The Heart of the Graveyard of the Pacific.
The Columbia Bar is the portion of the Columbia River where the current dissipates into the Pacific Ocean, often as large, standing waves partially caused by the deposition of sediment as the river slows. These standing waves are usually mixed with ocean waves and wreak havoc with small (and not so small) vessels. To add to the treachery, conditions can change from calm and serene to life threatening breaking waves in as little as five minutes due to tide, wind direction and ocean swell direction. In the centuries since white man has been present, hundreds of boats have sunk in and around the Columbia Bar. The nearby U.S. Coast Guard station at Cape Disappointment is reknowned for operating in some of the roughest sea conditions in the world. [1]
As a practical tip, small craft are advised to cross the bar during times of incoming flood tide, staying toward the outside of the navigational channel to avoid the frequent large ships which move at 20 to 30 knots.
