Another Loss at Sea

Brian D · Jun 25, 2016

Yeah, a very bad week indeed.

Skipper · Jun 25, 2016

OMG I was right there!
I have been in Catalina Harbor since Wednesday, and came back to Dana Point today, via the back side of the island.
I saw the CG helicopter, then heard the pan pan on the radio. They stated the coordinates, I looked at my plotter and saw it was at my location. I was 3/4 mile offshore, and they were hovering over the beach. Several authorities and other boats there.
I didn't know it was a fatality till I got back to dana point a couple hours ago.

Skipper · Jun 26, 2016

Wow almost no comments on this incident. I guess we don't care about power boaters.
Anyway just adding that the sea was calm. I was motoring due to zero wind. Some swells but nothing unusual.** Seems that anyone with a life vest on would have had a very good chance. They capsized very close to shore. Yards maybe. Rocks there but beach too. 3 dead seems like no vests.
**I tried to put video here but it wouldn't take, so I put it in YouTube:

Video was taken minutes before I came across the incident.

Kings Gambit · Jun 26, 2016

It's just hard to contemplate the action of putting 7 guys in a 15' (or even 22') skiff and then going out into the ocean, and then along the weather side of a rockbound island shore, close enough to be tumbled in the surf. It's far more incomprehensible than even the tragedy of the Sarasota family. But the power boater guys off Catalina, all grown up, made their own choices. The minor children of the Sarasota family effectively did not, and that's the most tragic aspect of that story.

BigEasy · Jun 26, 2016

You have to wonder what these guys were thinking. Why would seven jump into a 15' skiff? this is definitely a case where having PFDs on would have changed the outcome for the better. Guess that we all take for granted the dangers of being on the water even in relatively benign conditions.

EV21 · Jun 26, 2016

Haven't seen anything on it here on the East Coast. Am wondering whether there was any mention of any recreational chemistry involved. I love a beer or two (or more when it's safe) -- brew my own -- but sadly have observed too many cases when it may have led to decisions like 7 in a 15' craft, not wearing PFDs and/or going out when things are iffy. We just lost a 34 year old neighbor with a wife and 2 kids to a drunk driver so maybe I'm a bit primed about the impaired thing. Again, don't know if there was any chemical impairment but hope that as more and more are out, we preach and practice safe and sober boating -- whatever the thrust source.

Skipper · Jun 26, 2016

BigEasy said:
You have to wonder what these guys were thinking and if alcohol was a factor.

It was 9:30am.

Skipper · Jun 26, 2016

Holy cow another one! This was is my harbor near my slip, while I was in Catalina late Friday night:
http://mynewsla.com/orange-county/2...t-harbor-husband-fails-to-save-drowning-wife/

I would have been on the boat on a Friday night, and would have witnessed the incident, but was too busy in Catalina witnessing the other incident. :-O
All my years here I've never seen/heard of anything like this.
I hope it stops.

Brian D · Jun 26, 2016

LA Times is reporting this as a 22 foot boat. All the dead are Korean. So I will assume the survivors were also Korean. Still bad.

bertram · Jun 27, 2016

Hard to comment without all the facts. It's not that no one cares.

sailndayz · Jun 27, 2016

Were they Abalone diving?

Jackdaw · Jun 27, 2016

You get enough people doing something, and the theory of large numbers takes over.

You see great things. But you also start seeing bad things happen. When it happens to innocents or the prepared-but-just-very-unlucky, its easy to be sad and discuss.

When its simply Darwin in action, I don't see any real learnings, or reasons to discuss.

Like this case.

Doc_holiday · Jun 27, 2016

I guess next time the coast guard or local officials pull along side and want to do an impact ion, remember they are making sure we are safe. In my part of the country, sailboats are far less likely to be looked at. I guess the drinking and recklessness is more likely to occur on power boats.

The other thing we need to remember is everything we do has it's risks. Personally I think the fatality rates on water are lower than the risks suggest. It may just be the measures of safety equipment keeping it lower. All bets are off when booze is involved. Not saying any of these had an issue with that, just in general.

I guess in the big picture, if I am going to lose my life, it may as well happen while doing something I love to do rather than a slow fight with an illness or getting shot up in a act of terror.

Prayers go out to the families and survivors.

toliver · Jun 27, 2016

Sorry to hear of recent tragedies, however to me the biggest tragedy at Catalina Island happened 35 yrs ago when a famous well known drunk actor (RW) probably got away with causing the death (drowning) of the prettiest girl in the world ...Natalie Wood...RIP

jsd6410 · Jun 27, 2016

I agree, preventable loss for those kids, why weren't the life vests on when the phone call was made to the brother?

MrBill_FLL · Jun 27, 2016

Skipper said:
Wow almost no comments on this incident. I guess we don't care about power boaters.

its not that no one cares, its more likely, that there is nothing constructive to add.

Kings Gambit · Jun 27, 2016

Skipper said:
Holy cow another one! This was is my harbor near my slip, while I was in Catalina late Friday night:
http://mynewsla.com/orange-county/2...t-harbor-husband-fails-to-save-drowning-wife/

I would have been on the boat on a Friday night, and would have witnessed the incident, but was too busy in Catalina witnessing the other incident. :-O
All my years here I've never seen/heard of anything like this.
I hope it stops.

This is awful. My wife and I have anchored often in the west basin of Dana Point Harbor. It is probably the least "threatening" anchoring local in all of Southern California--the last place one would expect to see a drowning from falling overboard, even at night, b/c of the amount of lighted area around it. I wonder if she fell over from a stroke or heart attack, etc. In any event--and this is something of a pet peeve of my own-- people transiting in dinghies, especially at night and ESPECIALLY after imbibement, should be wearing a life jacket w/ a light and whistle. In my observations this is rarely done among on-the-water-partiers. Frankly, I'm about the only one I know who requires it routinely (but not even every single time!) for my wife and me, and our passenger(s). If a unfortunate soul can fall off a dinghy and drown in the west basin of DP Harbor, then literally, that could happen ANYWHERE!

zeehag · Jun 27, 2016

that water is F-ing COLD. anyone in it isnt able to maintain body heat for long. 15 min usually. 55 degree as opposed to 98 f human body temp>?? hypothermia will get them before drowning will.
fishing in a beautiful rocky place. not unusual. too many folks in a skiff?/ not unusual. alcohol on board ?? probable and not unusual. not many fish without help of alcohol.
so, how did they get into trouble?? against a rocky lee shore? with prevailing breezes and and currents more or less into the rocky island??
what can go wrong......

as for the lady who allegedly drowned in dana point--what ye bet, as a 60 yr old woman, mebbe had a heart attack or stroke or other syncopal episode while in dink, or hubby wanted a change or..... but i would be looking for the underlying cause of her fall before declaring it a drowning. that was caused by something. those waters are FLAT in all conditions.

Ormenlange · Jun 27, 2016

Well just to help with the gossip, you know his second wife's first husband somehow tripped and hit his head on a coffee table when no one was around......

Another Loss at Sea

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