Got to talking with a few Gorge sailing folks recently, and the subject of
barges came up. We exchanged a few stories about close calls we had seen, and
why.

I sail most frequently at near-east sites like Celilo and the Maryhill/Wall
stretch. Interesting that I can't recall the last time I heard a barge sound
its' horn when approaching either of these sites. At Celilo it is particularly
easy to miss a barge heading downriver as they swing around the breakwater.
Most folks on this list have had a football-field sized barge "sneak up" on
them, just by getting narrowly focused on wind and swell.

I can understand that barge pilots have no love for windsurfers, but it seems
reckless to head into a "shared access" piece of river (with sailors visible)
and not sound a warning. Is this a courtesy reserved for high density sites
like the Hatchery?


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