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ASSOCIATED PRESS
GARIBALDI, Ore., June 15,2003 A federal official investigating a charter fishing boat that- (yesterday-capsized in rough surf, killing at least nine people, raised questions Sunday about the decision to send the small vessel out in such conditions but added that it will take time to learn the accidents cause.
THE OCEAN search ended Sunday for two men missing in the Saturday morning capsizing, which eight people survived by swimming a few hundred yards to land.
The 32-foot boat Taki Tooo flipped over after setting off from a harbor that had been closed to recreational boats because of waves some estimated at 15 feet high, but not to charter boats.
If the surf was worse yesterday than it is today, I would have some issues going out in a boat this size, National Transportation Safety Board official John Goglia said Sunday, when the ocean was calmer and restrictions for recreational boats had been lifted. But that may be my personal fear.
Three other charter fishing boats had left safely from the same area Saturday morning, said Tillamook County sheriffs department Marine Deputy Paul Fournier. Goglia told reporters the investigation will examine the condition of the ocean when the boat set out early Saturday, as well as the boat itself and its equipment.
LIFE JACKETS KEY ROLE Investigators most definite conclusion about Saturdays capsizing at the mouth of Tillamook Bay concerned the importance of life jackets. The boats orange vests were worn by all eight survivors and none of those found dead.
Coast Guard helicopters and boats called off the ocean search for the missing men, Tim Albus of Madras and Barry Sundberg of Cheney, Wash., on Sunday morning, saying they couldn't have survived so long in the 50-degree water.
The search for bodies continued along the beach, where federal investigators collected the remaining soaked life jackets that had washed up from the wreck.
The Taki Tooo had just cleared a long, rocky jetty extending from the mouth of Tillamook Bay, an area known for high waves and swirling currents, when a wave broadsided it, said Garibaldi Charters operator Mick Buell, who had watched his boat head out.
Coast Guard Master Chief Lars Kent said that after a witness reported seeing the boat capsize, people on the beach, including the pastor of a local church, helped pull some of the survivors from the water and help them to shore.
The survivors ages 13 to 48 were treated at a hospital for hypothermia and released. The dead ranged in age from their late teens to their 50s, and included the brother of Tim Albus, Steve Albus of Ephrata, Wash.
We all hurt really bad, said Steve Albus wife, Sally. He gave us a lot of strength, but the Lord's with us, and we'll get through this.
Larry Frick of Spokane, Wash., had been out on the boat with four of his best friends, said his son, also named Larry. All four died. The family can't really believe this happened, the son said.
The Taki Tooo's captain, Doug Davis, also died. The others killed were Dennis Tipton and Kathy Corley, both of Ukiah; Sigmud Bohnet, from Florida; Edward Loll of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Terry Galloway of Portland and Richard Hidalgo of Green Bay, Wis.
The Taki Tooo was believed to have enough life jackets for all aboard, although passengers and crew are not required by law to wear them.
I was working a split shift on the day it happened. I just got home when my mom called and told me to "sit down". She asked me if I'd heard about the boat accident in Garabaldi. Then she told me that Steve and Tim were on it.(I guess Steve tried to get me the night before, his best friend lives in Gresham too, so they just went to a movie when he couldn't get a hold of me.) :'-( She said all that she knew so far was that there were 9 dead, 2 missing, and 8 in the hospital. They knew that Steve and Tim weren't among the ones in the hospital, so they were either dead or missing. We left the beach after a while. There were a lot of calls home. We went over to the motel that Steve and Tim stayed at. Terry Galloway's brother had already been there and gotten the boys stuff. I was glad. We went back down to the jetty. We had some time to wait. I wanted to see Steve again after they prepared him for moving. But they couldn't do that until the investigators got done with him. I just sat there on a log staring at the water praying that Tim would come in. There were too many news crews around, so we left. We had already dodged two, one at the mortuary and one on the jetty. I just couldn't talk to them. I came home and went to the Sunday night service at my church then went home and slept. I was in a daze the next day. I remember stopping by work to keep them posted, my boss gave me a big hug and handed me a sympathy card, she told me not to open it till I got out to the car. It was full of money! They all had been putting their tips in there! (I just started working there 4 months before and hadn't built up any sick or vacation days yet.) They were so sweet to me and told me to take all the time I needed. I found out when my check came that the ones that were filling in for me were clocking in as me so that I wouldn't loose any money! I'll never forget their kindness.
As soon as we hung up I called my Pastor, David, (my ex), Kathy, then Sally, (Steve's wife). She said that she didn't know anything officially yet, but that the Sheriffs office was sending a car to her house, so she was pretty sure that Steve was gone. She also told me about a dream that God gave her that morning around the same time that the boat went down. God comforted her before she found out about it.
Soon my living room was full of people, Scott and Barb (pastor) Kathy and her kids, my ex, various neighbors. We were all waiting for names to be released. Kathy's sister Linda lives in Tillamook so she was on the cell phone with her trying to see if she knew anything more. Sally called and told us that Steve was dead and Tim was one of the missing. Kathy had gone outside to talk, and she came back in with tears running down her face. She had been talking to her sisters' pastor who had been on the scene when the boat went over. He had helped pull people in out of the surf. He had pulled Steve in. He remembered him vividly.
I had to get on the road, They wouldn't let me go until David said he would go and take care of me. We went straight to Tillamook to Wauds funeral home. Kathy had called them and said that I was coming.
When I got there they pulled me into an office. On the desk was a very swollen wallet and a red velvet bag. I stared at the wallet the whole time he was talking. It hit me hard seeing that. After paperwork he handed it to me. I smelled it. I felt it on my face. It was cold and wet and full of sand. In the velvet bag were the keys to his car. I didn't even think about his car. Then he prepared me to see Steve. It had been 10 hours since the accident. My Steve. He was dark and he had 3 little cuts on his nose. It was so hard to see him. He's my oldest brother, my hero. I'll never forget what he looked like laying there. It was precious, and I'm so glad I got to be there with him. We stayed with him for a while.
Linda's pastor Bill came to the mortuary then took us down to the sight. He showed us where the boat went over,and where Steve came in. Then we went to see the boat. I was suprised it was so small. After Bill left us at the beach we went over to the dock to find Steve's car.
We went over to Linda's house next. She and her husband John were so great. They put us up for the night and made us eat. We stayed up talking very late.
When I opened my eyes in the morning and saw daylight I had to get back down to the beach. "Tim's still out there." I stood on the beach and looked out to the water. The helicopters were flying back and forth. I looked over toward the boat, there were people gathered around it. Then we got up onto the jetty. I knew he could be between those rocks and I wanted to get him out of there. I knew he was gone, but I couldn't stand the thought that he was so cold and alone. I can't explain it. I walked as close to the edge as Dave would let me. I looked in every crack and crevice that I could get to.
My mom called and said that Steve had some salmon in the trunk in a cooler and we had better check on that. We went to a store to get ice, and while we were bending over the trunk putting it in I heard this "Lisa??" I turned around and saw this man walking toward me. I looked at his face and said, "I'm sorry, I don't have a clue." He said, "Ray, Ray S******" "Oh my God, Ray". I threw my arms around him. I said, "What, you recognized my butt?" "No LISA, YOUR HAIR..." It had been 25 years. He had heard on the news and came down from Warrenton. I was so glad to see him.
The Astoria funeral home was coming to get Steve to transport him after embalming. I went to see him one more time. I didn't want to leave. After a while I found myself in the car calling my mom asking her if I could go home now. I don't remember the drive home much. I just followed David. He was in my car, I was in Steves.
I don't remember anything else that happened that day. I remember staying up late watching the news. When I got up the next morning I knew I had to get back down there. On the way I saw a couple of news crews going home. I went straight over to John and Linda's this time. They took me down to the jetty. I looked around at the cars. I didn't recognize any, but I walked over to a group of people anyway. As I got closer I saw Tammy, Tim's wife. We hugged and cried. Then I hugged Tiffany and Timothy and Tina. I told them what I knew about Steve's funeral plans, and that my mom wanted a memorial for Tim then. Tammy said she wasn't ready to give up on him yet. It was hard. I'm glad now that we didn't do anything for Tim at Steve's funeral. Tammy and I walked and talked for a bit, then I got back on the jetty. There were people there crawling along the sides looking all over calling Tim's name. I wanted to say to them, "He's dead, what are you saying??" but, you have to do what you have to do. John and I walked to the end. On the way he was telling me about the tides and where he thought Tim might come in. I walked down lower on the end than I had before, then this big wave came in. It splashed taller than me just a little ahead of me. I realized more than ever the power of the ocean. It took my breath away.
On the way back I asked the ones that were calling out Tim's name, "Who are you people?" I realized looking at them that they were some of Tammy's family, so I said, "I'm Tim's sister, Lisa", then they introduced themselves. I hadn't seen them since Tim and Tammy's wedding. When we got back I sat on a log with Tammy and talked for a while. One of Tim's brother-in-laws came over to Tammy with a sweatshirt he found on the jetty. He said, "Do you recognize this?" I did, it was Tim's. (I was surprised he didn't show it to me while we were walking).I took it and smelled it and held it to my
face, then I gave it back to Tammy and I told her I needed to go. They were taking it to the news crew, and I didn't want to be on TV.
Tim's Memorial was August 16th, two months and two days from the accident. There were a lot of people there that I hadn't seen in years. The service was very hard for my girls. Tim was their closest uncle. There was a picture on the alter of Tim holding my youngest daughter on his lap. During the slide show there were a lot of pictures of Tim and I together, then there were a lot of pictures of the beach where the accident happened. My middle daughter started falling apart then and I had to take her out for a time. I don't remember much else from the day.
