Cell coverage, coast washington?

Hi all,



Hoping there is some experience with this. We are planning trip down coast of Washington to Columbia River and wondering what cell coverage is like off the coast.



Thanks for any info/experience on this topic

JD17, when you turn the bow and come across the Columbia Bar (it's a piece of cake if you time it right!) head upstream to just beyond the junction with the Snake River. Get in touch with me as you get about half way up the river and the first round is on me.

BTW, I have an Excel file that has all the mileages on the Columbia and Snake
rivers. Also there's a sheet that has all the phone numbers and call signs of the dams and bridges on the rivers. It's yours for the asking.

Mike

Oh, and yes, there is cell coverage on the coast if you aren't too far off shore.

If you're on AT&T you may have problems when near Neah Bay and rounding Cape Flattery.

I’ve done the tip a ton of times…. There’s coverage 10-12 KM out.. 80% of the time if you have Verizon… AT&T, maybe 40% of the time.

The Washington Coast has good Cell coverage. I don't remember ever not having cell service. Its possible that there are holes now and then but I have never noticed. Cell service is also very good on the Oregon Coast. Now the California Coast is very different. There are lots of Cell holes along the California Coast.

Now Crab season can drive you as far as 27 miles off the coast. This far out cell service gets more difficult. I like to carry an InReach with me. This is a very inexpensive Satellite communication device that allows others, with your permission, to track you as well as send text and emails.

thanks for your response(s).



Regarding crab season.....

I imagine commercial vs. recreational crab seasons are different and distances out are different. I'd appreciate a crash course on that!



JD

JD17 said:

thanks for your response(s).



Regarding crab season.....

I imagine commercial vs. recreational crab seasons are different and distances out are different. I'd appreciate a crash course on that!



JD

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The major concern is commercial crabbing. As far as I know there is no regulatory limit with regard to distance off shore. What I have observed is the crabbers seldom set their pots deeper than 100 fathoms which is usually 25 to 27 miles off shore. Unfortunately there is no set season. Regulators open and close crabbing based on a number of variables.

Pure speculation on my part but it seems for much of the west coast of the US there is a steep drop off at about 100 fathoms. The crabbers want a relativity flat bottom.

I know these are not specific answers to your question. You'll have to head out there and observe. If there are lots of pots out there and you'll be running after dark you may be better off out past the 100 fathom line.

If you are only traveling by day then its easy to see the pot buoys and avoid them. If traveling at night its a very different story. In order to avoid them you need to get out into deeper water. Its rare to see a crab pot placed in water over 350' but I do occasionally see them as deep as 400'. I have never seen them in water 500' or deeper. I try to stay in 500' of water at night. There are a few places that require being 27 miles off shore to stay this deep. Often you are only 15 miles off shore. Most Insurance riders say no more than 25 miles. If you ask your broker to be allowed to go beyond the 25 mile limit to stay in 500' of water to avoid crab pots, it almost always granted with no extra fee.

tiltrider1 said:

If you are only traveling by day then its easy to see the pot buoys and avoid them. If traveling at night its a very different story. In order to avoid them you need to get out into deeper water. Its rare to see a crab pot placed in water over 350' but I do occasionally see them as deep as 400'. I have never seen them in water 500' or deeper. I try to stay in 500' of water at night. There are a few places that require being 27 miles off shore to stay this deep. Often you are only 15 miles off shore. Most Insurance riders say no more than 25 miles. If you ask your broker to be allowed to go beyond the 25 mile limit to stay in 500' of water to avoid crab pots, it almost always granted with no extra fee.

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Ive run the US west coast more times than I can count. Pot buoys are not always easy to see in daylight. I've been surprised by buoys that pop up in front of the boat as I crest a swell. I've seen lots of them barely at the surface and just below the surface due to current. Often with so much extra line streaming just below the surface that it is important to keep track of the current diretion to round the pot on the safe side.

I've often seen pots set out to the 100 fathom curve. Of course the 100 fathom line wanders in and out but you will often be over 25 nm out to stay outside the line. Not being a crabber I can only speculate why. The bottom slope is relatively gradual out to 100 fathoms. Then it steepens, in some places almost a cliff. I'm thinkning crabbers want to set their pots on relatively flat bottoms. I've never seen pots set on steep slopes.

One easy to follow bit of advice is the commercial pots are usually set in a straight line following a depth curve. See one and look for it's bothers, move a bit shallower or deeper and Bob's yer uncle till you cross the next line.

tiltrider1 said:

If you are only traveling by day then its easy to see the pot buoys and avoid them. If traveling at night its a very different story. In order to avoid them you need to get out into deeper water. Its rare to see a crab pot placed in water over 350' but I do occasionally see them as deep as 400'. I have never seen them in water 500' or deeper. I try to stay in 500' of water at night. There are a few places that require being 27 miles off shore to stay this deep. Often you are only 15 miles off shore. Most Insurance riders say no more than 25 miles. If you ask your broker to be allowed to go beyond the 25 mile limit to stay in 500' of water to avoid crab pots, it almost always granted with no extra fee.

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This is great information!

Portage bay is right. If the seas kick up you might not be able to see the buoys even in the day light. He is also right, if you see one look for the other 20 that are close by. While I haven’t seen any pots in 600’ of water, I’m not going to argue this one. I haven’t made the run for 5 years and I have noticed the pots going deeper over the years.

Concerning crab pots. The Neah Bay tribe lays out pots, normally in a straight line. The horrifying thing is they use BLACK floats. PAY attention!

In addition to the black tribal pots are what I think of as ghost pots. They seem to have been abandoned out there. Covered in bio growth, dark green and very difficult to see.