The Graveyard of the Pacific | America’s Most Dangerous Coastline

At the edge of the Pacific Northwest lies one of the deadliest stretches of water in North America—the Columbia Bar, where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. This isn’t just a river mouth—it’s a maritime gauntlet where unpredictable sandbars, deadly tides, and violent storms have claimed over 2,000 vessels. For generations, sailors have called it the Graveyard of the Pacific.

In this episode, we uncover the harrowing history of this infamous region—from Indigenous knowledge systems to shipwrecks like the SS Valencia and SS Pacific, whose wreckage remained hidden for over a century. We’ll explore how bar pilots risk their lives to navigate these waters, and how the U.S. Coast Guard continues to protect one of the most dangerous coastlines in America.