Sneaker Wave at Barview... 11/9

Uglygreen · 11-09-2002, 07:36 PM

Was told that a large wave came in at Barview jetty park and rolled up the parking lot. I guess it tossed some cars and logs around and several people there to watch the waves were injured... including one death of a woman who was pinned under a car and drowned. Wow, we talked about going there and doing that today. How tragic :depressed:

UG

Any more info?

Drachir · 11-09-2002, 08:22 PM

The woman that drowned was actually revived by Rescue workers. She has since been transfered to Portland @ Emmanuel Hospital and in in critical condition. Sure hope she will be OK!!
It's hard to believe the power of Mother Nature, :shocked: that parking lot is a long way from the ocean. The wave was said to have tossed logs and cars around like toys.

fishchaser · 11-09-2002, 09:38 PM

We almost headed down Thursday night when the storm was scheduled to come in. I would have loved to see the ocean in her most fearse attitude. I just wish people would have more respect for mother nature. I wouldn't have gone out to the jetty, but I would have gone to higher ground to view the whole storm. I love mother nature in full force.

We only saw the reminace of the typhoon. Could you amagin if we would have felt the full force of the storm. WOW!!!

SturgeonMike · 11-09-2002, 10:43 PM

The lot was closed with barricades. The "tourists" moved the barricades and went in. Some of the people were even Tillamook locals. Some people are just plain stupid.

Kruechief · 11-10-2002, 08:44 AM

Stupid people are what allows the government to make stupid laws so that stupid people won't do stupid thing....

Salmonator · 11-10-2002, 08:51 AM

You would think we could come up with something other than "stupid" while somebody's in the hospital in critical condition...

hawgcatcher · 11-10-2002, 08:56 AM

People never learn when it comes to the ocean. Those barricades were put there for a reason. It is sad that the lady and her husband will suffer for some time because of this.

We were at the wayside at D-River in Lincoln City a few years ago. We had stopped for the rest rooms after a long trip from home and were watching the waves. They were high and heavy due to a storm that had past the day before. Two children, about 5 or 6 were on the beach and the water was high. The parents were leaning on the fence between the parking lot and the beach and not close to the kids.

A larger wave came up and surged up almost to the fence. The two small children were knocked off their feet and were quickly pulled toward the ocean. The dad ran out and grabbed one's arm and the other's leg and got them back. He was in water to almost his hips when he got them. A matter of seconds.

People need to have a little fear or the ocean and realize the dangers. My wife was so shook, she had nightmares for a week afterward. This could have been another statistic of a horrible happening.

:shocked:

Norski · 11-10-2002, 09:34 AM

:shocked: I have been half way around the world on ships, and have fishen alot off the back of them, and for the OCEAN or High Sea's I look at it this way!!

I AM CHICKEN OF THE SEA
I AM NOT GOING TO BE CRAB BATE
I AM GOING TO FISH UNTEL THE GOOD LORD WANTS ME TO FISH WITH HIM.

Be Careful when at the coast, Mother Nature is not friendly to us.

graybeard · 11-10-2002, 10:11 AM

Mother Nature has cruel ways of dealing with the stupid.

corrirod · 11-10-2002, 10:20 AM

Friend who lives in Seaside got tagged by a sneaker the other day. It was 2 hours after HIGH TIDE and he was 100 yards+ up the the mouth of the Nestucca with his 2 dogs. They were foraging around on the bank when all of a sudden 1 of the dogs started to run and within a second a wave came over his head and grabbed all three of them. 1 dog made it to shore on its own and he was able to grab the small dog while "treading water" :shocked: . Fortunately the only thing lost were his shoes because he was wearing the slip-on kind. They walked almost a full mile up the beach before reaching the river and never saw a single wave move up the beach until then. I guess that's why they call them sneakers!

Doc Spratley · 11-10-2002, 10:21 AM

Last February, out at Cannon Beach, an older man was walking on the beach by Haystack Rock when he was knocked down by a "small" wave and started to get sucked out into deeper water as the sea receded. It was a pleasant day, not stormy like yesterday.
My wife and I jumped in and were able to grab on to him. Unless this has happened to you, you cannot imagine the force that is being exerted against your body. I am a strong swimmer, but I have to tell you, for a moment I thought we weren't going to make it.
The moral of this is to be careful on the beach, even on those days that you couldn't imagine anything happening.

Jennie@ifish · 11-10-2002, 02:14 PM

How, at a time like this, could you call someone stupid?
I just don't understand...

:depressed:

Jen

Barviewrocks · 11-10-2002, 02:23 PM

Although I walk the beach and jetty a lot. My greatest fear is to come apon someone getting sweaped out to the ocean. However, not being a good swimmer, I have decided to carry a cell phone and call the local coast guard who have scrambled on many occasions to help people on the north jetty. If you could view the emergency call logs for Tillamook Bay during any year, you would have a new found respect for the ocean. They would include people getting swept to sea in the north beach due to a rip tide area that moves every year, injuries on the rocks, waves knocking people down on the rocks and stuck, boats with failed motors being swepted out to the mouth, surfers between the jetties getting injured on the rocks, divers in trouble, and of coarse south jetty boat trouble caused by sneaker waves which many of us are familiar with. In the past, there have been waves tossing drift wood up to the turn around next to the check in station.

Please be aware and use ultra conservative judgement around this area.

STGRule · 11-10-2002, 02:40 PM

Stupid was probably not the thing to say at this time. However, decisions always come with risks and consequences. Passing the barricades was a desicion that carried extreme risk and ended with dire consequences. ANY decision; seatbelts, life jackets, helmets, hiking alone, fishing alone, and a myriad of others, all carry risks. Just make sure you are willing to suffer the consequences of those decisions. :depressed:

Deepslayer · 11-10-2002, 02:48 PM

They might not be stupid, but they might be elligible for a Darwin Award.

Hamachi · 11-10-2002, 03:38 PM

OK, then how about "displaying an unfortunate lack of common sense while being happily ignorant".

PC enough for you?

Jennie@ifish · 11-10-2002, 04:15 PM

OK, that sounds good.
You be the first to go to the hospital and tell the lady in critical condition that...

Oh! And tell her family too!

That is what you are doing, when you post things like that on the board.

I understand how you feel. Messing around with waves like that is not fun.

I have heard, however, that the blockade was not up when they entered the area. I heard that from someone that was there...

Anyway, I'm not getting on your case, I just want you to understand that it can be very hurtful for family and friends to read things like this.

Same hold true for people in boating accidents.
It CAN happen to you.
Everyone has a thoughtless moment or two.

Jen

dogfishboy · 11-10-2002, 05:23 PM

Criticism of the people involved is not what is needed here. It is easy to be judgemental for the the warmth and safety of your keyboard.

Mother Nature can lure even the smartest people into her arms, and unlike your mother's arms, this is not always a safe place to be. Humans, like many other creatures are very curious. This has advanced society to new levels, but has also caused great tragedy.

These people should not have been doing what they were doing Saturday. Several of these folks knew better, including a couple of local area guides that were included in the onlookers.

Nature can be very intoxicating, and with that intoxication comes some inherent dangers. This was demonstrated Saturday.

Unless you have experienced the dangers and potential magnitude of this specific situation, it is difficult for people to understand and hence base their decisions and actions on anything. Even when you are told it is dangerous, you still need to be shown just what levels that danger can reach. Some knew Saturday, some didn't. I know, I was there. A couple of us tried to warn people as to the dangers. When that didn't work we monitored the situation to alert people to eminent danger. The outcome could have been much worse. In hind sight, we should have notified the authorities. To their credit, several people understood the dangers and acted accordingly.

Several of the reports in the media and the Oregonian were incorrect. That's understandable, they were not actually there.

Later that afternoon, I witnessed people beachcombing Rockaway beaches. The waves were coming all the way up to the driftwood in most places. Some would turn their backs to the water for extended periods of time. I found myself shaking my head having just witnessed the incident at the tower. I also found myself realizing that it was ignorance and not stupidity. If you do not understand the possibilities, you have no information on which to base your actions. I guarantee you that those involved in the tower incident now have enough information to base future decisions on.

Born to Fish · 11-10-2002, 05:24 PM

Jen, you make a very good point about how we describe these victims actions.

Many years ago I worked for a few years as a backcountry ranger on Olympic National Park's northern wilderness beaches. I lost count of how many folks we had to rescue, Medivac, or do a body recovery for. Having witnessed not only these unfortunate incidents, and the weather patterns year round I gained a profound respect for what was witnessed and the potential unexpected. Doesn't matter what time of year or what weather/surf conditions are at the moment - stuff happens.

As for the Coast Guard, I couldn't say enough about the folks stationed at La Push and Port Angeles. It never ceased to amaze me the risk they took and the skills and dedication to the mission. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

I enjoyed the winter the most because of the opportunity to witness the incredible forces of nature [and great beachcombing

]. Bottomline, continue to enjoy the coast, but respect the forces of nature and don't put yourself at unnecessary risk.

graybeard · 11-10-2002, 05:36 PM

From Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary:

stu-pid; acting in an unintelligent or careless manner

"Stupid is, as stupid does." - Forest Gump's Momma

Point-of-Sale Clerk · 11-10-2002, 06:01 PM

Mama... What vacation mean??

RichH · 11-11-2002, 03:53 AM

http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=51991

Captn · 11-11-2002, 05:15 AM

Thanks for the post RichH. Shows that no one was acting stupid, they were just watching mother nature, just like the thousands that were there this weekend. This is what is called an ACCIDENT. It dosen't always have to be someone's fault. In one moment life can change. Count your blessings, and lets wish the best to Ms. Johnson and her family.
I could have just as well been any one of us.

Pilar · 11-11-2002, 07:55 AM

Well said David, thanks for the level head.

Paddlefish · 11-11-2002, 08:15 AM

Namecalling won't help.

Those folks ventured into a parking lot, for goodness' sakes. (Maybe it was barricaded, maybe not.) Would 95% of the population think that to be a risk-taking decision? It's not like they decided to take a canoe from one jetty to the other or place their toddler on a bear for a photo op or hike to the end of the jetty for "a better view." Not the best decision, perhaps, but hardly deserving of the death penalty.

They underestimated the Pacific. Who hasn't? If we took this thread to its ultimate "be safe" maximum, we'd never let our kids play on the beach. And who hasn't looked away from the surf for a few seconds?

Very few of us (you Coast Guard vets are likely the exceptions [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] ) have a full knowledge of the power of the sea and surf.

Many years ago, I HAD to go surf fishing in a rocky bay on the Central Oregon Coast. It was pretty rough, but . . . Hey! . . . I was already there and a guy's gotta fish, right?

Even though I was on the side of the bay, with the surf crossing me at a 90 degree angle, rather than straight toward me, a wave broke on the rocks below me and the whitewater spray and foam splashed up around my legs. Just foamy spray and air, right? My 6' 5" and 200-plus pounds were on my butt instantly and sliding down the rocks toward the deep water. Fortunately, blue jeans and barnacles provide quite a bit of friction, so I didn't slide too far.

Lesson learned. The fireplace suddenly seemed a lot more attractive that day.

Watch out for your kids. Gently warn any "flatlanders" who seem to be taking risks. And there can always be a "sneaker" which exceeds anything we've seen or experienced before.

Sir Reel · 11-11-2002, 08:26 AM

I can't find the stories on the web, but I heard a 4 year boy was swept out to see in Eureka CA, by a monster wave. As well as 26 year old man further down the coast. My heart goes out to such a young one lost.

Kruechief · 11-11-2002, 08:41 AM

Trust me if I ever have an accident in my boat, every single person who knows me will know that I was prepared and was aware of all the possibilities.

These people are the same types that lock up their brakes in order to rubberneck a traffic accident.

Give me a break, why not climb on top your cars during a lightning strike? Or perhaps find a cut bank on a remote mountain pass to park in front of, preferably with no trees?

I guess I take common sense to lightly. My daughter is 11-years old; we have taken her to school and picked her up every day. Why? It is because I will not take the chance on a creep harming her. You see I hedge my bet. I see little 6-year children walking alone every day and my heart just breaks. All it takes is for a creep to grab them by their hair and stuff them somewhere and they are gone.

When we are out as a family my senses are working over time. Crowds, ice, snow, lightning, slides, floods, and, yes, huge waves are deadly and demand respect or these forces will callously take one’s life. How can society accuse cigarette smokers for being "stupid" and then condone thrill seekers who put themselves in emanate danger?

It is a double standard for the liberals who want to control all of our thoughts and dictate what is perceived as “bad” or “good”.

Perhaps, a kinder word, like “silly” would be better. How about this, “my goodness, that was a silly thing to do.”

Three years ago, on Fathers' Day, I pulled an injured man out of a burning vehicle late at night on the Santiam Pass. Numerous vehicles had passed the wreck. I couldn't listen to his screams and leave. I parked my family around the corner in order to PROTECT them from the possible explosion, prayed and went in. Turned out I ended up getting burnt and risking my sorry butt for a drunk driver, "what a silly thing to do!" I was nominated for the Carnegie Medal but refused it as I felt it was my duty. For months I had nightmares about the incident and could hear the tires and other parts exploding in my sleep. Trust me, it is very different then what TV depicts and I was scared, bad.

"Silly" people not only out themselves at risk, but also the police, rescue and common citizens who undoubtedly will put their lives on the line to bail their "silly" selves out!

Lo

PS: Yes, I would have gone in even if I had known this man was drunk! Yes, the vehicle exploded, and yes I kept the kid alive for the twenty minutes that it took for the ambulance to arrive from Sweet Home.

Miss B Haven · 11-11-2002, 08:45 AM

We visisted the tower on the CR South Jetty Friday about 10 am. For those of you who haven't been there the observation tower sits 40 feet or so back from the Jetty on Clatsop spit and is about 20 feet high. When we got up there you could see where the water had actually splashed and blown up and hit the deck of the tower in a few places (wet steaks and foam that had come in between the rail slats).
The sea was pretty dang rough, but the CR bar was what was really impressive. You're pretty far away from the river so it was hard to get a perspective on wave height (forecast was 22 feet on the bar I believe). What was apparent was that there was no "green" visible. The whole bar was solid white. This was an hour into the incoming tide and after the main storm surge was supposed to have hit. (Forecast was for 35-40 footers to hit midnight-early am).
What was also amazing is that the beach to the South was nonexistant (just water and foam) and that was no where near high tide, it had really just started in.
Everyone should have a chance to view the power of the sea, I get several years of respect from just one of those storms. It's too bad people get hurt trying to do that.
Education is probably the only way to prevent these tragedies. There are so many places on the coast that are safe for this activity, and so many more that aren't.

fop · 11-11-2002, 09:21 AM

fop

SturgeonMike · 11-11-2002, 10:22 AM

Since I started it let me add my two cents. I had my daughter ejected from the car I was driving because I didn't double check the child carrier seat belt after she was belted in and the door was ajar. She could have died. I did an incredibly STUPID thing by not checking. It wasn't silly, it wasn't "oh poor baby that's ok because no one got really hurt" it was STUPID. The truth is the truth whether it hurts or not. I have compassion for the peolpe that were hurt and prayed for their healing. My comment is directed at the genereal behavior of people defeating/ignoring common sense (me included).

graybeard · 11-11-2002, 10:25 AM

My heart also goes out to those that were injured and killed by this storm. My heart also goes out to those that will be injured and killed in the next storm... and the one after that..... and next years storms....etc. This is not something new, it happens every year. For some reason ("silliness") some people feel the need to have a front row seat to watch Mother Nature flex her muscles. Hey, they're not needlessly putting themselves in harms way, right?
We can continue to gloss over this as just a freak accident "could happen to anybody" and the death toll will just continue to climb. Heck, we might even glamorize it some and lure a few more people into feeling Mother Nature"s muscle when she's ******. How many people need to die before it's not a freak accident anymore?
I suppose it's to much to ask for people to take responsibility for their own actions. Those rotten county employees should have had an armed guard standing watch over that barricade leading down to the jetty. Yeah, that's the ticket, it's their fault. Let's sue them.
I think there is probably a good reason that the jetty was not more crowded during the storm. I like to think that not everybody is silly.
Hmmm... I wonder if this is why the weather service issues storm warnings instead of storm welcomes?

Sean · 11-11-2002, 10:30 AM

You gotta be kidding me. PC BS aside, you are saying you couldn't come up with a better way of wording your message? There is a difference between avoiding the truth through political correctless, and having the tact to realize you may be affecting someone other than yourself by your choice of words. Respect for others and their potential point of view is the message.

SturgeonMike · 11-11-2002, 10:51 AM

Point made. Flame Off. I get frustrated at the damage people do to themselves through ignoring signs and warnings placed for their (and my) safety. I apologize for not using a less inflammatory word though not for my sentiment.

FishinMission · 11-11-2002, 04:09 PM

Fact is...most don't realize the potential danger being in that particular situation presents.

Myself...I've seen "water"...whether it be surf, or water you may find in a river like the Clackamas, do some pretty stange stuff.

I wouldn't describe the actions of those injured or killed by this storm as stupid. I think "mis-fortunate" would be a better term.

My condolences go out to those injured or frightened in these occurrences.

Mark

Kruechief · 11-11-2002, 05:55 PM

Mark,

I guess that one has to witness the power, I've heard numerous salts on this site atest to the "pucker" factor.

I 've seen boats wrapped around boulders and log jams like a piece of tin foil. I have also witnessed people who made silly mistakes and the whole tme they were absolutley oblivious to the fate coming.

I would never wish ill tidings on an undeserving person but I gotta say that sometimes one has to wonder what the heck they were thinking.

I am sorry if the nature of the word "stupid" is offending to some.

I grew up with a tree faller as a father and the youngest of eight so...stupid mistakes was a known factor of death...period.

It is hard to fathom that one would intentionally stick their hand on a wood stove.

To each his own.

Lo
Kruechief

graybeard · 11-11-2002, 06:28 PM

Well said, Kruechief.

My intentions for posting on this thread is the hope that it will enlighten some of our readers to the fact that mother nature is not forgiving. She demands respect. Failure to give her that respect could cost your life or the life of a loved one.

I feel that as long as we sugar coat this tragedy it will continue to happen. We can't change the past, only the future. Spread the word. It might save a life.