Maine Sailor Washed Overboard off Bermuda

[SOUNDBOUNDER]

The Coast Guard suspended its search at approximately 2:00 p.m., Saturday, November 12, for Jan Anderson, a Maine woman who was washed overboard from the 38’ sailing vessel Triple Stars (an Island Packet 38) approximately 285 miles northwest of Bermuda.

The boat was competing in the North Atlantic Rally to the Caribbean (NARC), and had departed Newport, Rhode, Island, on November 1.

Maine Sailor Washed Overboard off Bermuda | BoatingLocal.com

[kwaltersmi]

Really saddening news. I had been following their blog about the NARC.

[PCP]

Very sad

This is what they have said in their last entry blog, 5 days ago:

So far I must say the weather has been...STINKY...the past couple of days have been tough, but we are "hove to" and resting today...in talking with our weather guru guy on the SSB..HERB..who has been doing this for many years, we are in good shape and there are a few boats all spread around this region just hanging out waiting for this Storm Low pressure before we can move any closer to Bermuda. It apparently stalled, producing 40-50+ winds, high seas, stormy conditions some of what we saw on Saturday! The good news is we are drifting the right direction (ENE)to hang out for a couple of days to wait to see what this low does, once it that pesky gets moving again. SO...we won't be in Bermuda until at least Thursday, maybe Friday and we are just taking one day at a time. We have plenty of food & drink on board and will be REALLY looking for the Laundromat in Bermuda

We are both good...a bit tired but will hopefully both get some sleep tonight. DO NOT WORRY... we are doing fine. Will write more as we know more and can use the computer, as sometimes it's just too rocky.

So here we sit | The Anderson Adventures

They look like experienced sailors:

As was reported here yesterday, Triple Stars was participating in the North American Rally to the Caribbean (NARC), which departed Newport on November 1. Rob and Jan Anderson, who had been cruising the boat together since 2007, were the only crew aboard. The boat had reportedly suffered autopilot problems and, ...there was also a problem with the mainsail.

A furling mainsail....

And the skipper had abandoned the boat, an Island Packet 38, after the lost of his wife.

A commercial vessel, High Jupiter, was diverted to the scene to search for Jan and also took Rob off of Triple Stars. According to Hank, the boat has been abandoned and it is unlikely that Jan will be recovered alive.

http://www.wavetrain.net/news-a-view...n-triple-stars


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[LandLocked66c]

Man, no words...

This has been a bad year for sailors it seems...

[DoubleEnder]

So very sad. My heart goes out to her spouse. Tragic.

I won't be letting my wife see this thread that's for sure.

[carl762]

What a horrible, lonely way to go. Prayers for her and her husband/family.

[Yorksailor]

These rallies are based on the false premise that...

There is a weather window between hurricane season and the fall/winter storms that will allow you to sail across the Gulf Stream and to Bermuda and the Islands on a schedule!

We might make the trip at that time of the year and use a weather service but we would never, never, take their advise on routing...We make our own decisions at sea on the available information!

Just like flying small planes... schedules are dangerous!

Phil & Nell

[svHyLyte]

I think the primary False Premise of such rallies is the idea that there is safety in numbers. That one is "safer" with other boats leaving at the same time (roughly) for the same destination. (Something akin to Lemmings?) Unless the yachts are very similar, with crews of similar skills and capacities, they are quickly so dispersed that one is really sailing alone.

I cannot imagine the idea of loosing my wife in any regard, to say nothing of such a manner. I am wondering if the woman was wearing a harness. My wife always wears a harness when on deck offshore, as do I in all but benign conditions.

FWIW...

[SOUNDBOUNDER]

I think the primary False Premise of such rallies is the idea that there is safety in numbers.

That's a very good point

[emoney]

Man, I can't imagine how he feels, knowing his wife is gone and being there when it happened. Horrible, just horrible.

I wonder if she had a harness or even a PFD?