Entering Depoe Bay, a 5-Minute Thrill Ride!
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- A thrill ride on a fast boat entering Depoe Bay, a blind approach to a narrow serpentine channel, wide enough for one boat only. One way traffic, either In or Out! And which one is more demanding? Going out to sea, when you don't have a feel for what the sea will be until you're committed and cannot turn back; or coming back in, when the skipper must time his approach to have steerageway into the final turn - where bad timing might let an overtaking swell rob your rudder of the directional control it needs to keep you off the rocks. People have died here...it can be extremely dangerous.
This day, however, we had a benign sea, so no worries after a great day on the ocean, as we returned to Depoe Bay, Oregon. Just a gorgeous sea all day long. We saw a Minke Whale breach twice just off our starboard side; we were enthralled by the antics and curiosity of a pod of Dall's Porpoises; we put two tuna in the well in spite of fierce competition from blue sharks; and we harvested one shy of our limit of Dungeness crab. All in all, an unforgettable day.
I considered editing out some of the parts where the camera motion was too great, but then I decided the continuity of an uncut video was important to the 'five minute thrill ride' experience. I was lying on the foredeck, trying to hand hold the camera as steady as possible, but at these speeds and even with smallish, two-foot swells you just can't get a steady cam effect at any budget that I can afford; I'll just leave it to National Geographic or Ken Burns to do a professional job on this. It was a thrill, though.
Thanks to Dave and Wade, of the good ship Double Trouble (a 30 ft Sea Swirl Striper with two 250 hp outboards), for their excellent hospitality. It was all for the cat shelter...or as I like to say, 'We're killing fish to save cats.' Also, feasting on albacore tuna and Dungeness crab to save cats. Hey, it's a tough job but somebody has to do it.
Been in and out of there a few times on a charter boat called the "Kadaho". 42 feet, twin diesel engines. Bout a foot anh a half clearance on the front and rear. Skipper was great. Good fishing. Good times. Missing it.
As a delivery captain, I've run every bar in Oregon, in every condition, but won't touch depoe bay. No way, no how.
As a kid I was over that bar 100's of times. When you went under the bridge I kept looking for the Tradewinds "King Fisher" with old Stan Allan at the helm.(:>) I remember the bay froze over in 1956 or 1957. It was good times growing up In Depoe Bay in the 50's.
Depoe Bay *FROZE OVER*??? Geez, I'm glad I wasn't here then.
It wasn't the salt water that froze, it was the fresh water that came from the creek by the community hall and over by the dam. The reason I remember it was, Jerry Bates(His folks owned Depoe Bay Fish Co) and I were in the old CRPA building(it's gone now) at the South end of the bridge and we threw some crab pot buoys down on the ice trying to break it. Some fishermen caught us and made us go get them with Jerry's little row boat. Breaking ice isn't fun when it's cold out!(;>)
My father would rent a dory from Calkins marine and take us out in the 1960's. Our family developed the area south of Shell cover rd.
You're quoting rules of the road but you took the red buoy on your left skippy.
Nicely done!
If you can shoot the Depoe Bay channel you can pretty much tackle any bar anywhere. Yes, it was calm on this day: but it isn't always!
to answer the bottom question, the orchestration is all done by a controller via ch 80 on the radio and a 2 blast to depart from the dock, incoming boats have the right of way
Like a lake
Checkout the Video when the Tsunami from Japan hit this Harbor...
makes the Humboldt Bay bar look easy.
If you are coming in blind, is there a radio frequency you use to let boats know you are coming--boat that you could encounter a bit late in the game?
He didnt a sound signal either.
Not impressed with this guy
My dad took us out in an 18ft Red Fish, round bow, open cabin...going out of depot bay was bad....coming back in....worse!:)
At 4:41....That's the Coast Guard straight Ahead and their Head Quarters to the Right....They must stay busy with this Inlet...
lets see.. rough waves pretty much year around.. fog.. yup many days... fast currents.... yep,, boat killing rocks everywhere... yup.. making a blind turn with all these condtions.. yup....LETS BUILD A HARBOUR HERE !!!!!!!!!
I think I heard the sea lion shout "You should pass this buoy on your starboard!"
That's exactly what he shouted.
I guess you had to be there
yeah... just the spot for the fella who likes to get his boat out three times a year ......
I think I missed the thrill part somewhere in that 5 minutes and 23 seconds of life I'll never get back...
Sorry Zeke. Maybe my apology will be thrilling enough to make up for it.
@ Zeke, you just got to be there
Thanks for the compliment and the questions. 1) Red Right Return is at skipper's option on a recreational vessel. It's OK to go outside a buoy if safe water. Part of the video shake was due to my trying to signal the skipper to go left of the Red 2, so that I could use part of the clip in my navigation classes. (I am a navigation instructor.) After, he said he thought I was telling him to go *closer* to it. 2) He did a VHF call as is usual at Depoe Bay, but listening again I did not hear a horn.
Red right returning means bouy on the right starboard side, not boat
In these conditions it is not a dangerous entrance. On this day it was quite easy, although it was exhilarating.
But on another day, if there are significant ocean swells coming from the west, this entrance can be *extremely* dangerous. Swells over-running a boat from behind can cause the rudder to lose effectiveness, so that a boat entering the channel would not be able to make that final left turn to go under the bridge - their rudder would go 'dead'. Instead they would crash on the rocks.
a clueless and dangerous captain
Yup and the buoy should be on the right not the boat.
Yes, agreed. But it was safe to do what he did. See my lengthy answer elsewhere.
Depoe Bay was the first bar I've ever crossed both ways. Believe me the confidence with that will go straight to your head.
Thanks for posting. I was talking to someone today that said this port is much better than Yaquina Bay Bar. He DIDN'T mention the blind corner! Go to know.
Thanks for the comment.
It depends on what a mariner wants from an entrance. Depoe Bay is small and pretty, but if you MUST to get in to shelter in rough conditions, Depoe Bay won't be the place. The blind corner, plus needing to 'time the swells' makes this a port that in rough conditions demands thorough local knowledge. By 'timing the swells' I'm referring to the phenomenon where a vessel gets to the critical left turn to enter the pass and their rudder is in [how can I say it?] following water...the circulatory action within a swell. With water in the swell moving forward at the same speed as your rudder you have no steerage, and on to the rocks you go. People have died here from exactly this situation. In rough conditions Yaquina Bay will be open long after Depoe Bay has been closed to recreational vessels by the Coasties.
Also, the bridge is too low for sailboats.
I have another video showing a USCG 47 fly MLB entering Depoe Bay that provides a different - although incomplete - perspective.
Just saw your reply, thank you so much! Small, pretty, and maybe deadly. No thanks. Be safe out there. Bill
I am convinced that the Depoe Bay entrance REQUIRES local knowledge, whereas the Yaquina Bay entrance is straight forward. Given the sea state - and you can depend on the USCG for their guidance - anyone can enter at Yaquina Bay. The Coasties will broadcast whether the Bar is open or restricted. Their restrictions, for recreational vessels, are Law...you will be cited if you try to cross in a vessel subject to restrictions. They don't want to put their livess on the line for boater stupidity.
Try it when it's rough sometime.
That's for sure. There are photos in the local pubs showing how lives can be lost at this entrance.
Great video thanks!! Two serious questions though: 1.) When you're approaching, why don't you keep the red buoy's to starboard as regulations require? 2.) Just before your "point of no return" (entering or leaving) the entrance, why didn't you blow your horn & announce/warn any outbound boats that your entering the channel? Your lack of announcing makes this much more dangerous than it is. Using 1 long horn blast is typical, and gives you & exiting boat time to stop the approach. Thanks, John
jmflyer55 swallow boats
The buoy was in the wrong spot back then. It’s customary in Depoe Bay to announce yourself entering or exiting on channel 80, the only guy who blew his horn every time retired 10 years ago.
The marina from '...Coo Coo's Nest'?
Great question! I think you might be right. Now I'll have to download the movie and re-watch it...it's been decades since I last saw it. Thank you for the heads up.
Thanks to your question I rented One Flew Over the other night. Great movie! I read the book many years ago but had never seen the movie. And YES, the bay in the movie IS Depoe Bay, Oregon. Thank you for pointing that out, and for pointing me to a superb movie experience.
Depoe Bay is definitely in that movie.
This is not a rough day?
Nah. Not really rough. It's a pretty benign day, actually. But the approach is interesting and the sudden change: once you get to the bridge, everything is peaceful.
i didn't get it .. what is dangerous in this video?
Was that a "three hour tour"?
It was a private boat: depart at 0400, set crab traps, fish for tuna, harvest crab, return to Depoe Bay about 1700.
If it is blowing 30 knots why are there no whitecaps?
Bruce, I'm sorry. My title is *unintentionally* misleading. Our *boat* was doing 30 knots, not the wind. I was lying on the foredeck with my camera, and it was a helluva ride for someone not used to those speeds; and then shooting a curved entrance into Depoe Bay, with the sudden throttle back, and then slowly into the scenic, peaceful harbor...an unforgettable ride. (Thanks for commenting. Sorry about the misinterpretation.)
I don't know if you're familiar with the Oregon coast, but Depoe Bay is incredibly scenic. Here's another view of the same entrance: ruclips.net/video/X8uXtV3agzQ/видео.html
Shoot dats nuthin...I could do that one blind folded...I could do that one in reverse
Thrilling ?
The thrill is gone
Ha! I know. I guess you had to be there. Anyway for boaters entering Depoe Bay, it gives a good overall view of the entrance. It is an important entrance, and I was hoping this video might help a first timer. Thank you for your comment.
@@Houdi2 👍
Boring
Cry babies.....
No radio Secuite call, no sound signal, passing on the wrong side of the red (He says thats optional; for clowns maybe)
Looks to me to be a clueless and dangerous captain
The video was taken by me while I was lying on the foredeck, so I was not in the cabin with the skipper. But yes, he knows Depoe Bay intimately. As skipper of my own boat, and as a navigation instructor as well, you CAN pass a buoy on the "wrong side" PROVIDED it is safe to do so. This boat draws only two or three feet (my own draws 6 ft), and here it was entirely safe water to do so. What you don't know is that for this video I wanted him to pass to the left and I was waving one arm trying to get him to do that, but he misunderstood my arm waves and took the red on the right side.
@@Houdi2 which is why you use horn signals, not arm waving