Friday pre ORC warm-up?

My son and I will be attending the ORC this Saturday. This will be our first time in salt with our kayaks which of course means that it will also be our first time out of Depoe Bay. Our plan is arrive at the campground Thursday night so that we can fish Friday morning to try and get a basic idea of what to expect on Saturday for the tournament. I haven't checked the tides yet (for Friday or Saturday) but if this is doable, I was wandering how many other folks will be doing the same and if there would be anyone who would be willing to give us some basic guidance? I am not asking for locations to fish (I can study carts) but rather general information like the best way to run the hole in a kayak (proper etiquette/protocol), no-fishing zones, safety info, etc.. Any assistance on the water Friday would be greatly appreciated.

There's typically several folks that go out the day before to pre-fish the area.  I think it was last year, or maybe the year before, the channel was closed to small craft until that Friday.  I went out, got seasick, and went back in.  If the channel is open, but conditions are marginal I'd recommend you stay on land.  The channel gets sporty when the swell kicks up.

First time getting salty you really need a companion that has more than a little experience.  The ocean can bite you in the ass and turn a fun day into a tragedy in a blink.

For running the channel out the harbor go in a group.  This is both for safety and to reduce the impact to the power boats (we're slow, one big group is less of a hassle for them than a steady trickle of ones and twos).  Carry a VHF and announce your departure and return on the correct channel (80??).  Don't fish between the channel and the first bouy, fly a safety flag, wear a drysuit, and don't be "that guy". 

I'm getting to Chinook Bend Thursday afternoon and will either hit Depoe or Pacific City on Friday depending on conditions. I'd love to get out to Depoe. I'm no expert, but I'd be happy to head out with you on Friday either way. I'll be in the Gray Honda Ridgeline and yellow Solitaire Tent in the community tenting area.

Fred "True" Trujillo

There will be a few of us at the campground from Wednesday on.  Getting out will depend on the weather.  We've hit Newport the last couple years for prefishing due to crappy weather.  I wouldn't be against a drive up to PC Thursday or Friday depending on swell.

I'm trying to clear my schedule to arrive on Thirsday and if I do I'm down for a trip out with ocean rookies on Friday.

Local channel is 80, most kayaker traffic is on 69, USCG monitors 80. You must announce your transit through the hole on 80. It's narrow and no place for conflicting traffic. Don't fish in the channel outside the hole. Mostly it comes down to some simple rules for living:

1.  Leave everywhere you go better off than you found it.
2.  Don't be an asshole.

Make sure to monitor 69. It's not a habit I am in because here we just use the local channels. A couple years ago on tourney day I was in a position to best assist two kayakers who capsized in marginal conditions and did not hear the call because I was on 80. I won't make that mistake again.

i thought it was law to monitor coastie channel 16 when out there?

i thought it was law to monitor coastie channel 16 when out there?

It may be, but I don't think its common.  I have a cobra that is set up to monitor 16 and two other channels, which for me at depoe bay will be 69 and 80.  I don't see how it would be enforced, and I dont think that requiring kayakers to monitor 16 would help with anything since we are not well equipped to render aid to anyone any distance from us.  We can always go to 16 and call for help if we need to.

i thought it was law to monitor coastie channel 16 when out there?

It may be, but I don't think its common.  I have a cobra that is set up to monitor 16 and two other channels, which for me at depoe bay will be 69 and 80.  I don't see how it would be enforced, and I dont think that requiring kayakers to monitor 16 would help with anything since we are not well equipped to render aid to anyone any distance from us.  We can always go to 16 and call for help if we need to.

Leap frogging communications to and from the Coasties is very much a reason we should be monitoring 16.   Sometimes kayakers can get tucked into a cove where their VHF may not be able to transmit around corners well.  If they hail out and the Coasties cannot receive it, yet another kayaker is somewhere outside the cove and can relay the hail, then this is a good thing.  Just as if one of us picks up a distant hail that the Coasties can't quite understand.  We are then able to relay the info to them. 

So, yes kayakers can be the difference between someones survival or tragedy, even if they can't help as much physically.

i thought it was law to monitor coastie channel 16 when out there?

Many VHF radios have a scan function so you can monitor multiple channels at a time.  However, if my VHF didn't have that function, I'd park myself on 80 while fishing Depoe Bay.

Also, I'll probably be fishing on Friday morning.  I'm happy to give some info and help people get through the hole if you're ready when I'm ready.

I'm heading over Thursday night and should arrive at Chinook Bend early Friday morning.  I'd like to get out and fish Friday at Depoe Bay or PC.  I don't have a lot of experience 'but have a few trips  in the salt.  My first trip out of Depoe Bay was last year the Friday before ORC.  They just had opened the bar and it was pretty sporty.  I was wondering what I was getting myself into.  It was an experience I still can't get enough of. 

I don't know if my heart could have been pumping any harder on my first trip out of Depoe Bay.

i thought it was law to monitor coastie channel 16 when out there?

It may be, but I don't think its common.  I have a cobra that is set up to monitor 16 and two other channels, which for me at depoe bay will be 69 and 80.  I don't see how it would be enforced, and I dont think that requiring kayakers to monitor 16 would help with anything since we are not well equipped to render aid to anyone any distance from us.  We can always go to 16 and call for help if we need to.

If My boat sank or drifted away and I was treading water for 10 minutes I sure would appreciate a kayak paddling over so I can hang on till something bigger could pull me out of the water. 

I don't know if my heart could have been pumping any harder on my first trip out of Depoe Bay.

Yeah, it's still a rush for me each time.  Partly because I never know for sure if everyone heard my call on the radio and some PB might decide to run the hole and go right over me.

I'm cleared for Thursday departure.  I'll shoot to roll in to the campground by mid afternoon.  What time are folks launching on Friday morning?