nwsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2019 Northwest Sportsman 81
By Jim PexG
oing out on the ocean in
a small boat is not much
different than hiking into a
wilderness area. You never know
what you might see or what unique
experiences await you. Like the
wilderness, one does not go to sea
unprepared, nor does one venture
forth without a guide or some
personal experience. When things go
wrong and you’re not ready for them,
it can be lonely out there, puttingyour life and those with you in
danger. Ancient mariners were well
aware of the dangers and risked their
lives based on their personal skills.
The ocean is mysterious in that
conditions change from day to day,
sometimes from moment to moment.
There is a thrill in going out there
and dealing with the unknowns that
come your way. But beware, your
primary resource, the weatherman,
may not be your friend.
About 10 years back, I had a friend
named Jim who was running a guideservice on the ocean. It usually was
for rockfish and he only ran out a
few miles from the safety of the bar
and the inner bay. He had a 22-foot
aluminum boat with an open bow
that was not built for rough ocean
conditions, but on a good day was
certainly adequate. The boat had a
large motor as the main and a smaller
one for trolling or just backup.
My friend had taken the Coast
Guard classes and had what we call
a six-pack license to take up to six
people fishing. Getting the licenseHigh Pressure At
The High Spot
A run out to the South Coast halibut grounds in an open-bow boat nearly turns disastrous.
The weather can turn fast on the Oregon Coast, hitting harder and
with more intensity than forecasters sometimes predict. (JIM PEX)ROUGH DAYS
AT SEA