Our marina recently installed a webcam looking out onto the lake. I'd prefer it looked over the boats at the docks, but oh well.
As it is, it usually isn't that interesting to watch but I happen to catch some crazy happenings yesterday.
The webcam view is of Lake Pepin on the Mississippi River. To the left side of the view is the opening into the north marina, which is where they put most of the power boaters, the smaller sailboats, and the service dock.
This sailboat came in, both main and jib up and luffing. The jib was partially furled. It looked like he was coming in hot. You can't see it in the video but there's a big sign saying the speed limit coming into the harbor is 5 mph.
It looks like there's no boom...like the clew is just tied to the backstay.
About an hour later I saw him come back out of the marina. The jib is now furled, but the main is up, looking like hell.
But the story doesn't end there. He's got to come back in, right? I had told my wife and a couple other sailors about this webcam, and about this curious boat. A couple of hours later my wife tells me he's hung up on the rocks. I pulled up the cam on my phone and scrubbed back in time to find him. He came in, the main looking even worse, and from what I could tell from the video, his outboard died just as he approached. I could see him pulling the cord over and over until he hit the rocks. He jumped off and looked like he was trying to coax it off, I guess, but with no luck. Eventually a power boater came by, pulled him off, and towed him in.
I would love to know just what was going on with guy, and this boat. When he first came in, both sails up, I had to assume there was some sort of emergency, but after seeing him go back out, then get hung up, I don't know what to think. It looks like he knew just enough to be a danger to himself and others.
As it is, it usually isn't that interesting to watch but I happen to catch some crazy happenings yesterday.
The webcam view is of Lake Pepin on the Mississippi River. To the left side of the view is the opening into the north marina, which is where they put most of the power boaters, the smaller sailboats, and the service dock.
This sailboat came in, both main and jib up and luffing. The jib was partially furled. It looked like he was coming in hot. You can't see it in the video but there's a big sign saying the speed limit coming into the harbor is 5 mph.
It looks like there's no boom...like the clew is just tied to the backstay.
About an hour later I saw him come back out of the marina. The jib is now furled, but the main is up, looking like hell.
But the story doesn't end there. He's got to come back in, right? I had told my wife and a couple other sailors about this webcam, and about this curious boat. A couple of hours later my wife tells me he's hung up on the rocks. I pulled up the cam on my phone and scrubbed back in time to find him. He came in, the main looking even worse, and from what I could tell from the video, his outboard died just as he approached. I could see him pulling the cord over and over until he hit the rocks. He jumped off and looked like he was trying to coax it off, I guess, but with no luck. Eventually a power boater came by, pulled him off, and towed him in.
I would love to know just what was going on with guy, and this boat. When he first came in, both sails up, I had to assume there was some sort of emergency, but after seeing him go back out, then get hung up, I don't know what to think. It looks like he knew just enough to be a danger to himself and others.
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