A Public Service Announcement
OK- We're not exactly Magellan out here on our boat. Kirstin and I learn something almost every day about the weather, wind, and especially the nuances of our boat. But there's one aspect of sailing that you absolutely, positively have to nail out of the gate or risk deadly consequences.
By way of example, an anecdote from last Thursday...........Kirstin is downstairs on the internet and I'm in the cockpit enjoying sunset and reading the Keith Richard's book (highly recommended). There are only about 6 boats in the bay, all unoccupied at this moment except ours. I happen to look toward the open ocean and I see a dinghy..........two guys on it. They're drifting, on one guy is pulling the starting cord of the outboard........pulling, pulling, more pulling. The wind is about 20 knots, so they're rapidly being blown out to sea. All of a sudden, the guy not engaged with the outboard leans his body over the front of the dinghy and starts paddling with his hands. That's right........with his hands. Not surprisingly, it does no good and they continue out to sea. At a distance of about 1/2 mile from me, the would-be paddler stands and waves to me frantically.
Now, if I hadn't been looking........or was in the engine room........or sleeping........or anywhere else........these dudes have a big problem. We've been told by cruisers that several times a year, bodies inside dinghies wash up on Central American beaches. Why ? Outboard quits and no oars, dinghy anchor, or VHF radio are on the dinghy. These guys were definitely headed out to sea fast, and night was approaching. Oh, and there was a big storm that night.
How did the story end ? I was getting into the dinghy to go rescue them............."Bonjour Sir, my rescue fee is $1,000 euros and I take all major credit cards". Kirstin just had untied me when these guys got doubly lucky.............a catamaran just happened to be arriving and got to them first. They were towed back to their boat. My guess is that it's unlikely they will ever forget oars again.
By way of example, an anecdote from last Thursday...........Kirstin is downstairs on the internet and I'm in the cockpit enjoying sunset and reading the Keith Richard's book (highly recommended). There are only about 6 boats in the bay, all unoccupied at this moment except ours. I happen to look toward the open ocean and I see a dinghy..........two guys on it. They're drifting, on one guy is pulling the starting cord of the outboard........pulling, pulling, more pulling. The wind is about 20 knots, so they're rapidly being blown out to sea. All of a sudden, the guy not engaged with the outboard leans his body over the front of the dinghy and starts paddling with his hands. That's right........with his hands. Not surprisingly, it does no good and they continue out to sea. At a distance of about 1/2 mile from me, the would-be paddler stands and waves to me frantically.
Now, if I hadn't been looking........or was in the engine room........or sleeping........or anywhere else........these dudes have a big problem. We've been told by cruisers that several times a year, bodies inside dinghies wash up on Central American beaches. Why ? Outboard quits and no oars, dinghy anchor, or VHF radio are on the dinghy. These guys were definitely headed out to sea fast, and night was approaching. Oh, and there was a big storm that night.
How did the story end ? I was getting into the dinghy to go rescue them............."Bonjour Sir, my rescue fee is $1,000 euros and I take all major credit cards". Kirstin just had untied me when these guys got doubly lucky.............a catamaran just happened to be arriving and got to them first. They were towed back to their boat. My guess is that it's unlikely they will ever forget oars again.