SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard has announced a formal investigation into the Jan. 8 capsizing of a fishing boat that killed a Joyce man and two other crab fishermen near Newport, Ore.
Joshua Porter of Joyce, 50, died after the 42-foot Mary B II was struck by a 20-foot wave while crossing the Yaquina Bay bar, Coast Guard officials said.
Jessie Warner described her longtime friend as a hard-working man who loved his wife, had a goofy sense of humor and was highly regarded in the Narcotics Anonymous community. Porter had been sober for about 14 years, Warner said.
“I’ve never seen a harder worker than Josh,” Warner said in a Friday interview.
“In all of his spare time, he was always helping an addict in need. Josh took his recovery very seriously and touched a lot of lives in NA.”
Also on board the Mary B 11 were Capt. Stephen Biernacki, 50, and James Lacy, 48, both of New Jersey.
Coast Guard officials said waves were between 14 and 16 feet near Newport on the night of Jan. 8 with occasional waves cresting to 20 feet.
A Coast Guard life boat crew was escorting the slow-moving fishing boat into the treacherous bar before the Mary B II drifted toward the north jetty and capsized without warning at 10:08 p.m.
The Coast Guard crew immediately began searching for the fishermen and called for another rescue boat and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from the Newport station, officials said after the incident.
The bodies of Porter and Lacy were found a short time later on the beach north of Yaquina Bay.
Biernacki’s body was recovered from the detached pilot house the next morning.
The Oregonian/OregonLive.com reported Jan. 9 that Porter had voiced concerns about Biernacki’s experience prior to the trip.
The Coast Guard announced Tuesday a formal marine casualty investigation into the incident.
Cmdr. Karen Denny, executive officer of Marine Safety Unit Portland, will issue a report with evidence, facts and conclusions and possible safety recommendations, Coast Guard officials said.
Porter had been living near Newport in Toledo, Ore., during fishing seasons.
When he wasn’t fishing, Porter lived on his family’s property off Dempsey Road near Joyce.
“He worked and lived in Joyce doing various jobs and odd jobs out there, from construction work to fishing to running a chainsaw,” said Warner, a Port Angeles native who met Porter more than 25 years ago and now lives in California.
“Josh was a hard worker, a really hard worker. He lived paycheck to paycheck, but he never let that get him down.”
Warner accompanied Porter to the 2018 Narcotics Anonymous world convention in Florida, where they hunted for alligators.
“He didn’t judge anybody,” Warner said.
“He had his opinions about politics and religion, but he loved anybody and everybody for who they were.”
Porter was most recently in Joyce after the Dec. 14 windstorm that shook the Port Angeles area and knocked out power to all of Clallam County.
“He heard about that happening and went back home, helping people cut downed trees on his property,” Warner said.
Port Angeles City Council member Michael Merideth, a truck driver, met Porter at his property last spring.
At first, Merideth didn’t know what to make of the somewhat ragged-looking, soft-spoken customer who was trying to sell wood.
“I thought, Lord, does he even own this wood, let alone am I going to haul it for him,” Merideth said in his report to the City Council on Tuesday.
“He didn’t have a lot of money to get anything done. He was kind of in a pinch, so we got it figured out enough to get some wood out of there so he could start making some money.”
Merideth got to know Porter and grew to appreciate his “interesting” personality and commitment to the recovery community.
“Never judge a book by its cover,” Merideth said Friday.
“He really proved that.”
Warner said Porter ate too much salt and had an “awesome” personality.
“Josh would constantly tell you stupid jokes,” she said.
“They were so stupid that you couldn’t help but laugh at them.”
Porter often spoke about Narcotics Anonymous conventions and offered his truck driver some of the tuna he caught on a recent fishing trip, Merideth said in a telephone interview.
“It was very sad to see this guy that completely turned his life around to help others, and then to be gone at such a young age,” Merideth told the City Council.
“It’s important that, No. 1, you never know who your neighbor is until you get to know them. Just because you look over there and you may have a pre-judgment on them, that may not be who they are.
“No. 2, never take life for granted, and No. 3, make sure that you get out there and live it,” Merideth added.
“This guy got out there and he lived life, and that was Josh Porter. He did not sit on the bench.”
Porter’s family set up a GoFundMe account to offset the funeral costs and help his wife, Denise, with other expenses.
To donate or for more information, go to www.gofundme.com/oregon-fisherman-josh-porter-memorial-fund.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
