Columbia River navigation aids remain damaged from storms
http://www.oregonlive.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news22/1199351944169930.xml&storylist=orlocal
ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) — Last month's coastal storms that whipped through cities snapping trees and flooding
roads also wrenched Columbia River markers from metal towers and ripped buoys from their 18,000-pound
concrete anchors.
That means problems for the U.S. Coast Guard, which maintains the buoys and shoreline markers that
identify safe routes for mariners.
Commercial fishermen, cargo ships and Columbia River bar pilots rely on navigation aids and buoys to
navigate safely.
Two of three weather buoys broke free of their moorings in the Dec. 2-3 storms, limiting forecasters' abilities
to predict the weather and gather information bar pilots need.
"We rely on them heavily to help us forecast whether we can keep the river open in extreme conditions,"
said Capt. Gary Lewin, a bar pilot. "When they're missing, it creates a bit of a problem for the shipping
industry but particularly for the pilots."
While newer ships sometimes have electronic plotting systems, most still depend on Global Positioning
Systems in conjunction with range markers and other navigation aids, Lewin said.
Many repairs may have to wait until spring because of weather.
Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Astoria, responsible for about 300 structural aids and lighthouses
along the Oregon and Washington coasts and up the Columbia River, and the Coast Guard have been
scrambling to restore the system. But they need a long stretch of good weather.
On the Coast Guard Cutter Fir, cranes and winches hoist aboard buoys up to 35 feet tall and 9 feet in
diameter. Reinforced sides help protect the 225-foot ship's hull.
While the main crane can lift up to 20 tons, wind complicates the process, said Lt. j.g. Roland Orr, the
cutter's operations officer.
"When you have buoys swinging across the buoy deck, you want to have some calm weather to do it in, or
at least as calm as you can get," he said.
So far, the crew has fixed two of five problems ranging from extinguished lanterns to buoys moving from
their regular locations. Sometimes that means a buoy broke its mooring lines of chain links as large as
footballs.
It can also mean that rough surf carried away both the buoy and its 9-ton anchor.
The main problem now, said Lt. Stephen Walters, the buoytender's executive officer, is reaching buoys that
suffered the worse damage: those off the coast, where weather is the roughest.
The damage could have been worse. Lt. j.g. Jared Cherni of the Cutter Fir credits repairs made after the fall
2006 storms, when mooring configurations were improved, with limiting damage last month.
Range markers help mariners operate safely in rivers and harbors.
When a vessel is on course, the skipper knows because the range-marker stripes will be lined up vertically.
Any variation tells the captain or pilot which way to steer to maintain a safe position in the channel.
About 10 of 200 of those markers or their towers were damaged in recent storms.
A few have been fixed, but icy conditions and strong winds have delayed most repairs.
___
Information from: The Daily Astorian, http://www.dailyastorian.com
A Week Full of Wild Weather and Storms on Oregon Coast
http://www.beachconnection.net/news/wstorm010308_118.php
(Oregon Coast) – If you're looking for the first major storm action and drama of 2008, this
week will provide plenty of theater.
Stormy weather, high winds and big sea swells are expected to hit the coast Thursday and
Friday with a pair of weather systems that will plod their way along the coast, one after the
other, with their storm fronts actually creating three storms. They will bring gusts around 55
mph, while the northern half of the coast could get occasional gusts up to 70 mph later on.
Lots of rain and some thunderstorms are expected to show up as well.
The National Weather Service said the north and central coast should expect windy
conditions on the headlands and open beaches Thursday, with more coming on Friday and
early Saturday. The first storm will move in on Thursday, with south winds of 20 to 35 mph,
and gusts up to 55 mph on the headlands.
That will ease up Thursday evening as that storm passes and moves onshore. But there’s
more.
The cold front from the second storm – the stronger of the two – will arrive Friday morning,
bringing winds again between 20 and 35 mph, with gusts around 50 or 55. Winds will then
increase later on Friday as the low pressure center passes just to the northwest of the
coastline.
Winds are then expected to be around 30 to 45 mph with gusts as high as 70 mph. That
storm will continue into the wee hours of the morning on Saturday, finally subsiding in the
middle of the night.
On the beaches, Thursday and Friday will see 20-foot swells, which spell lots of danger. But
it gets worse. Saturday will see 30-foot swells in some areas of the Oregon coast, which
means sizable erosion in some spots and waves climbing up the beaches and creating
hazardous conditions.
Ocean swells are expected to be quite high as well, with Friday seeing 27-foot swells out on
the ocean along with possible isolated thunderstorms. There is a small craft advisory for
hazardous conditions on the ocean.
Those heading to the coast will be treated to the famous winter storms on Friday night.
Saturday and Sunday will provide some fascinating beachcombing when beach conditions
have calmed down.
Coastal locals are again scoffing just a bit at the coverage of this storm, like Winston Laszlo,
owner of Old Wheeler Hotel in Wheeler.
“Gusts up to 55 mph?,” he said. “You call that a storm? Seriously, the Old Wheeler Hotel
came through the big one last month without a problem. The building is made of concrete,
after all. Sounds like this one might make for some good storm watching.”
Michelle Franck, owner of Oregon Beach House Rentals, said “coasties” are a tough breed
of cat. “We hang on, hang in and keep on hangin. Come to the coast and play.”
In Depoe Bay, Trollers Lodge owner Peggy Leoni didn’t see much ado about this storm, but
said the ocean views at her motel will be especially inviting in the always-engaging surf of
this area.
Still, she’s prepared. “55 mph isn't all that much,” Leoni said. “But we are preparing the same
as always; securing anything loose and checking our battery and candle supply.
We hope lots of storm watchers will come.”
However, these storms are cause for warnings.
During storms, stay on accessible high ground when storm-agitated surf is on the beach.
Oregon State Parks maintains dozens of safe roadside parks and campground access points
right along Highway 101 where you can get great photos of dramatic winter surf without
endangering yourself.
While beachcombing after the storms, keep your eye on the ocean and do not turn your back
on it. Sneaker waves are common and often catch people off guard while standing onshore.
You can't see them and they are impossible to predict. These occur when smaller waves pile
up on top each other to form one large wave – sometimes twice as large as the previous
sets. Also, they can carry large pieces of debris with them such as logs, which present a
whole set of other dangers.