Subject: RE: [Catalina-22] [OT] Sailing in rough weather

From: "Chip Ford" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 20:46:58 -0400

Whoa Jon, such a story, such a personal experience.
 
[Moment of silence]
 
But it sounds like your friend Mike had met his time.  Do you think SSB/HF
would have made a difference?  It might have gotten him somewhere quicker,
but . . .
 
We all will meet ours, sooner or later.  The question always is:  sooner or
later?
 
I can feel how much this experience affected you from your writing, now much
you valued your friend and his loss, and I felt the general reaction.  A
great account of the broad response, a respectable response from all parties
involved.
 
Were I to go seriously offshore, I'm with you -- but I'd want a satellite
radio today -- the technology is so much further advanced since SSB/HF was
state-of-the-art.  Lan's correct in that too many spend precious time below
writing, communicating, when they should be surviving, or simply sailing,
thanks to easy Internet or telecommunications access.
 
I can give you case histories of personal fatalities, my crewmates and
friends, and how immediate assistance might have actually made a difference.
The assistance wasn't there, and all that would have been required was boats
searching in a given circumference quickly.  Even that's not how it works.
The USCG instead boarded and searched us until I almost bodily threw the
officer overboard (my crew restrained me), then took the "Idle Hours II" out
on our own search -- despite their threats of "leaving the scene" -- until
we were running out of fuel.
 
We the crew returned the next morning early, as soon as we could fuel up,
with our own "search team" of our many friends, covering the island.  We
eventually located and pulled, dragged out Billy's body from beneath the
inlet of Misery Island to shore with a boathook from a dinghy, called the
Salem harbormaster.  Authorities came out, recovered his body, and claimed
credit for finding it.  Who cared -- closure.
 
Chip Ford --

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] On
Behalf Of Jon
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 7:27 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: [Catalina-22] [OT] Sailing in rough weather

Lan,
 
I would never go far offshore again without SSB.  In 1992 I and three others
took a Contest 38 out to Bermuda.   The owner of the boat became ill and
claimed sea sickness, we weren't that sure.  On the third day at sea he was
found to be delirious with a high fever.  I took a fix and we were
equidistant from NY, the Chesepeake and Bermuda, the prevailing wind charts
said Bermuda was fastest destination and we fired up the engine and with
motor and sail made our best speed.  We had a good medical kit on board
including antibiotics, Mike was a serious diabetic and we struggled to keep
his sugar in balance.  When we got within VHF distance from shore we were
able to get a US Helicopter to come out and lift Mike from the boat.  He
died on the way into hospital in Hamilton, Bermuda.
 
He died of a case of pneumonia that had gone systemic, much like the creator
of the muppets, Jim Hensen.  At the hospital the medical team told us there
probably was little that could have been done once he was delirous.  There
is always that doubt that if we had communications that we could have gotten
advice that could have made a difference.
 
I do believe Bermuda was our fastest landfall, but it was a right
destination for that awful experience for other reasons as well.  The people
of St. Georges cared for us, the Vicar of St. Peters made sure there was a
car waiting for us for any transportation needs, the harbormaster and his
wife took us into their home (and are good friends still and have visited us
here in NC), The local police greased the skids for us for all formalities
associated with Mike's death, and even USAir flew Mike's son back to the US
on the same plane as his father and flew him in first class, Customs opened
their showers to us, the US pilot was there to help us, and the hospital
spent great time counseling us.  The love and support was indescribably
helpful and so very appreciated from a nation of fantastic people.
 
Also, the various offshore radio nets, etc, also give and take so much
helpful information especially about local weather conditions, etc.
 
I'd go for the SSB/HF for absolute sure.
 
Jon Larson
Chocowinity, NC
2005 Swing Keel Catalina 22 Sport
Sail# 15574
Cat's Paw

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Lan  <mailto:[email-masked]> Yarbrough 
To: [email-masked] 
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 4:56 PM
Subject: RE: [Catalina-22] [OT] Sailing in rough weather

Chip, 

Spoken like a true survivor. 
I'll crew with you anytime you like. 

There is a very good argument for NOT having 
a SSB/HF radio on board when sailing far out 
in the Big Blue and in bad weather.  If an SSB is present, 
there is that awful temptation to sit below and explain 
your pitiful situation to someone too far away to be 
of any practical help when you SHOULD be above-decks 
fighting to help your little ship survive.  There will always 
be a mailbox or internet cafe at your destination to allow 
you to tell everyone you know how brave and resourceful 
you were and what you did to weather the weather and 
save the vessel and her crew.  And, my friends, as my 
SEAL friends always told me: 
"If you really did it, It ain't 'bragging', it is only 'sharing'!" 

Lan Yarbrough 
Monkey Shines #10792 S/K 
Alameda, CA

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:04:12 -0400

Maybe better than an SSB would be to have a sat phone.? You can rent them. Would be better if demasted as the backstay is often used for the antenna.

Sorry to hear of your loss.... a trip you wish you could forget, or not have gone on. Life can sometimes be short and unfair, but, we hope to learn from our experiences and maybe help others in their hour of need. Some times all it takes is to tell some one about an event. Then they think about it.... could save a life. 

Bill Bell
#13784, Phoenix
87sk, FL

-----Original Message-----
From: Jon <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Sent: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 7:27 pm
Subject: Re: [Catalina-22] [OT] Sailing in rough weather

Lan,

?

I would never go far offshore again without 
SSB.? In 1992 I and three others took a Contest 38 out to 
Bermuda.?? The owner of the boat became ill and claimed sea sickness, 
we weren't that sure.??On the third day at sea?he was found to be 
delirious with a high fever.? I took a fix and we were equidistant from NY, 
the Chesepeake and Bermuda, the prevailing wind charts said Bermuda was fastest 
destination and we fired up the engine and with motor and sail made our best 
speed.? We had a good medical kit on board including antibiotics, Mike was 
a serious diabetic and we struggled to keep his sugar in balance.? When we 
got within VHF distance from shore we were able to get a US Helicopter to come 
out and lift Mike from the boat.? He died on the way into hospital in 
Hamilton, Bermuda.

?

He died of a case of pneumonia that had gone 
systemic, much like the creator of the muppets, Jim Hensen.? At the 
hospital the medical team told us there probably was little that could have been 
done once he was delirous.? There is always that doubt that if we had 
communications that we could have gotten advice that could have made a 
difference.

?

I do believe Bermuda was our fastest landfall, but 
it was a?right destination for that awful experience for other 
reasons?as well.? The people of St. Georges cared for us, the Vicar of 
St. Peters made sure there was a car waiting for us for any transportation 
needs, the harbormaster and his wife took us into their home (and are good 
friends still and have visited us here in NC), The local police greased the 
skids for us for all formalities associated with Mike's death, and even USAir 
flew Mike's son back to the US on the same plane as his father and flew him in 
first class, Customs opened their showers to us, 
the US pilot was there to help us,?and the hospital spent great time 
counseling us.? The love and support was indescribably helpful and so very 
appreciated from a nation of fantastic people.

?

Also, the various offshore radio nets, etc, also 
give and take so much helpful information especially about local weather 
conditions, etc.

?

I'd go for the SSB/HF for absolute 
sure.

?

Jon Larson
Chocowinity, NC
Sail# 
15574
Cat's Paw

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

jhf

?

?

----- Original Message ----- 

From: 
  Lan 
  Yarbrough 

Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 4:56 
  PM

Subject: RE: [Catalina-22] [OT] Sailing 
  in rough weather

Chip, 

I'll crew with 
  you anytime you like. 

There is a very good argument for NOT having 
a 
  SSB/HF radio on board when sailing far out 
in the Big Blue and in bad 
  weather.? If an SSB is present, 
there is that awful temptation to sit 
  below and explain 
your pitiful situation to someone too far away to be 
  
of any practical help when you SHOULD be above-decks 
fighting to help 
  your little ship survive.? There will always 
be a mailbox or internet 
  cafe at your destination to allow 
you to tell everyone you know how brave 
  and resourceful 
you were and what you did to weather the weather and 
  
save the vessel and her crew.? And, my friends, as my 
SEAL 
  friends always told me: 
"If you really did it, It ain't 'bragging', it 
  is only 'sharing'!" 

Lan Yarbrough 
Monkey Shines #10792 S/K 
  
Alameda, CA 

------ Original Message ------ 
  
Received: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 06:56:10 AM PDT 
From: "Chip 
  Ford" <[email-masked]> 
To: 
  <[email-masked]> 
Subject: RE: [Catalina-22] [OT] 
  Sailing in rough weather 

But then "God helps 
  those who help themselves" it's said, and He "works in mysterious ways." Brad, 
  Jim, and I did a lot of helping ourselves over those 13 hours. But hey, we had 
  nothing else to do that day. . . 

  

P.S. Funny now that I 
  think of it. The praying below in the cabin that day was ecumenical: A Catholic (Monica), 
  a Jew (Jeff) and an Protestant (Karen). I wonder if all were heard by Him? ;-) Must have been, to pull us 
  through that day and night. 

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 
  --Chip Ford -- 

  

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