Lapush Bar crossing

So want is the trick to crossing what they call the bar at Lapush. I have crossed Westport many times but everyone talks about Lapush. Is there anyone that can help or will be there Friday and Saturday that would give a one time run through I can do my own fishing and return if informed of incoming concerns.
MOXIE

No big deal at all. There really isn't much of a bar at all, just a river mouth which makes it real nice unless there is a strong S-SW wind.

One thing to watch is the sign they have out there, if the bar has waves of 4' or bigger the sign will have 2 yellow flashing lights, Just something to keep in mind

i lost a boat load of buddies on that bar one january day.. out of nine people on board only two survived and only one bodie was recoverd... be carefull!!!!!

Just pay attention to wind/wave forecasts. Here's one I've found to be pretty accurate for that area:

http://magicseaweed.com/La-Push-Surf-Report/308/

This whole weekend it looks like you could ride a 150qt cooler through that river mouth.

This time of year the Lapush "bar" is very seldom a problem. Like already said,watch for a big SW blow and even then it's not all that bad mainly because the rough area is small compared to Westport or the Columbia.

It's no problem, unless it is. There used to be a Coast Guard boat at the mouth turning back those to dumb to understand that on ocassion it is VERY dangerous. When the waves are breaking all the way across the mouth its not a safe place to be.

...and when you come out, don't make a hard turn to starboard. There is a wash rock that can sneak up on you. Go out a way before starting your turn to the ocean.

We took a drive out there today. Visibility about noon was less than 50 yards (fog). The river mouth is not real wide, but it is pretty well marked with a light on the jetty and navaids coming in. Obey the buoys in the river (stay to the starboard side going up stream).

As mentioned above S and SW winds and swells out of the SW can make the bar a challenge.

Put in a tight line of waypoints on your chart plotter as you go out and run the line out past James Island. You'll be glad you did if you have to come back in, in the fog.

Here is a nice shot
http://www.forkswa.com/webcam2/netcam.jpg

Most people that get into trouble at LaPush will be related to the fog. Have seen more people lost out there than in trouble at the bar. You must have the proper equipment out there to find your way back, it is a pretty small window to hit.

Seems that I remember even the Coast Guard got into trouble there....I think, if I remember correctly, lives were lost.

A Coast Guard boat did have trouble and only one crew member survived. The boat ended up in the little bay that faces the Pacific on James Island. When the river is high & the tide is coming in pushed by a SW wind, it can get nasty.

That accident happened in Febuary. In the 12 or so years of running a troller out of Neah Bay and Lapush there were only a handful of times the Lapush bar was bad and I never saw it so bad that I wouldn't cross it in the 40 ft troller. Smaller boats might have had a problem depending on the boat and operator. If you go out there in the winter it's a whole different animal. Like GBL said,the fog is way more likely to cause problems this time of year. If your are out there on a nice calm sunny afternoon and see a black line on the horizon you have about half an hour to get your bearings before the fog is soup thick.

I believe that CG boat was on a rescue mission.