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Subject: Re: [world-cruising] New US regulations
From: Rosalie B. (gmbeasley@XXX.XXX)
Date: Tue Jan 07 2003 - 12:51:53 EST
On Tue, 7 Jan 2003 12:35:17 EST, you wrote:
>When sailing at night here in the Eastern Caribbean, one may occasionally get
>a VHF call from "U.S. Warship" or "U.S. Coast Guard." They ask who you are,
>where is your origin and destination. They are usually "dark," and so, not
>seen, although I'm sure they know where everyone else is. I guess if you
>didn't answer they would "uncloak." I have always been quick to share
>whatever info they desired, and was rather glad to know that our "friendlies"
>were "out there."
My daughter's BIL's (her husband's brother Joe and half brother Eric)
were rescued by the CG near/in the Bahamas in such a situation. The
two men took the boat jointly owned by my SIL and Joe for a trip to
the Bahamas for fishing - leaving late after dinner on Thursday night.
This was a small fishing boat with two big outboards. At some point,
the CG called and asked what they were doing - thinking I guess that
it was some kind of drug running boat. At the time, the CG estimated
their speed at about 40 knots.
Joe and Eric answered that they were going over for fishing. They
didn't have a search light. I'm sure they didn't have PFDs on. And
the GPS was at home with my SIL. But apparently the CG kept an eye on
them, because when they ran onto an uncharted rock, and called Mayday,
the CG knew right where they were, and could go get them. They were
in Bahamian waters by then.
The boat was a total loss as the rock came up through the cabin sole,
and both engines were trashed. Eric had some cuts etc - he was at the
wheel. (His comment was - I didn't even have more than a couple of
beers.) Joe was thrown into the cabin, and severed his Achilles
tendon, broke his wrist and his neck. The CG said it was a wonder
that he could get a distress call out because he was so injured. The
CG retrieved them, and secured the boat to the rock because they said
the deck was too wet with blood etc to be safe to leave a man there.
I've seen their report.
Certainly not a lot of common sense there although Joe at least is
quite brilliant in his line of work.
I was also told (after the fact) that I might have been able to get
Bob retrieved from our boat after his heart attack by the CG and
airlifted to Miami for free. But as things turned out, what we did
cost more money, but was really better. It would have been very nerve
wracking for me to try to get the boat back by myself, and I wouldn't
have wanted to leave him, and he wouldn't have wanted to leave the
boat unsecured.
grandma Rosalie
S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/_wsn/page2.html
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