One Dead After Boat Overturns Near Camano Island

The Everett Herald this morning said that the vessel occupants were "just putting out their first shrimp pot of the morning"......when "a large wave hit the vessel, stalling the boat's motor. As they were trying to restart the motor, two more large waves hit. The water quickly filled the back of the boat." "There were life jackets aboard but no one was wearing them"......he "was an avid boater and fisherman"..."he had a lifetime of experience, I'd trust him with my life on the water," said a family friend.

Truly a sad story, and a reminder to us all that even the most experienced boaters can experience tragedy on the water.

In the past I've mentioned on the site why I always wear a life jacket while on the water, but here it is again. While in college back in the 60's, we (a young lady and I) were floating the Yellowstone River in Montana and not wearing the life jackets we had in the raft we were in. We rounded a bend in the river and saw a log jam ahead of us. Trying to make the decision of putting a life jacket on or paddling became an issue in the split seconds we had to decide. After impacting the log jam, we were sucked under the log jam and became entangled with some of the tree limbs. I was able to get my arm around her and free us both so we were able to pop up on the other side of the log jam and climb on top of the logs and work our way to the safety of the shore. This certainly became a rapid learning experience for me!
 
My 70 year old neighbor was out fishing last year by Baby Island on his 17' Boston Whaler and fell overboard. he did not have a life vest on, fortunately another boat heard him yelling and helped pull him out of the drink. The cold water zaps your strength and he could not get back on the boat. He now has a bit bigger boat and always wears a life vest and we put some grab rails to aid in self rescue.
 
In this case there were other boats around, and some folks were saved. I would make a plea for not only life jackets, but waterproof handheld radios and Personal locator beacons, if boating in remote locations or single handed. These items are small enough to fit in pockets on a quality life vest (more comfortable to wear than the typical type II orange vest.)

The state with the highest number of boating deaths/registered boats is Alaska, which far out strips the rest of the states by over 2:1.
ND, NV and AZ are next in the rank. (May reflect PWC's?) With Florida's year around popularity of boating we have frequent boating fatalities: from 50 to 75 a year--Washington State averages about 28 per year. Over 50% are open boats and are not wearing life jackets.

Taking the PLB one step further (They are in-expensive and easy to carry and would save lives in so many instances!) For example if this couple who were stranded in NV on a back road, had just had a PLB, the man would have been saved, and the lady not have to live on trail mix for 49 days. We take a PLB with us when in the RV, in remote areas in the car, Kayak or hiking.
 
I was in a car rollover with my buddy Ted at the wheel, my passenger side door flung open and it took all I could do to keep my limbs inside the car. As I struggled to get my right arm inside the door jam, we rolled onto my side and the door was slammed shut against my right shoulder. That was 37 years ago and I still have all my limbs and my life thanks to something as simple as a seat belt. Buckle up on the way to the boat ramp and once there wear your life vest. They both will keep you alive.
 
This morning's Everett Herald has a comment in the "Letters To The Editor" section written by a gentleman that points out a thought provoking twist on this incident. The following is a paraphrase of his thoughts..

..."On Saturday morning my friend and I were setting our shrimp pots. We were complaining that by going shrimping on the day mandated by the State of Washington, it forces people to miss shrimp season or risk their life dealing with very dangerous weather"....."can we give shrimpers two days that they choose to go? It's much safer for everybody to pick a nice calm day for the sport".

Personally, I believe this writer raises a very valid question and concern since when an individual has only ONE DAY to shrimp, he/she is more likely to take a chance and continue out on the water in less than safe conditions.

Most of us have been faced with a "go/no go" decision because of weather/fog and the decisions made are more difficult when a timeline seemingly must be met. Obviously the prudent answer is "no go", but often that choice is not always easy for many people.
 
Alaska used to have a limited Halibut fishery that was open for 3 days in May. This caused many deaths due to fishermen going out in bad weather. The limited opening had other negative consequences. Fishermen would lay more long line gear than they could recover and just cut off the line when the closing gun sounded. Of course, that resulted in a lot of 'ghost fishing' gear on the sea floor, which needlessly depleted the resource.

In todays Alaska halibut fishery, each fisher has a quota, and can fish up to his quota anytime between, I think, April and Sept. This has resulted in creating a 'limited entry' fishery, but saves lives and boats and is better for the resource.

In British Columbia, just across the border, the shrimp/prawn season is 10 or 11 months long with higher limits. I ask the same question many prawners ask, why does Washington have a limited, 'combat' prawn season of only a couple of days?
 
I ask the same question many prawners ask, why does Washington have a limited, 'combat' prawn season of only a couple of days?
Click to expand...

I've asked local [resident] fisherman the same thing and have gotton only one aswer: "It's Washington. Nothing makes sense here." :roll:
 
One answer I have heard is that the DFW (fish cops) want to easily 'manage' the prawn fishery. On the open days, the DFW flies over the prawn grounds and counts the prawn floats. They assume (?) that each float represents one limit. Then they just multiply and that is supposed to be the harvest.

Does anyone know if this is the truth?
 
its a combination of the fly overs and the spot checks at the docks. I really hate that its such a circus. The shrimp and the sockeye openings are short and last minute some times. People like going but feel that they have to go no matter the weather. this leads to bad discussions and in this case deaths.

Now from reading the few and re posted news stories with little usable facts I feel that none of us have a clue what happened. I have not idea what type of boat it was other then 18 ft. even though some stated that it was a open boat I have not been able to find that in a news article or police statement. I know that they took waves in to the boat but not why or from what end of the boat. Where they pulling pots and hung up the bottom?? and sucked the stern down?? what was the load of the boat? what was it rated for? There are almost no usable facts in the stories at all. Now I understand that none of that may matter because they did not have on life jackets but if you don't over turn then it may not matter if you have a life jacket ( NOT saying not to ware one). I always like to know how they got into trouble in the first place and what lead to them being in the water.
 
I just watched the news video instead of reading the article. I know the man that died. He runs the mini mart next to my house. I have known and talked to him at least once a week for 8 years. I had not heard the name until now. Wil was a great guy. Nice guy but stern. Avid fisherman and hunter, what we talked about the most, and snowmobiles. He always watched out for the kids in the neighborhood and often talked to my son James. He would also tell me if he heard anything bad going on with the local kids or James. He was a stand up guy. Sorry to hear of his passing and embarrassed that I did not realize it sooner.
 
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