Tag Archives: Southwest Washington
Crossing the perilous Willapa Bay bar holds a steep cost
To reach the ocean crabbing grounds from this Southwest Washington community, Mike Green must navigate his boat through the seas that churn across the mouth of Willapa Bay. Through the years, the 69-year-old Green has had some close calls. Waves once shattered the wheelhouse windows of his boat, the 52-foot Mi Lana. This winter, he suffered a far more grievous loss. His grandson, Bryson Fitch, 24, went missing Feb. 5 after the vessel he was working on, the Ethel May, capsized in an attempt to cross the mouth of the bay. Fitch’s loss was a sledgehammer blow to his family and a community of some 250 people with an economy long tied to shellfish. 11 photos, >click to read< 11:03
