not my home port, I'd hate to have to cross that bar every time I wanted to come or go.
I remember just hanging out just to watch the boats coming in, back in the 60's.
Hair raising.

[Keta]

Fished out of the CR for years, sometimes you get out sometimes you don't.   Here's a CR bar crossing,

[Dominick]

Go figure.  You are leaning right.  The guy or your right is leaning left and the last guy on your left is standing straight up and that is busy water behind you.  I was in water like that twice in my life.  Once crossing the English Channel in 50 mile an hour winds and once in the Atlantic out of Puerto Rico in February.  The weather came up on us pretty fast and we pitched and yawed all the way back to San Juan.  I did not get sick on either trip but I got really sick out of the Golden Gate which you all know about.  Dominick

[David Hall]

Yeah and your not really holding open the cooler to show off the fish?  I'm gonna guess the boat your in is at least 36' with a 10-12' beam, maybe a bit bigger?  Those are swells that run right up your stern and throw a smaller boat broadside.  Nice halibut though, I guess the picture was proof you had fish in case you didn't make it back across the bar?

[Keta]

38'x13', a year later she burnt to the waterline.

[David Hall]

But she got you all home safe that day,
may she rest in peace.

[Keta]

Lots of days, I lived on her of and on for several years.