Boater Lost off Whidbey Isl WA

[Stu Jackson]

We also have to realize that different places, like the Bahamas, have different services and connectivity.

My experiences have been in SF Bay from 1978 to 2016, and in BC's Gulf Islands and the US San Juans for the past three.

CG coverage on both sides of the border is excellent on VHF.

The ONLY times I've heard distress calls being directed to cell phones is BY the CG who ask if the skipper who is in distress has one. They do this to clear up the VHF channels so that they can continue full time contact with the person in distress and leave the channels open for others. CH16, 22A US and 83A CAN are what they use here.

I passed a sailboat that was aground on Sidney Spit on Sunday. No way I could get close enough to help. CG was hailed by him on 16, they switched to 83A and continued. He didn't have a cell phone.

Based only on my experiences, that's why.

And is consistent with the CG's (US) explanation earlier posted by Judy and KG.

 

[MikeHoncho]

Non-sequitur

I had to look that one up......I shall steal it and us it as my own.....

 

[Brian D]

Non-sequitur basically the same as Begs the Question.

I still want to know about the other boat and why they did not do anything to try and help.

 

[Rick486]

Just from curiosity, what is the water temperature where this took place?

 

[Kings Gambit]

I had to look that one up......I shall steal it and us it as my own.....

Apparently, you’ve not watched enough Star Trek (original series), where The Changeling, aka Nomad, famously replied to Spock & Scotty: “Non sequitur. Your facts are uncoordinated.”

 

[Brian D]

Just from curiosity, what is the water temperature where this took place?

Google says <50° F

 

[MikeHoncho]

Just from curiosity, what is the water temperature where this took place?

In putting my boat letters on the other day, I had my feet in the water while sitting on the dock. Probably 20 min. I couldn't feel them after. This was in the south sound.

 

[Mr Fox]

Terribly sad, and it’s also tragic because it may have been avoided by the simplest, most fundamental rule of being on a boat. No matter how good a swimmer you are, wear a PFD. In cold water you can’t swim anymore after about 10 minutes.

Rescue cannot be counted on to be immediately available; the why or how can be debated all day, but the simple fact remains that the person wearing a PFD lived. Hopefully this tragedy will convince someone to actually wear that PFD sitting in the cabin, or put one on their kid, friend, crew etc. and save a life.

 

[Kings Gambit]

People should read the book Suddenly Overboard; a collection of true, if tragic, stories of boating folks suddenly in the water without their PFDs. Tom Lochhass is the author.

 

[Mr Fox]

Also take a peek at the USGC annual recreational boating statistics, specifically table 1 section 3, LIFE JACKET WEAR BY TOP FIVE KNOWN CAUSES OF DEATH. All caps was from copy/paste, no emphasis intended.

Sobering information to say the least.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Just from curiosity, what is the water temperature where this took place?

Brian's right, about 50F. However, this time of year and the location it'd be more like 47 if not a tad lower.
When snow gets on your boat and you DON'T have heat, it RAINS inside 'cuz the water's warmer than the cold decks above. Like an iced G&T on your deck during the summer, only bassackwardsw!!!
I got my heater for my birthday on Dec. 8 in 2016, our first winter and my boat's first snow. That's how I know, 'cuz it snowed all that day and I didn't get my "present" plugged in on the boat until the next day!
I also recall having to put a new toilet in that same day. Not on the boat but in my f-i-l's bedroom bathroom.
Fun day all around.
Water temp doesn't change much here during the year, only in shallow waters and there isn't much of that around either!
I'm surprised that no one has questioned the "I was in the water for 8 hours" part yet. I figure even with a lifejacket on, if I go over I'm dead. My gunwale is a 500 cliff. I haven't Googled hypothermia and exposure and survival times, but do remember seeing it in my PCOC course material.

 

[jssailem]

I was on the water at noon last Thursday. We were transiting Rosario Strait, about 12 miles north of the search area. The CG Pan Pan calls for boaters in the area was repeated all day. The information in the call struck me as rather incomplete.

My take was “We got a call, Information not confirmed. Any one in the area can you provide more info.. Possible person in the water.”

In the water that is somewhere between 47 and 52 degrees, no life vest, no dry suit, no survival suit, no handheld radio the chance of recovery is very slim.

The weather was rather moderate as compared to the Small Craft Warnings reviewed in my 9AM weather brief. The west coast of Whidbey Island and especially Rosario Strait can be a challenge, but on this day she was a pussy cat. We had 10-12 knot winds out of the southeast. A high overcast with breaks in the clouds to the west. Chilly air temps in the low 50’s. Visibility 10 miles.

Here is an image looking west as we head out across Rosario towards Thatcher Passage.

The Duckworth 23 is a solid welded aluminum power boat popular among the fishermen here in the Pacific NW. http://www.duckworthboats.com/models/235-pacific-navigator/specifications-and-features/ They often have one or more large engines on the stern to propel the boat at 30 plus knots. They are built for “performance” and standing on one they feel very stable. Fishing on a shoal and a breaking swell catches her on the beam she can roll and once flooded likely will slip beneath the surface.

My condolences to the family.

 

[Parsons]

Thanks @jssailem for explaining what a Duckworth 23 was. I was unfamiliar with it and curious about the stability. It looks like a reasonable utility boat for such conditions.

On the theme of personal responsibility, I have seen many people heading out onto a Great Lake (similar unpredictable weather and cold water temperatures) in open fishing boats with a 10hp motor on the stern, no PFD's. I wonder at their risk tolerance. As noted by one of my favorite boating authors, Mario Vittone (https://www.soundingsonline.com/author/mario-vittone), safety at sea is due to humans remembering that they are going to sea, an inherently dangerous place, "... I was convinced that being safe at sea is not about the gear. It’s not about the radios, EPIRBs or life jackets. It is about remembering where you are going."

 

[Kings Gambit]

Whereas we can all agree that the event had a tragic outcome, and a very sad one for all of us who now know of it, I’m bothered some by the title of this thread. A boater was lost due to an accident on the waters off Whidbey Island that frankly, he/they was/were not prepared to meet. Having the PFD on is the last line of defense against drowning that you as the boater have sole control over. The others are picking the conditions in which to venture out, knowing the hazards, and keeping a lookout for hazardous sea conditions. As a victim, one has no control over a rescue response, especially one that might not have been correctly summoned. “We called for help but did not receive it in time; therefore, the rescuers are responsible for this tragic loss”...? Is this where we are?

 

[Kings Gambit]

I’ve listened in on many calls for assistance due to the fact that we’re out on the water a lot with the VHF tuned to Ch 16; both in Florida and Southern California. Probably the thing I notice most often is that the callers do not quickly report their position/location. At times they seem not to know it at all or how exactly to find it on instrument displays. The responders spend much time ascertaining a caller’s location. I recall one event where the responder was having the caller count over the VHF so he could apply RDF to fix the caller's position. Responders usually have to instruct the callers to don life jackets. The responders may ask to switch to cell phone if the situation is not critically urgent. Otherwise, the exchanges keep up on Ch 16 so other boats can monitor in case there is opportunity to assist. Also, rescue boats may dispatch from any of several harbors. It's best for everyone to know what's going on in case a rescue vessel has to be dispatched from an ancillary location.

If I may continue; probably preaching to the choir here. But in case not, reliance on cell phones first to report emergencies at sea is a bad practice, IMHO. You are calling a number ashore if using 911. Whoever answers may, or may not, know the best way to proceed meeting your emergency. Most cell phone calls I make to anywhere are met with a request to leave a message. The folks on the receiving end typically do not even listen to the message. They just return a missed call to see who had called them, or what the person wanted in the case the number is recognized. This is NOT the stuff of emergency. It is, in fact, idiotic; forgive me for saying so. Some might argue it's better than nothing. But that does not have to be a binary choice. Take a hand-held VHF w/GPS information and learn how to use it; or stay home and talk on your cell phone.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I’ve listened in on many calls for assistance due to the fact that we’re out on the water a lot with the VHF tuned to Ch 16; both in Florida and Southern California. Probably the thing I notice most often is that the callers do not quickly report their position/location. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
...reliance on cell phones first to report emergencies at sea is a bad practice...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Take a hand-held VHF w/GPS information and learn how to use it; or stay home and talk on your cell phone.

Great summary. So very, very true. Doesn't matter what kind of boat you are on either.

 

[Dr. D]

Last Saturday a helicopter crashed in the Chesapeake Bay. I was on my boat in the slip doing various tasks and I had the VHF on. A boater near the crash called in a MAYDAY reporting the crash. The CG came on immediately and asked for his location which he responded with. Within a few mintues a couple of other boaters reported motoring to the area to help. The CG then announced a CG boat was en route and a rescue helicopter preparing to launch.

VHF works.

 

[Scott B]

Whereas we can all agree that the event had a tragic outcome, and a very sad one for all of us who now know of it, I’m bothered some by the title of this thread. A boater was lost due to an accident on the waters off Whidbey Island that frankly, he/they was/were not prepared to meet. Having the PFD on is the last line of defense against drowning that you as the boater have sole control over. The others are picking the conditions in which to venture out, knowing the hazards, and keeping a lookout for hazardous sea conditions. As a victim one has no control over a rescue response, especially one that might not have been correctly summoned. “We called for help but did not receive it in time; therefore, the rescuers are responsible for this tragic loss”...? Is this where we are?

I changed the title. We do not know all the facts and the "quoted text" does not make complete sense.

 

[jssailem]

the callers do not quickly report their position/location.

So true. Sadly so true. Listened to Victoria station CG try to get the boat calling MAYDAY on Monday morning. They took the better part of a minute to get the calling boat to identify where they were in the waters of Haro Straight. He tried every trick in the book. Where are you from where di you go, an you see number starting with -122 or -123 on the chart screen? Do you DSC? What does the boat look like, what can you see around you. Finally another boater saw persons waving and when approached was able to give the CG a location. Johnston Reef. But the CG Officer was patient to and kept the folks on the boat calm.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I changed the title. We do not know all the facts and the "quoted text" does not make complete sense.

Thanks, Scott. The work you do behind the scenes is much appreciated.