In One Ear: Do you recall?

Published 12:15 am Thursday, February 3, 2022

Last week, canoeist Neal Moore was visiting Floyd Holcom at Pier 39. Neal recently completed an almost two-year journey traveling waterways across the country from west to east in his canoe, starting from Astoria, and chronicled at 22Rivers.com

While his journey was successful, Neal is thinking about two canoeists who attempted a similar venture, leaving from Astoria on March 1, 1978 — heading for the mouth of the Kennebec River in Maine — whose journey had a tragic end.

“New Englanders Pete Macridis, 25, and Timothy Black, 23, vanished … above (the) Bonneville Dam on March 11, 1978,” Neal wrote. “The duo had years of paddling and guiding experience and, like myself, had spent a year of planning every aspect of their journey across the nation …” Macridis (left) and Black are pictured in a vintage Associated Press photo.

“The AP reported westerly winds had been blowing at about 20 to 25 mph that day. Two years ago, when I passed this way, and had just learned of the duo’s demise from fellow long-distance paddler and friend, Norm Miller, I got in trouble with a westerly wind at 15 mph, with gusts up to 20.

“I made two attempts at my journey. Once in 2018 and again in 2020. Coming through the Columbia River Gorge was treacherous on both occasions for me. The second time, I took video of the exact spot where the duo of young paddlers were last seen. I reflected as I paddled … on what transpired that fateful, final day of their expedition.” 

The paddlers’ canoe washed ashore on the Washington state side on March 12, about 10 miles east of the Bonneville Dam, a newspaper report said. Their packs, paddles, clothes and life jackets were floating offshore. Black’s body was found on March 14; Macridis’ body was never found. Clippings and video are at bit.ly/GorgeMissing

“I’d like to include the duo in the book I’m working on,” Neal said, “and to meet anybody here who met them, or chronicled their departure, would be really great.” Does anyone recall these two canoeists’ visit to Astoria? If so, please email ewilson@dailyastorian.com or call 971-704-1718.