Fishermen Rescued
Four commercial fishermen escaped serious injury yesterday when their commercial fishing boat the Darean Rose ran aground and capsized just after leaving the fueling pier at the Charleston Marina. The U.S Coast Guard Sector North Bend responded to the sinking vessel and was on scene within 10 minutes. The coast guard deployed absorbent pads to contain any fuel from spreading. There is an investigation into what caused the accident. The crew of the Darean Rose was treated for minor scrapes and bruises.
Whale Watching
Today is the official start of the whale watching along the Oregon Coast. There are watching stations located in several places along the central coast including Cape Perpetua, Sea Lion Caves, and Winchester and Depoe Bays. Signs are up along designated viewing areas and volunteers are on hand between 10 am and 1 pm daily at each of the spots. Spotters say though that whales are regularly seen along coastal waters if you just wait long enough. This is the peak season for whale migration and watchers can see up to 30 whales per hours. The Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center will be open from 10am until 4 pm daily and park rangers will be on hand to answer questions about the whales. For more information you can visit oregonstateparks.org.
New Boating Rules
New legislation will take effect for boaters in Oregon. One of the many new laws to take effect January 1, is that there is no longer a 60 day boating safety education card exemption for new boat owners. Taking a boating safety course and carrying a boating safety education card is now required when operating a motorboat over 10 horsepower regardless of when the boat was purchased. There is also an increase in boater registration and title fees. That increase will be 33%. Boating safety education cards increase to $20. Boaters will now also be required to “pull the plug” when leaving a waterbody and during transport to allow any water holding compartments to drain. Failure to do so is a $30 fine for non-motorized boats and $50 for motorized boats.
Sneaker Waves
The National Weather Service has issued a beach hazards statement for the central Oregon coast. The potential for sneaker waves is possible for the entire coastal area. Keep children and pets away from surf areas and keep off the rocks and jetties. This notice is set to expire on Sunday at 4pm.
