A career of dangerous rescues on Washington's 'Graveyard of the Pacific'

Life in Ilwaco, Washington, is a quiet coastal experience. In the summers there are fleets of fishermen and crab pots who crowd the mouth of the Columbia River, on the border of Oregon and Washington.

But located just outside Ilwaco is the nation’s largest and busiest Coast Guard unit. This stretch of coast is known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific,” and is some of the most dangerous water in the United States.

For years, Chris D’Amelio was a surfman in Ilwaco, one of the highest technical positions in the Coast Guard. The position included some of the most dangerous search and rescue operations on the ocean.

The physical and mental thrills — and setbacks — are detailed in a new book by D’Amelio titled, “Life and Death at Cape Disappointment: Becoming a Surfman on the Columbia River Bar.”

For D’Amelio, the Coast Guard was a natural choice for a 19-year-old looking for stable work and a chance to be out on the water. But it was quickly apparent that this would never be an easy job.

"When you take a 40,000-pound boat and hit 20-foot surf, you're going to get beat up," D'Amelio said. "It's like getting up and running into a wall doing a full sprint, doing that for a few hours a day."

Listen to the full interview with Chris D'Amelio by clicking "play" on the audio above.