This is not a case of them being caught in a strom 3000 miles out to
sea. They were hugging the coast and could have ducked into any number
of ports. All I can think of is that they thought they could tough it
out, which I would think is a bad assumption given that you have no
exerience with how that boat handles, or, they waited too long to head
for cover and by then the coast guard had closed the entrances to the
harbors because the waves were already breaking on the bars. Thus
leaving them stuck out in the open.

Last fall I traveled down that same stretch, and it only took about a
10 foot swell to close all of the bar entrances, to non-comercial
vessels under 50 feet in length.

-Mark
Mark R. wrote:
The following is the actual NOAA weather forecast for the storm. I
clipped this the night of the strom to email to some friends.

WASHINGTON AND OREGON WATERS FROM 60 NM TO 250 NM OFFSHORE.
CAPE FLATTERY TO CAPE LOOKOUT

HURRICANE FORCE WIND WARNING

Of the 35 or so comments thus far, no one has questioned why this boat
was in the strom to begin with.

Its not polite to critize the dead. There are parents, sisters,
lovedones listening and so to those sitting at Davy Jones' table.


Even if the boat did not have SSB or a
SAT phone to check in with someone, it would have had to have a VHF
radio and they clearly would have heard the constant NOAA Weather
forecasts stating that HURRICANE FORCE WINDS were expected, with 38
foot seas.

Yes, and if you read the Ocean Prediction Center weather maps there is
a little boax that says those estimates are ONLY the upper 1/3 mean
wave higth. In other words, there's gonna be a lot more and a lot
bigger than the predicted wave size.

NOw add to that weather advisory... 1) greater wave size because of
shallow areas around headlands (cape balanco) and 2) increased wind
speed at the headlands. 1+2= Bodies not recovered.


Last fall I traveled down that same stretch, and it only took about a
10 foot swell to close all of the bar entrances, to non-comercial
vessels under 50 feet in length.

Well that depends. Astoria, Newport, Coos Bay are the "good bars" Then
ya have the little ones that are never dredged any more because all the
Dredge money goes to the Texas and southern ports. Gee I wonder why?
Sure no need to dredge all those "blue state" channels found in WA OR
CA.

A few months ago some body here posted a troll. It went somethin like
this:
"...I need advice. Im going to sail a new to me boat north from SF to
Seattle in NOvember. I know Im late but still got to go. Im new to
sailing...etc."

Looks like that troll was actually a tragic forecast.

Take it how you want. While I type this Im siting in a motel on the
south side to the Yaquina Bay bridge.Just opend a botttle of Columbia
Crest Merlot I got from Safeway. Under seven bucks. Good deal. But back
to fallin mariners. My house got a widow blown out when that storm went
threw. I think it gusted to 106 mph here.

Ive seen the same thing happen EVER year on this coast. The first time
i was a junior at NHS. My friend larry and i wnt down to Waldport to
check out the sail boat that got blown on the beach. A 40 year old
story and remarkable the same: 60 yo couple retire and sell everything.
Get a nice 32-34" steal boat and head noth form southern cal. They
always had a dream to sail the world said the obituary. Well they hit a
storm about Cape Blanco, got sick, got beat up. The boat was half
sanded in when we got there. i think we were the first there, or at
least there were no other foot prins on the sand. The ports were 8" or
so round and blown in. one was shattered. The salon was full of sand. A
few of their personal things were floating around inside. A coat, a
book, a dream.

And dont even get me started with these OUPV guys. they kill more
coastal visitors every year than I have time to descibe. Lesson
learned? Dont get stuck between a rock and a hard spot.

I wish that people would start reading the Coast Pilot or a crusing
guide.
Bob


-Mark
"Calpurnia"
www.goreads.com
"Calpurnia"
www.goreads.com