Crosscut Loc: Nahcotta, WA

New to this forum. Been fishing all my life, and find myself now retired from the work everyday world; and relocated to the graveyard of the Pacific - the mouth of the Columbia River. Salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and whatever else the tide sweeps in! Grey whales, orcas, dolphins... loving it. But, respect the water. It's not called the graveyard because of the quiet pulse of the tide.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

Welcome to the stage crosscut. Talk to us guys and gals who don't know a thing about the mouth of the Columbia. What is Ilwaco? Never heard of it. And I've never heard it called a graveyard before. What's up with that?

Crosscut Loc: Nahcotta, WA

Ilwaco is a small town on the north bank of the Columbia River; that puts it generally across the river from Astoria, OR.
The Columbia is five miles across at the mouth - that's a lot of water! Tides moving in and out, ocean waves coming at you, wind blowing across that, and shifting sandbars. You can be in the middle of the river and polish your prop on a sandy bottom.
It's called the graveyard of the Pacific because us European settlers have lost over 200 boats trying to cross the entrance bar.
A big shout out and thank you to the US Coast Guard Station - Cape Disappointment for their outstanding service.

Roger Renne Loc: Washington state

Go to Ifish or other fishing sites to learn more about fishing the mouth of the Columbia River. Also NOAA maps and other govt info. Graveyard is an appropriate name for this water.

Roger Renne Loc: Washington state

I add my thanks to the US Coast Guard for keeping us fools safe.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I guess that's why when my ship pulled into Portland back in the 80's we picked up a pilot in Astoria and let him take us in.

Crosscut Loc: Nahcotta, WA

That's still standard procedure. They now have the "CR" buoy a few miles south of the mouth. Ships navigate to that beacon and the pilot boards there.
Part of the Rose Festival fleet?
Lock up your daughters, the NAVY is in town!

Captain Lahti Loc: Kennewick, WA

Ilwaco was an inner harbor from Cape Disappointment, the furthest point that Lewis and Clark traveled down the Columbia. Located on the inner Washington Columbia River mouth. Most don’t realize that the Corps wanted to camp there but the weather was so wet and windy that they moved to the south side of the river where they made their wintering over camp. In fact they camped on the Washington side all the way down the Columbia.

The Columbia bar can be exceedingly rough. I’ve been over in in bound on a WWII DE and it is ROUGH ROUGH. IVE ALSO been ACROSS IT IN A 16’ outboard and when your in the trough the top of the swell is a good three or four stories overhead. You just ride it. The fishing is worth the ride.

There is a bridge across the river at this area from Astoria OR to the Washington side tall enough for any Naval ship to travel under. Scary high two lane. Only the brave! Salmon and steelhead suffer the passage because of the accumulation of predators protected as well, sea lions, pelicans, terns, cormorants, etc. nest on the sand slangs at the mouth and gobble adult and juvenile fish as they pass.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

Yes. Rose Festival. Portland was a great liberty port, it sure showed us a good time.