A very scary video

[leffklm]

Don't know if this has been posted already (haven't seen it yet), but this is USCG video of an emergency response to a 36 foot sailboat that had run aground off Lopez Island during a small craft advisory this past weekend in the Puget Sound. I can only imagine what kind of scary thoughts were running through the skipper's mind while this was going on...

YouTube - Coast Guard Assists Grounded Sailing Vessel

[USCGRET1990]

Definetly one tuff sailboat!

[Joel73]

YIKES! Looks like a rollercoaster ride. They are lucky they didn't have a MOB the way the boat was being tossed around. I wonder how much damage was done.

[Faster]

It was a windy weekend, the Swiftsure race was held this same day, and 5 of the 30 or so boats in the long course broke the all time elapsed time record. Racers noted winds of up to 37 knots at the appropriately named "Race Rocks" 10 NM from the finish, and breezes held all the way.

My son was on a TP 52 that led to the first mark, but had to divert to Neah Bay to allow the USCG to airlift a heart attack victim (the owner) after which they carried on and were the last boat to beat the record! The victim is going to recover just fine.

There were several gear failures, one dismasting, but overall the carnage was minimal given the conditions. Kudos to all the crews and their skills to navigate this challenging course.

[tdw]

Ok so the conditions were not too bad but nonetheless you do have to take your hat off to those CG lads.

Do they get paid enough ? Probably not, the people who really matter rarely do.

[sailhog]

That video is more reassuring than frightening. I don't think my boat would hold up as well against the rocks... Maybe the outcroppings are really styrofoam.
Sailhog

[USCGRET1990]

[quote=tdw]Ok so the conditions were not too bad but nonetheless you do have to take your hat off to those CG lads.

Do they get paid enough ? Probably not, the people who really matter rarely do.[/QUOTE

The pay wasn't too good years ago, but with todays crappy wages in the private sector, their pay ain't too bad.

[sailingdog]

You do have to ask how they got into such a desperate lee shore situation.

It isn't like the rocky cliff they're pinned agaist magicallly arose from the ocean floor just for them to hit.

[USCGRET1990]

Dummy syndrom!

[yotphix]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

You do have to ask how they got into such a desperate lee shore situation.

It isn't like the rocky cliff they're pinned agaist magicallly arose from the ocean floor just for them to hit.

Yeah, it would be very interesting to hear from that guy what the event or events leading up to that situation were. As you say he must have know the rocks were there and therefore was probably actively trying not to lay his boat up against them so....what went wrong?

As much as he might not believe right now, he is a lucky guy, although, some to think about it, I'll stick with the luck I've had so far over his!