Never Again?

Wandering Sagebrush

Wandering Sagebrush

Free Range Human
I just got back from a week at the beach, hoping to get out and chase salmon or albacore. With the high temps in the Willamette Valley, we've had dense fog and/or high winds at Garibaldi.

I did get out one day. The ocean was like a mill pond, but typical visibility in the fog was around 30-40 yards. It was my first time to take the boat across the bar in the fog, and I don't think I will do it again. The radar was helpful, as we had a good idea where the other boats were and every now and then, one would ghost by. It never did burn off, but we got about 300 yards when we came back in through the jaws, then closed back after we were in. Only got two keepers (silvers) about 6 pounds each, but released a number of wild fish. Cell phone reports indicated that if you found a rip, you would fill the fish box... We never found the rip.

I sure appreciate having radar and a couple of good GPS units!
 
I know how tough it can be going out of any bar in the fog and navigating to safe depths once out. I try to study my charts and ask a lot of questions before going out in any unfamilar ports but it still is a challenge when that darn fog rolls in. I save gps trails for each port I fish out of so I can pull them up when I encounter fog or darkness. This past Friday, we ran out of the jaws at 4AM at Half Moon Bay and it was dark, foggy and bumpy and not fun...my crew were all watching for me and we managed to follow another vessel out. On the way back, we saw a huge tree floating and several crab pots, both hazards you would not want to encounter anytime!

Vern
 
Hi Vern,

I am very familiar with Garibaldi. It is just about the only place that I fish offshore, as we have a house nearby. It is also a dangerous bar, with usually a fatality every year. I feel like I pushed my luck, even though I had the radar on and both GPS units going. I always knew where I was, and had enough redundancy in systems to get back home in the soup, but as us Hauula boys usta say... da kin pululuhi (fog) not my kuliana brah.

Send us some good weather. The fish are there and getting closer. I would love to hook into a 38 pounder.... must be like having a Buick on the end of the line.

Kind Regards,

Steve
 
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