‘Taming the Mouth’ team shares passion for jetty system
Published 5:00 pm Monday, November 21, 2022
- Scientists with the state Department of Geology and Mineral Industries visit Clatsop Spit regularly to track the movement of materials in a gravel berm constructed at the base of the South Jetty. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopes the gravel berm will help blunt waves and prevent further erosion from threatening the jetty’s function.
Three friends hope to produce a feature-length documentary about the story of the Columbia River Jetty System.
Joe Foss, Jeff Holt and Gary Kobes, each lifelong Pacific Northwest residents, are behind the documentary film team of “Taming the Mouth.” Their fascination with the region’s history fueled their passion to tell about the jetty system, a subject they say most Americans and even locals know almost nothing about.
“We hope to end up with a feature-length documentary about the Columbia River Jetty system, its history, past and present,” Foss said in an interview with his collaborators at High Life Adventures in Warrenton. “It’s a jaw-dropper. I’ve never seen anything like this.’”
Foss, who lives in Tacoma, Washington, owns a vacation rental home in Seaside.
While hiking along the Columbia River, he became curious about the jetty system, its construction and the people and personalities involved.
“That’s probably been 15 years ago,” Foss said.
About five years ago, he said, he realized there was an untold story.
He turned to his friend and pastor, Jeff Holt, who also had filmmaking skills. Their first contact was the Columbia River Maritime Museum archival library.
Foss uncovered a digital presentation by Gary Kobes, an Astoria resident, pilot and manager at the Astoria Airport. In spring 2021, Kobes wrote “The Columbia River Jetties: Battling the Columbia River for Over 125 Years,” for the QuarterDeck, the maritime museum’s historic publication.
“I emailed Gary and said, ‘I’m interested in the Columbia River Jetty system. Would you mind sharing your phone number?’ He shared his number and I called him. We realized we had this common interest.”
Foss proposed a feature-length documentary. “Gary agreed to work with me,” Foss said. “Wow! I had finally found that linchpin person who could assist in moving this project forward.”
As a first step, he registered the URL for a website, TamingTheMouth.com.
Foss, Kobes and Holt met in June. They immediately hit it off, finding a shared passion for telling the jetty story.
The team has been on a “fast-moving train” since their first lunch meeting this summer. They have made two private plane flights over the Columbia Mouth area to get an aerial view.
Foss said he is hoping to find people in the area who have family members who participated in the project: bar pilots and people with first-hand experience who can help fill out the narrative.
While at an early stage, they hope to build up the historical aspect with “characters attached.”
The filmmakers hope to find individuals with compelling stories to share, particularly about crossing the Columbia Bar or others related to elements connected to this story, Foss said. Those interested in sharing their stories are invited to visit their website, TamingTheMouth.com.
“This is a story that needs to be told,” he said. “People aren’t going to believe this. This is not something you would really understand and get your arms around unless you start digging into it.”
