heading south update, long, but interesting

[tbnolin]

We crossed over into Florida today. We're spending the night in Fernandina Harbor Marina. A cool little town with lots of history. A great stop.
Yesterday...Weather forecast....Strong winds as an approaching cold front makes its way east....winds 25-35 knots by mid afternoon. Hmmmm a 42 mile run to St Simons Island...we were off by 7:15.

The ride down wasn't the worst ride, but it wasn't the best either. A strong wind out of the south made the St. Catherine Sound very choppy, as well as the many other Sounds that we passed through. It was a day that my co-captain needed to pay close attention to the charts, as there were many areas with skinny water. As always, Brenda was able to guide us through. (Unlike the 4 individuals who left before us and on their way to the Florida border...ran aground in a foot and a half of water!)

We were within 5 miles of St. Simons when I could see the sky towards the west starting to darken up little by little. I decided to bump up our speed from 10 knots to around 18 knots, just as a cushion for arrival time. Sure enough, the marina was located about a mile and a half back up another river that was off the ICW. It was getting darker and darker...this was going to be close! As I rounded the point to head back up the river we could see the marina. This particular channel had only green "day" markers to use as a guide. There were four of them that brought you to the marina. By this time the winds had picked up to around 25 knots. I throttled up and began cruising towards the marina, rain on our heals and the wind now pushing us along with a strong incoming tide.

We were about a mile short of the marina when I called the dockmaster to find out what side he wanted us to come in on. We received his instructions and Brenda proceeded to the starboard side to get her fenders and lines ready for docking. That's when I happened to look off the starboard side to see, about 200 feet ahead, what I thought was, a damaged red marker. I checked the charts one more time, and, nope, nothing here noted. As I got closer to the marker I happened to take a closer look. And there in the water was this dude waving at us. As I looked closer, there were two more in the water...hanging on to dear life to there capsized boat!!! I yelled down to Brenda that there were some people that needed rescuing! I got back on the radio to inform the dockmaster that we had a situation down here, that there were three in the water along with a capsized boat. Keep in mind....the wind was howling and it had just started to rain. Manuvering to them without running anyone over was going to be trick all by itself!! I had to turn around and head back towards them, as we had already drifted by from the strong current. I tried going along side to start with, but soon realized that getting them onboard that way was just not going to happen! I had to turn back around and get in front of them and try backing up to them....against the current. Brenda was on the swim platform trying to throw a line to them, but the wind was so strong, it keep blowing back to her. I had to get as close as possible without hitting anyone and yet stay right in that position while Brenda threw them a large fender with a line attached, (so big, we call it the "little whale) A fine throw made it to one one the men and she was able to grab him and help him onto the swim platform. I left the helm and went down to see if I could help in any way. The second man was frozen...he couldn't move. It took the two us to haul this guy out, and of couse, he was the largest!! By this time, maybe 60 seconds from the time I moved away from the upper helm, we had drifted away far enough where we were unable to reach the third individual. I had to get the boat turned back around and start all over again, backing up to him. In the mean time I had radioed back to the dockmaster that we had two on board, but still needed to retrieve a third. He in turn was in radio contact with the Coast Guard who dispatched a boat to the seen. Backing up this time seemed trickier as the waves seemed worst then before, and were crashing up on top of the swim platform as I backed up. I was so worried that Brenda was going to fall in helping this guy on board. She was able to grab a hold of him and started yanking him onto the platform. A job well done.

We decided that the 14' aluminum boat was not worth risking us or our boat in order to some how secure it. It was upside down and drifting at a fast pace. Plus, these guys were extremely cold and wet. Brenda wrapped them up with towels and blankets as I went back to the helm to make our way to the docks. The dockmaster asked if EMS should be called...not knowing at the time how long they had been in the water, I thought it would be a good idea.

They had put the boat in the water earlier in the day for some fishing. There is a boat launch not far from the marina, but the winds and waves kicked up and soon, they were in the drink! Fortunately, all three had life vests on. We're sure the outcome would have been different if that was not the case. They were in the water, they thought, for about a hour, without any boats going by. The water temp was around 56 degrees.This was the first time in a boat for one of the men...no comment if this was going to be his last!!

The Coast Guard show up about 20 minutes later and the EMT's deemed all three fit to head home....just very cold and wet!

The red marker that I thought I was seeing....well that was their plastic 10 gallon gas tank for the motor that they were holding onto while they were floating....along with the boat.

All in all from the time we saw them to the time we were docked, about an hour had passed. ,

Just another adventure, (a little more stressful then we like) on our trip south.

[RicM]

You guys are true heroes, and my hat goes off to you both. Your account was well written and riveting. Your courage and perseverance are applauded. Hopefully there is no next time, BUT I do have a few suggestions should it arise...

This is definitely a MayDay, I would not waste time with the Dockmaster relaying to the CG, go to CH 16, push the "distress"button on VHS, scream a big Mayday 3X and give Lat Lon directly to the CG operator.

Trying to throw a float to someone in a high wind is very difficult. The MOB drill in Chapman's recommends tying off the throwable line to a stern cleat, steaming around the party in the water several boat lengths away, and going around them on the upstream side, then drifting down past them on the other side, effectively encircling them with the cleated line. Backing (or steaming forward) toward a person in the water is extremely dicey as your props are sucking water down under the hull. You cannot know if clothing or shoelaces are dangling down from the party in the water. If they get into the prop while reversing you won't have to worry about dragging someone onto the platform. Freeing the props later will be a gruesome task.

While steaming around them attach a dock line across the stern between the 2 stern cleats to give the swimmers something to grab when they get to the swim platform. Put down the swim ladder if you have one. NEVER reach out your hand to a person in the water although it's a natural reaction. A panicked drowning person is EXTREMELY dangerous and will pull your wife into the water and attempt to climb her like a ladder. Believe me, I pulled a friend out of the surf once and he almost killed us both in the process. I have never been more scared in my life.

We swim off our boat regularly and do a little practice drill with a throwable and a line so we don't have to think about it when(if) the time comes. It can be hard to keep cool in a circumstance like this one. You did a great thing. I hope they bought you dinner!

[tbnolin]

You are absoluty right. You know....hindsight is 20-20! The reason for staying with the dockmaster as opposed to using the Mayday...we were already in contact with him, literally seconds before. He had a visual on us with binoculars and was informing us of where to be careful and not get too close to. I thought he would have been more help to me then the CG in this particular case, with him knowing that part of the river. There is no doubt, calling the CG would have been the proper way to go, if, I was not within sight of the marina or in contact with the dockmaster.
As far as the fender...a bad choice!! Totally agree!! A line was already tied to the fender...so...just throw it! A line has since been tied to a throwable!Thanks for all the pointers. I hope we never do have to deal with this again, but if we do, or if any body reading your response does, your info will come back to mind! THANKS!

[hetek]

Wow! Reading that was nearly the same experience I had when I was 24. Totally agree - a hair raising experience.

I worked at a marina at the time and it was late October. The boss had me demonstrate a boat to its new owner. We took off and there wasn't a soul on the water... or so we thought. We see something floating out in the middle of the bay. It was some kid who had flipped his 14' aluminum boat over in the choppy water and was clinging onto it for dear life!

We pull up and circle slowly and this kid had fear in his eyes. Popped the engine in neutral, held out a hand and hauled him in like a fish. The kid is shivering beyond belief so we wrapped him in all the canvas we had and sat him under the dodger to get out of the wind. The boat had turned turtle but we were able to grab the bow line and tow it back to shore.

Here's the stupid part, and I don't mean us: We get to the kid's dock and his parents come walking out of the house.

Mother: What's going on here?
Us: Your son flipped his boat and nearly drowned, but he's OK.
Father: Where's the gas tank? Don't tell me you lost the gas tank!
Us: Didn't you hear us? Your son nearly drowned and he didn't have a life vest on.
Mother: Oh he wouldn't have drowned... He's a good swimmer.

I couldn't believe my ears!

[tbnolin]

WOW!! I'm glad to hear someone else has had this happen to them. I can't believe the parents!!! They just did not have a clue...more worried about material items. Until you have experienced a near drowning or have experienced a rescue, it's hard to comprehend.
Good Job!

[Jack]

Here's my story of trying to do a good deed. We were in the middle of Huntington Bay on our 28TE and saw a Hobie Cat upside down with the soles of two white boots bobbing up and down on the surface. I imagined the sailor tangled in the lines. I headed over slowly afraid I might run someone over. I called 911 instead of the Coast Guard since we have Harbor Master boats, county police boats and fire boats.
Jack: I'm in the middle of Huntington Bay and I see a capsized sailboat with a possible victim below the surface.
911 operator: What is the nearest cross street?
Jack: Let me start over again. I'm in a boat - not a car - and I am way out in the water.
911: Well I need a cross street.
So, I hung up and called the Coast Guard (Eaton's Neck) on the emergency channel. A woman answered and took down the info.
Coast Guard: What is your location?
Jack: (I gave the exact coordinates: degrees, minutes, seconds.)
Coast Guard: Uhhh....can you just like tell me where you are? (I guess the Coasties don't use charts any more.)
Jack: Just south of Sand City. Don't hurry. I'm sure he's dead by now.
So when I checked the boat out, the sailor had tied his boots to the mast and we later learned that when he flipped, he swam home and didn't call the police.

[Veebyes2]

Rescues can be interesting. We resued a crew & boat doing an around the island race. We always watch from this area because it is in an area of transition from calm inshore water to exposed water with ocean swell. The racers don't slow down until the sea forces them. Lots of big air before they get the message.

We had one take air & flip very close to us. No injury to driver or throttle guy. No official crashboats nearby so that left the job to us. Unfortunately the Admiral was wearing far less than she would at a public beach, the boat was in danger of being washed against the rocks ashore so there was little time to act.

We got their boat rolled over & then under tow in a swamped condition.

Those guys got a pleasant eyefull in compensation for their flipping.

[jprohan]

Returning form Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos, we planned to spend the night at West End, as I always preferred to cross the ocean in the early AM. If I broke down, I wanted to have all the daylight available; and the thunderstorms usually come late afternoon. Not realizing it was Father's Day, we found West End full; and decided to cross. Never liked anchoring at West End...beaucoup current and poor holding! So it was around 5 when we departed; and the first thing we encountered was a whale. We watched him for a while, and were about halfway across when we heard a "mayday." There was a 25 SeaRay nearby, so we approached them; their cabin was half full of water. Mom, Dad, 2 kids on board. Their radio wasn't sufficient to reach the CG; so I put in a call and went to assist. The Dad was frantic; so I calmed him down, told them all to don PFD's, and transferred the 2 kids to our boat. He went below and was able to free the debris around the bilge pumps; but could only go slow speed or water poured in; from where we never determined.
I told him to head west, Jupiter Inlet was about 30 miles; he declared he didn't have a compass and his GPS didn't work at slow speed. So I allowed that the sun usually sets in the west; steer towards that. The CG had assured me a help was on the way; I surmised it would be a commercial tow, and sure enough after an hour or so, Towboat US showed up. Now it was just before dark; and I really didn't want to enter Jupiter Inlet (not my inlet) in the dark with a boat that was half afloat. The Dad refused help from TBUS because he didn't want to pay!!! The Towboat skipper assured me he would stay alongside; so I transferred the kids back and proceeded on. A little while later I saw a USCG boat headed their way.
When I spoke to the Dad he told me he had just removed an I/O; patched the hull; put in an inboard; and this was their maiden cruise. I am always stunned how people put themselves (and their families) at risk. Almost every time I read of a bad situation at sea; it seems there was a bad decision made re the boat, the motor, the weather, the size of the craft etc etc. This was certainly one of them.

[DougSea]

Just read the posts above (still catching up from my absence!) and wanted to add my own kudos. I also wanted to move this post back up towards the top as the season gets underway.

What I find interesting is that it only takes doing one rescue, when you know lives may be at risk, to totally change any casual or cavalier attitude you may have about safety at sea. Bad things really do happen and just a little bit of preparedness can go a huge way! Have a throw line prepared, know how you'll get a man overboard back into the boat, know where your spare pump, life jackets, and fire extinguishers are located. Have a boat hook available so you don't have to lean over the gunnels to reach someone or to hook onto the lifejacket of someone who's to weak to grab on. And above all, don't become a victim yourself! Ric's warning above should be heeded!

So fellow AOGers, spend some time planning for the worst, and may you have nothing but the best!

Be careful out there!