Most hazardous area for navigation in continental US?

[bruce v]

Originally Posted by toddster8

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graveyard_of_the_Pacific

I think there's a reason that the US Coast Guard put their motor lifeboat school at the Columbia River Bar...

Couldn't agree more. The severe Artic storms and the massive tidal swings present some very frightening conditions that prevent even the hardiest of vessels from entering. Those boats in the graveyard there tell the rest of the story. Also, just down the coast the inlet into Eureka, California can be of the same ilk. It is listed among the ten most treacherous waters in the world (when the seas are not right - when they are, its like a bathtub (been there, done that). The fact that it is day to day thing also adds to the concerns. Outside fishing one day and unable to exit the breakwater the next. Very unique and certainly sometimes ugly. I am sure that every navigated waterway will present severe hazards in given conditions but those mentioned here get recognized by world standards - there's probably a good reason for that.

[Mikado]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Clearly it's John's Pass.

I guess no one else got it............hilarious!!! :-)

[boat driver]

interesting question- and I would suggest to broad in scope. recreational, commercial, historical, since advent of GPS? Population of vessels and traffic, or by number of reports?


Columbia Bar is a respected location. But in the last 70 years is rough but not unsuspecting.
The west coast as previously mentioned can be treacherous by sea direction shifts.

Unsuspecting areas- Delaware Bay can be difficult from the numerous shoals and commercial traffic. But more so a summer afternoon squall can make a tranquil current become a treacherous confused sea with no sea room to maneuver.

Florida can be a recreational vessel nightmare resulting of a cross population of vessel types and operators- all who either practice the rules of the road and those who do not know the rules of the roads exist. And often two speeds- stop and go.

I would look up Tow Boat US home port locations- (and equipment) - it will suggest that capitalism does not operate in locations of low business opportunities.

[Comix Bay]

Originally Posted by toddster8

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graveyard_of_the_Pacific

I think there's a reason that the US Coast Guard put their motor lifeboat school at the Columbia River Bar...

Agree whole heartedly, worst place on Pacific side for sure.

[KP44]

I read the question to ask, "most hazardous for navigation" and not the most hazardous areas to sail.
That would be where tidal currents are not predictable or where compass or GPS readings are not reliable. Such as the Swinomish Channel that defies tidal prediction. Or areas of the ICW that silt-in quickly or unpredictably.

[danielamartindm]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

Why would anyone even want to bother to know that? Proper seamanship and adequate knowledge of navigation should enable the skipper, even of a fast boat like a Conquest 315, to stay away from the hazards, thus rendering the question trivial.

TP

I know some pretty damned good sailors and captains, and they've ALL run aground at one time or another. Bottoms shoal, markers are sometimes placed in the wrong locations, and not every rock and reef in the world is charted.

[KJThomas]

Wall Street.

[philiosophy]

Surge Narrows British Columbia, Wrangell Narrows Petersburg Alaska. Unimak Pass Western Alaska.
How about Hurricane Ridge as wep lovingly called the area between St Georges Reef Northern California and Cape Blanco Southern Oregon. I personally saw 50’ swells and a wind gusting to 100 kts for two days.

[frozenhawaiian]

hazardous due to traffic and hazardous just from a navigational standpoint are different things. from a traffic standpoint I would say new york harbor takes the cake. from a navigational standpoint I think certin parts of the coast of maine are extremely tricky, very rugged, weaving coastline with dozen of shoals and dangerous ledges, many of them unmarked and also many of them standing alone in the middle of otherwise deep/safe channels. and unlike many places down south it's mostly granite ledge up here which is decidedly less forgiving than a sand or mud bottom. our 10 foot tidal range also gets a lot of people into trouble who aren't used to such large fluctuations in tide.

[boat driver]

Navigational- Labrador and North coasts of Canada are cool- and navigation is fathometer and charts made in the 1800's and tend to be particularly desolate outside the travels of individual vessels recording. Awesome cruising grounds, leave your GPS home.

[joecat22]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Clearly it's John's Pass.

Of course!

Having watched the tide run up in Maine, that looks pretty scary to me.

[Bean Counter]

Accident Statistic
Lots data here - use the statistics search function - down load to excel and search bodies of water.

[frozenhawaiian]

Originally Posted by joecat22

Of course!

Having watched the tide run up in Maine, that looks pretty scary to me.

you get used it

[puffcard]

In the Chesapeake Bay its the James River, is by far the most hazardous. But it not because of shoal or current. It's because guys taking their families out in John boats and the summer squalls come thru and they don't stand a chance. It's a big wide river with a long fetch. It's sad each year we have a couple go down.

[Delancey]

Right? How many people die down at the public boat ramp in the afternoon on a weekend around cocktail hour?