Blog 028 – Shipwrecked and Rescued

Liana and I were enjoying a pleasant afternoon at anchorage in Great Sale Cay ( pronounced key). We were about one-third of the way into Northwest Harbor. It’s about as shallow as we could risk, a balance between protection from the high winds that are predicted and not running aground because of our relatively deep draft of six and a half feet. We came in very cautiously. The anchorage spot marked on the chart had no depths associated with it. To the East depths were 7.5 feet, to the West 6.6 feet and a few sailors on our Active Captain app reported seeing no less than 9 feet in this spot – so we gave it a go. We put out 110 feet of chain and our heaviest 50 Kg anchor (around 120 lbs). We were preparing for a storm. The most recent satellite weather showed up to gale force winds possible over the next 24 hours beginning around sunset.After anchoring we went for a swim in beautiful light green colored water. It was a bit cold at first because the clouds came over, but we enjoyed the cool water and the air temperature was 84 degrees. The water started to get choppy and waves were getting larger, swimming became harder. We decided it was time to get back on the boat. So we took a warm shower on deck to wash off the salt and laid out on the lounge pads to dry off. The wind picked up force so we picked up cushions and tidied up topside before the storm.

We watched the sun start to drop on the horizon and the catamaran Summer Wind slipped in and moved all the way in to the Northeast corner of the harbor. Another cruising boat that we anchored near in Palm beach came in. Here we were again sharing an anchorage, but an anchorage with much more room this time. Sailing vessel Anytime anchored as the last bit of light was passing. Down by the catamaran was the sailboat Clarity. She must be a shallow draft because she was tucked pretty far in to the Northeast side of the harbor in shallow water. Then later, around 11:00 pm, a ferro cement ketch arrived. I noticed them struggling to get an anchor set and they were hobby-horsing like crazy. (That’s when the bow comes up and then goes down as the stern comes up) – its very uncomfortable and everything gets tossed around miserably. As I watched this happening I thought they might try and reset to a location not so rough. We went to bed and several times during the night I got up and went to the cockpit to check our anchor and look at the position of all the other boats. I noticed Anytime had pulled up anchor and relocated further north and west, much closer to us. The wind screamed at 25-35 knots most of the night but our anchor held fast. Around 6:00 am Liana got up to check things and said one of the anchor lights must be out on a boat behind us because she couldn’t see it any longer.

Shortly after first light, I got up to look and noticed the ketch was missing from the line of boats aft of us. I grabbed our binoculars, looking for the little white boat. Where could she be? Then I saw it. White hull, sails flapping in the wind at 25-50 yards off the beach, laying on its side. We looked carefully to see if anyone was on the boat or on the beach. I got on the VHF radio and called out to anyone in the harbor, asking about the state of the crew. Anytime answered back, they had just noticed the wrecked sailboat too. I radioed several times trying to hail the crew and then on channel sixteen tried raising the Coast Guard. After several calls and no answer I tried raising BASRA (Bahamas Search and Rescue Association). They are an all volunteer rescue team much like the volunteer fire department we were a part of in the mountains of Colorado. Again, several calls and no answer. Anytime and I talked for a few minutes and they could not help right away. Their boat had also drug anchor and they were waiting for enough daylight to try a different anchor, and their dingy was still lashed on the bow of their boat from the crossing. It would take some time for them to be ready. We were holding well so I told them we would lower our dingy and head over. He said he would keep an eye on us and continue to try to raise the Coast Guard.

We pulled on our foul weather jackets and lowered the dingy into a turbulent, blowing, rolling mess. On passage we take the fuel container out of our dingy and lash it to the stern. It was very difficult to hook back up with the dingy bashing about and bucking wildly. Liana bravely stepped in and I started it up – first pull. Liana said that’s a good sign. She let the painter go as soon as the engine was running and the wind swept us astern 20 feet. I put the motor in gear and we turned toward the ragged vessel. It looked like about a half mile dingy ride on the worst water we have taken our dingy out in. The shore shoals for a long way so the waves turned into long rolling breakers that were very narrow. We climbed one and hit the next with the bow digging in and it nearly threw us both from the dingy. We plowed into it and white water went over our heads and into my face. Ok that’s not working! I have to figure this out quick. We were getting pounded. I found that by throttling up to the wave crest and riding it instead of going over worked the best. A few times I gave it too much and we would get a white water wash down. It seemed like forever but eventually we got to the wreck. I could see her black bottom paint. The keel was flat on the reef and sitting with the rudder part way out of the water. We could read Achates II on the stern. On the bow her anchor line was stretched out tight, no way I was going to get our prop stuck by going over that. The waves were relentlessly pushing the boat further up onto the jagged reef.

As we called out to them we could see a white faced older gentleman holding up a lime green locator beacon (EPIRB) and we could see the light flashing in his hand. He was wearing a red mustang off-shore jacket with a built in PFD. We could tell he was exhausted. As we came around the stern we could see several other faces. Everyone was holding on to the rail to keep from falling off the boat. I had to hold back my own emotions when I saw the face of a young boy poke his head out of the hatch. I asked if every one was ok. We could see relief in their eyes. Bob introduced himself and I shook the hand of Ezra, a 15 year old boy. Liana said we were here to help them and take them to the warmth and safety of our boat. We were quickly told the short version of what happened. They came in late and exhausted, dropped anchor and went to bed. The next thing they knew they were awakened by bumping and scraping. The anchor didn’t hold and they were pushed onto the reef by the storm and current just before sunrise. They had a handheld VHF radio they tried to use to ask for help but it was dead. That’s when they set off the EPIRB.

The boat itself was a mess. The waves were beating her starboard side and the keel laid sideways on the reef. The stanchions and rail were just below the water, so everyone had to hang on. Bob said the engine was flooded and they had several feet of water mixed with diesel floating inside. He asked us if we would be able to make a few trips. I said yes and he said, “Please take the boys”. They climbed through the rigging and Liana helped them aboard and we told the others we would be back shortly. I motored us behind the stern carefully and put on some speed to climb over the incoming surf. Whew, we cleared the reef! On the ride back Liana talked with the boys to help calm them. She asked the young one his name and he said Vernon. He was 12 years old. They talked about the Gulf Stream crossing and how they left yesterday from Ft Lauderdale, FL around the same time we did, but it took them 24 hours to get to here. They came in after dark and they were overjoyed that they made it to a safe harbor to anchor in because the storm coming was looking pretty scary. They were with their mother, and grandma and grandpa. They were going to spend a few days in the Bahamas during Christmas vacation.

We were all getting soaked now. Thank God we have a big dingy with a big motor. We were going the worst possible direction powering into the wind and waves. I noticed the water level on the floor of the dingy gaining in inches by the minute. So Liana turned her face towards the bow to open the forward seat up and dug for a minute to get out both parts of the emergency pump. She took several waves smack in the face. When the waves came over us previously they would break against her back, but now she’s a fish. She put the pump hose on and started to pump. My guess is we had about six inches of water because the six gallon fuel tank was floating. We were nearly to the boat. Liana handed the pump off to Ezra who was closer to the back where the water was deeper. He pumped as hard as he could but he was exhausted from this ordeal too. We finally pulled up to Silhouette’s ladder and Liana reached out and grabbed one of the steps. She struggled to get her footing and to tie off the painter. Then she helped Vernon get up on the hypalon tube as he reached for the step to climb the ladder. Ezra’s long legs climbed out in one quick leap. Liana and I agreed she should stay with the boys so we could fit more passengers in the dingy this next trip. I needed to get the water out of the dingy before I left again but the pump was not working fast enough. I picked up the pump and turned it up side down and staring me in the face was a piece of clear plastic plugging most of the pumps inlet. I pulled it off and tried pumping again. In just a minute enough water was out that I could head back.

This time the ride was a little faster. Without anyone in the bow it sat much higher so I was riding over the waves instead of bashing into them. But I was still taking so much salt water in my face it was hard to see. Finally back at Achates II, I once again made a close pass behind the stern, rounded up against the rigging and saw the boys’ mom, Lisa. She was a young, pretty girl with round wire rim glasses. Bob and Kathy were here parents. Bob asked if I would take the two ladies with a few of their things then come back once again. As Kathy got up she looked me in the eyes and started to tremble and break into tears. She said they worked so hard on this boat and it was so hard to leave her like this. I nodded in understanding still trying to reassure her it would be ok and trying to control my own emotions. Bob and Lisa helped Kathy climb over the rigging and stanchion cables and onto the dingy’s tubed side. She was moving very slowly and cautiously, I perceived she was not doing real well. Bob later told me she recently had surgery and was not fully recovered. Lisa was next and was bringing back packs and bags. She had a ziplock bag under her life jacket, I am guessing this was her and the boys’ passports. The dingy was full so Bob through us the line. As I motored away he said he would be here when I got back. He was a true Captain; take care of the women and children first and comeback for me if you can. I have a lot of respect for this gentleman. The ladies and I had a wet ride into the wind and waves but we took on less water. Only about 4 inches this time and with a few pulls on the pump handle every few minutes and I was able to control it myself. Kathy told me a bit more of the story. She said Bob was the captain and she was no sailor, so it was all up to him. Lisa and Ezra were helping Bob but he did all the navigating and stayed up all of the last 24 hours. When they got anchored he was so exhausted he just collapsed into bed. Next thing they knew the hull was scraping on the reef and laid over on its side. They were all thrown about when the boat pitched on its side as the wind and waves drove it up onto the reef. I can’t even imagine how scary and disorienting to wake up to that!

We finally made it back to the boat. Liana tied us off and Lisa hopped aboard first and then we helped Kathy maneuver on to the step from the lurching dingy to the ladder. She barely had the strength to make it and I was relieved when she stepped off the last wrung onto the deck. We passed up their belongings that were now floating around in the dingy and again I pumped out all the water I was standing in. I said I will be back and Liana said I Love You, and she cast me the line. I could see as I went by Anytime they were watching this whole thing through binoculars and he passed me a wave. I held up my index finger to say we had one more to go. This time when I rounded the stern I made a huge mistake!

I grabbed the bow line intending to toss it to Bob but when I stood up to throw it I accidentally pulled the engine kill switch lanyard and killed the engine. For a second I thought I could throw him the rope but the wind and waves swept me immediately toward the reef. I put the key back in the ignition but when I pulled the starter rope the prop was already on the rocks. I was trying to lift up the motor when the next wave lifted the bow up on the jagged corral reef. As I struggled with the motor I slid a little further onto the jagged corral. This dingy weighs several hundred pounds so I knew if I didn’t do something soon I would need someone to rescue me. I hopped out on the port side and felt firm ground about two feet down. I pulled with all the energy I could muster. I was wearing an offshore life jacket and had a six foot lanyard attached to a hand hold on the dingy. I figured if I got capsized in the waves at least the dingy would still float. So the lanyard actually helped me pull the stern off the reef. I watched the 25 hp Yamaha outboard bounce up with each pull. Slowly I made my way toward Achates II in water about chest deep. When I got close enough I tossed Bob the painter and he grabbed it. He tied me off and I swung a wet leg up over the port side tube and back into the dingy. It was full of water at this point. Would it still run? I put the lanyard key in place, shifted to neutral, and it started on the first pull. I whispered a very heart-felt, “Thank you Lord,” as it fired up.

Bob passed plastic boxes full of papers, a picture of a dog that Kathy handed him when she left, several bags, and one I could see had knitting needles sticking out the top. He took one last long look around and handed me the EPIRB still flashing. Bob was wearing two different shoes. I don’t know why that struck me. He had thinning gray hair and black rim glasses with a blue stripe. Don’t know why I remember that either. As I helped him climb over the rigging I could see the agony in his eyes, but he was so grateful to be off this stranded wreckage. Once again I slipped behind the stern of Achates II and noticed they were from Beaufort, NC. We had come from there a few days ago. Bob sat on the dingy seat as the waves pounded his back. Water went over his head and splashed me in the face. I took my hand and wiped it off, slime now running from my nose. Bob said he died once. He told me how his wife, who was a nurse, saved his life with the help of his doctor who was his neighbor. He’d had a massive heart attack and was under CPR for around 30 minutes. Amazing. He said he has an MBA from Harvard and even used to climb mountains, big mountains. I told him Liana and I just retired and were cruising for a while. He said that was a good idea while we were young.

I really like this guy, he’s very friendly and I can only imagine he is a very take charge kind of guy. We passed Anytime and they gave me a thumbs up. We pulled up to Silhouette and smacked into the stern pretty hard. The bow line was floating in an awful lot of water and Bob was trying to untangle it. He must be freezing, his hands and feet were really pale. The air temperature was in the low seventies but with all the wind and being soaked for hours it was cold. Liana helped him up the ladder. As I passed up bags and boxes floating around in the dingy I remembered what Liana said before we first left. We should take some dry bags with us for their things. It did not dawn on me that their everything was soaked and now floating in sea water. Should have listened to my wife. I had to take another six inches of water out with the pump. I had renewed energy because I was about to get into a warm boat and shed these wet clothes myself.

The boys had showered and put on clean clothes. Vernon was wrapped in a blanket we got from Platinum a few years back. Platinum is the insurance company I retired from. I told them I was retiring to sail around the world. That seems like so long ago but it’s been just a year. After a few minutes I had the water out and we clipped on to the lifting rings. I pulled the fuel jug and hose out and passed it up. Wow was it heavy, or was I just really tired? We pulled up the ladder and hoisted our dingy out of the water. I finished and turned to see everyone still in the cockpit – wet and cold. We all looked like a bunch of drowned rats with only one exception. We all had smiles on our faces! We made it safe and sound.

We moved the party slowly down to the salon. I heard a crash behind me and turned to see Bob had fallen down the ladder. He was laying on the salon floor holding his right arm. I was thinking oh no, not be rescued from a shipwreck unharmed to brake your arm here. He said he was ok and he was just upset with himself. I am sure he had used up his very last bit of energy. Thank God he was not hurt. Liana whipped up some hot coffee. And it was the best I had ever tasted. We sat around the salon table with the heat blasting telling stories and getting to know each other. I suggested if they got bored they could play Battleship and sink somebody else just for fun. It got a laugh.

Liana made breakfast and I had a quick chat on the radio with Anytime and Clarity. No one had been able to reach the Coast Guard or BASRA. We even tried our satellite phone. The service must have been down for a few hours because it came back up later. I radioed in the blind that all was well with the crew of Achates II and someone please relay to the Coast Guard and BASRA. We had eggs and ham and toast and jelly and homemade key lime pie because growing boys need pie for breakfast. It was grand. As soon as we finished I tried using our single side band radio. I need to learn how to use this thing better. It took a month just to figure out our Iridium system and I put this off far too long. I was struggling to tune in the distress frequencies through exhausted brain fog when my VHF lit up with a call from Clarity telling us to look off our port bow.

The Bahama Search and Rescue boat was trying to reach us. I popped my head out to see a speed boat with about six rescue team members all suited up in orange life jackets. I picked up the radio and they asked how everyone was doing. The EPIRB had done its job, glad we just recertified ours. Anytime had directed them over. We quickly put fenders out and tied them to Silhouette’s port side. They were in a thirty foot speed boat with P-103 on the bow. They said they would get them safely on the Grand Bahamas but they must hurry. So we gathered their things and quickly exchanged contact information. Kathy gave me a big deep long hug and said, “Thank you”. Bob said if we needed anything while we were cruising he would get it out to us, just call. We shook hands and said goodbye. The boys and Lisa said thank you as we helped them into BASRA’s boat. They stowed things and got everyone situated as we waved goodbye. They pushed off and slowly made their way out of the bay. It looked like they were talking to base on the radio for a few minutes and then a rooster tail and they were off. Liana and I just watched them leave and looked at each. Life is good today!