Another Boat lost. Coos Bay.

BlueWater · 06-30-2003, 08:24 PM

Is it just me or has it been a bad year?

Man rescued from grounded boat

COOS BAY - The Coast Guard has rescued a commercial fisherman whose vessel became grounded a half-mile south of Shore Acres State Park in Coos Bay.

Officials say 68-year-old Ray Olsen of Eureka, California, was the only one on board the 50-foot fishing vessel.

The Avrigo ran aground on the rocky shoreline at 3:30 a-m yesterday.

Olsen was wearing an insulated cold-water survival suit, swam to a Coast Guard lifeboat which could only get to within 100 feet of the Avrigo because of shallow water and jagged rocks.

The Avrigo could not be salvaged.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img]

BlueWater.

PeterMac · 06-30-2003, 08:34 PM

C'mon Bluewater, is there more to the story?

What did he do wrong? I am refering to the "I'm with stupid" sign. I mean, hey, at least the guy had on the suit and stayed alive. Sounds like a nasty thing to go through. :depressed:

Curious...

PeterMac

Snapshot · 06-30-2003, 09:29 PM

PeterMac, you have been around long enough to recognize two things the fisherman did wrong. I would say that !. No one should fish alone, and 2. You should not run waters your not familiar with at night. No matter what equipment you have, you could always hit a dead head or something similar. However, I don't think of someone at his age and experience as stupid. To bad he lost his boat but at least he knew what to do and what not to do when he ran aground. I cannot imagine trying to swim 100 yards in any water conditions.

I would bet the man, being 68, has probably forgotten more about the ocean than I will every know. He had to be very confident to be there alone but I still say it is not wise nor safe.

*fish only bite wet hooks*

BlueWater · 06-30-2003, 10:12 PM

What I posted is all I know....I was hoping someone would have some more info on this for us to learn from. But if there is one thing we have learned from the last few weeks events and what Snapshot was inferring in his post is that complacency kills.
We all need to step back and remind ourselves that we are doing something that is inherently dangerous. The same rules that apply to the novice apply to the veteran. If you don't believe me ask the local saw mill why they have a yearly safety seminar. It is because every so often someone gets a little to comfortable (read complacent) with the planer. And instead of shutting it off and engaging the safeties before removing a jam he moves the guard aside and gets his arm eaten off.

Sorry, for the rant but this is getting a little ridiculous.

BlueWater.

[ 06-30-2003, 11:14 PM: Message edited by: BlueWater ]

TideRipper · 06-30-2003, 10:13 PM

I saw yesterday that the National Weather Service issued a Marine Warning for the southern coast. It said that 40 knot winds had been observed in the area.

Sure would hate to have to swim for my life in cold water at 68. Been there and done that when I was younger. Learned the hard way.

fish assassin · 07-01-2003, 06:35 AM

Snapshot:

Regarding fishing alone ... sure it's dangerous. It is probably even safer to have
somebody else on the boat with you when you are fishing for various reasons ...
HOWEVER, The state and Fed. governments have made soooo many rules and regulations
concerning comercial fishing that it is not always practical/economical for a vessel
owner to hire a deck hand. If it weren't for the fact that I am able to get away
with paying my crew members a "catch share" rather than wages, I'd be out there fishing
alone a lot more than I do!!

There are always two sides of a story! What works for you (as a sport fisherman)
doesn't always work for everybody else! ('specially for the folks doing it for a
living).

Just my honest opinion ... not trying to stir up a hornets nest or anything ...

-assAssin-

Sea Jypzee · 07-01-2003, 06:42 AM

I agree FA. I don't even fish 'for a living', and I quite often have gone out offshore alone just cause nobody else was available when I was. Many times, if I wanted to be able to get out on the ocean, it was either go it alone, or not at all.

I figure aside from falling out of the boat, if something is going to happen, it's going to happen whether I'm alone or with someone else, and if I'm with someone, it just means 2 or more of us are in trouble, rather than one. I know and have heard all the arguments, but what if you get hurt and need help, but, but, but...there are always possibilities. That's why I carry several forms of communications on my boat, so I CAN call for help if I need to. I also carry a Mustang suit, etc.

I prefer to have someone to go out with (especially going out 30+ miles offshore), but will I allow not having someone with me to stop me from going out? Definitly not!

Mello-Yello · 07-01-2003, 07:29 AM

I'm with you Nancy. All too often, when I decide to go fishing, it's on short notice. If I can find someone to go, great. If not, the dog is always prepared for a fishing trip. I try to avoid unnecessary risks, but it's common place to take calculated risks. I do that every time I get in my car. We try to take the necessary cautions and then just hope that fate is on our side.

Regarding the Avrigo, there's way too little information availabe to begin speculating on how it happened. The guy might have 50 years of experience on the seas, or he may be an eccentric that just bought the boat two days ago and figured he could learn on the fly. He may have lost power and winds pushed him in, or he may have been 'short-cutting' his way to the harbor.

Who knows? The way I see it, he just added more structure to an already great bottom-fishing area. Let's hope he ran out of fuel...

M-Y

Snapshot · 07-02-2003, 10:08 PM

Okay guys, I will bite the bullet on this one and admitt that I also fish alone. If you review my post I acknowledged the mans experience, ability and confidence. I just wanted to point out that it is not safe to fish alone.

One of my greatest fears on the ocean is to have an accident and cost or cause someone to die. Perhaps that is the down side of taking others out in our boats. I don't know how I could handle the thought of taking away a kids dad.

Just be safe and use good common sense as we go and feel fee to ask others for help when needed.

WP · 07-05-2003, 01:15 AM

I don't fish alone. It is because I don't enjoy it as much alone and managing the boat while fishing is a pain alone. When I commercialed, I fished alone regularly. I had auto pilot and the boat was set=up to run efficiently alone. As far as safety, the number of people have a sort of off=setting effect. Safer in someways and more dangerous in others. Your gear, your boat, your knowledge and experience, and your attitude around safety are far more important than the number of people aboard. Enjoy and be safe.
WP :smile: