This past saturday morning 2 friends and I were out for our long workout, targeting a 14 mile paddle. Based on the wind and wave direction we left Dane street beach in Beverly Mass and headed for Marblehead. We rounded Peaches point and saw a small sailboat headed toward us. Jim tried to get their attention as there are shoals in the area. I blew my whistle and got their attention, but they didn't react to our arm motions waving them outside. They may have though we were worried about them hitting us. About 40 meters later they hit a rock, then turned toward shore(!) They soon ran up against another shoal. With the 3 foot swell the boat would rise up and slide further onto the shoal. Unfortunately for them we were on our surf ski's which have no attachment points so setting up a tow would be difficult at most. After about 5 minutes of them riding up and down on the rocks the woman, who appeared to be the instructor, radioed in that she was on the rocks. They still had both the mainsail and jib up so Jim paddled over and suggested they take down the sails, they dropped the sails but made no attempt to furl them, in my opinion creating an increased hazard... The sailboat in question was a Sonar23, a keeled sailboat. The boat came very close to tipping over as it bounced against the shoals, and rammed the keel into the bottom. At one point the boat stood straight up on it's keel, when the wave dropped away it left the boat balancing 2 or 3 feet above the water,prior it it falling over, and almost tipping over. One of the launches from a fancy marblehead yacht club was the first boat to respond to the radio call. They tied a line to the dailboat and pulled it off the rocks. No attempt was made to get the sailors off the boat, they were simply pulled off the rocks. A couple minutes later one of the women on the sailboat said to us "kayakers thank you for staying around we're all set now." My response was "No you're not, your are going down." "Excuse me?" "Your boat is sinking, you are going down." Jim suggested they take the sailors aboard, since the boat was sinking, They snapped at him with a glare, making it clear to him, that they felt they had done enough based on the current situation. At this point the woman at the back of the sinking sailboat spoke to the others and they started bailing. Which was pointless as the bow was nearly awash, with the stern slightly high. The harbor master was approaching so I paddled off. Jim stayed behind. Jim later told me that the the 4 sailboat occupants stepped up from the sailboat to the harbor masters boat, Several minutes later the boat sank below the surface. I'm not sure what happened next. About 10 minutes later I paddled back to the area and looked around for the sailboat. It wasn't in sight. On closer observation I noticed a sliver of green bottom paint. The sailboat was upside down, and the rudder sticking straight up in the air. The 900 pound keel had snapped off leaving just the keels stub and rudder sticking up in the air. The sailboat was a Sonar 23. Looking on the web a new one is $35,900, without sails. I hope the sailor had insurance, or the instructor comes from a fairly wealthy family as the sailing company is out one boat... The sailboat episode cut short our paddle, but made for an intersting story. I'll have to contemplate a tow belt for my pfd. It would have been nice to have had a way to try to pull them off the rocks prior to all of the damage being done. My surf ski ski has a leash, and a couple deck lashings, for water bottles or a small bag. There's no way I would have tried to tow anything, but a swimmer, on the surf ski. I've towed swimmers, I knew I could have gotten swimmers out of the water, had one, or more, of the sailors gone into the water before the harbor master showed up. Kirk -- Kirk Olsen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Was sneaking a break from work reading Kirk Olsen's excellent report on how to roll a sailboat when a work colleague came in, announcing his departure for Houston, Texas, to visit his father who had picked up a flesh-eating bacteria -- necrotizing fasciitis -- see http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/necrotizing-fasciitis-flesh-eating-bacteria-topic-overview for more information than you ever wanted to know. (Actually a case where the proper name sounds better than the common title.) Seems he had been kayaking with his grandkids somewhere in the Houston area, and rubbed his heel raw while paddling without footwear. Didn't think much about it until his foot, calf and now knee are distended and in bad shape. (My other work colleague countered that his grandfather recently died of the same disease -- but no kayaking connection.) One in four cases of this disease results in death, according to medical websites. Apparently any injury -- doesn't even have to break the skin -- in combination with seawater can be a cause, especially if left untreated. Immune system disorders can add to the problem, but a person in good health can also contract the disease. Just kinda hit home -- and supported my intention to carry a good, waterproof first aid kit whenever on the water. Doesn't take much to pick this up, apparently, and while it's not a regularly encountered disease, the consequences of not treating even a mild injury are nasty at best and deadly at worst. Have a nice summer. Joq *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Wed, Jun 9, 2010 at 12:16 PM, Martin, Jack <martin.jack_at_solute.us> wrote: > > > Apparently any injury -- doesn't even have to break the skin -- in > combination with seawater can be a cause, especially if left untreated. > Immune system disorders can add to the problem, but a person in good health > can also contract the disease. > > Sobering stuff and well worth thinking about - and preparing for - as people begin to volunteer for work along the shorelines of the Gulf. Thanks for the posting. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA www.nwkayaking.net *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
The mechanism of injury is somewhat irrelevant. My NF episode was from a small bump to the ankle. Latest NF scare are these children with chest congestion history suddenly developing necrotizing pneumonia...can't even imagine... My wife Yvonne has been on morphine for a few weeks now - I've been in a pretty anxious state up late dealing with her intense back pain. But it turns out probably her cancer is static and rather she has a severe case of shingles. At least the valleys in life vary in context... Doug Lloyd . On Wed, Jun 9, 2010 at 12:16 PM, Martin, Jack <martin.jack_at_solute.us> wrote: > > > Apparently any injury -- doesn't even have to break the skin -- in > combination with seawater can be a cause, especially if left untreated. > Immune system disorders can add to the problem, but a person in good health > can also contract the disease. > > Sobering stuff and well worth thinking about - and preparing for - as people begin to volunteer for work along the shorelines of the Gulf. Thanks for the posting. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA www.nwkayaking.net *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Wed, Jun 9, 2010 at 10:58 PM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: > The mechanism of injury is somewhat irrelevant. > My NF episode was from a small bump to the ankle. > I remember yours. You always manage to find new and interesting ways to keep us on the edges of our seats. :) > > Latest NF scare are these children with chest congestion history suddenly > developing necrotizing pneumonia...can't even imagine... > Don't wanna hear about it.... > > My wife Yvonne has been on morphine for a few weeks now - I've been in a > pretty anxious state up late dealing with her intense back pain. But it > turns out probably her cancer is static and rather she has a severe case of > shingles. At least the valleys in life vary in context... > > I almost laughed in relief but then I remember having shingles. It's no fun... but I don't think it will kill ya. I am typing this flat on my back on the sofa wondering who the moron was who had the bright idea to get me a knee replacement. :P Thoughts with you and Yvonne, Craig *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Kirk Olsen wrote: ......... >A couple minutes later one of the women on the sailboat said to us >"kayakers thank you for staying around we're all set now." >My response was >"No you're not, your are going down." >"Excuse me?" >"Your boat is sinking, you are going down." > > >...... > >About 10 minutes later I paddled back to the area and looked around for >the sailboat. It wasn't in sight. On closer observation I noticed a >sliver of green bottom paint. The sailboat was upside down, and the >rudder sticking straight up in the air. The 900 pound keel had snapped >off leaving just the keels stub and rudder sticking up in the air. > > Great story, Kirk! Thanks for the entertainment! :) Jackie *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Wed, Jun 9, 2010 at 8:35 AM, Kirk Olsen <kork4_at_cluemail.com> wrote: > > We rounded Peaches point and saw a small sailboat headed toward us. Jim > tried to get their attention as there are shoals in the area. I blew my > whistle and got their attention, but they didn't react to our arm > motions waving them outside. They may have though we were worried about > them hitting us. About 40 meters later they hit a rock, then turned > toward shore(!) They soon ran up against another shoal. With the 3 > foot swell the boat would rise up and slide further onto the shoal. > Interesting story. Sounds to me like the woman (instructor?) was trying to get into a cove she knew but was entering one that seemed similar. I've seen large boats get lost in this manner. It's amazingly easy to convince yourself that all the data are "close enough" And, like so many complicated sports, learning the race rules (which is what a surprising number of sailboat racers do.... and nothing else) does not cover everything in racing. Only, perhaps, the things they are interested in. Reminds me of a story. My wife and I were anchored in a protected cove in the Baja Peninsula just north of La Paz. We had been to a beach party the previous week at which one of the attendees bragged about his prowess in sailing. Apparently he had won a lot of races, impressed a lot of people, etc. That evening he - along with his boat - cruised in to our cove and stopped about 50 feet away clearly preparing to anchor. It was close, but not dangerously close so we just watched as his mate came up on deck, gathered the anchor, chain, and rope all in one huge clump and turned and dropped the mess over the bow. "We're anchored!" With that the skipper shut off the engine and poured a drink. We fired our engine up and move to a part of the cove where it would be less likely that we'd be hit by him if there was any wind that night. Anchors need to be set and anchor chain and rode needs to led not just dropped in a clump. Apparently this was a facit of sailing that the renowned skipper had not learned about. I'm sure he did before long though. One might think that a glance at a GPS - which for a mere $500 or so would have shown the "instructor" that she was in the wrong place - would be cheap insurance. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA www.nwkayaking.net *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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