As one could easily imagine with such a powerful storm forming so quickly, many crews were caught with nowhere or no time to flee. Yesterday the Coasties made three rescues off Virginia and North Carolina and are looking for a fourth boat or crew that tripped its EPIRB. One of them, however, took place in the vicinity of Diamond Shoals off Cape Hatteras. The article linked below mentions, "their boat had dragged anchor over the shoals." I take this to mean one of two things: they anchored, and they're anchor dragging alarm on the GPS went off, which was enough to say 'f*-@ it' and call mayday; or I attribute it to the journalists' interpretation of what they heard, which turns out to be they were anchored over the shoals and weather alone was enough to say.... To those unfamiliar with the location, Diamond Shoals is essentially an offshore extension of the Point at Cape Hatteras. The Labrador Current and Gulf Stream collide creating a shallow bank approximately from the coast to 10-15 miles straight out. Diamond Shoals is a place to AVOID at all times and surely no place to remain at anchor. There obviously no protection from the weather. The seas could probably be classified as Class IV or V whitewater. I concede it could have been beyond their control to find themselves here (I don't want to think they decided to head to the shoals to find shallow water in which to ride at anchor). At the time of the rescue, winds had been blowing for two days out of the north. I think questionable storm tactics are to blame. It is likely they were hove-to or even lying ahull and drifted toward the banks. In the vicinity of such an awful place, the better decision is to actively flee the area, reaching to someplace south and east. If they found themselves close to shore, well they'd put themselves there. If they found themselves toward the offshore end of the shoals, well the decision to anchor is probably the penultimate feaux pas.
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Even us Gulf Coast
boys and girls know of Cape Hatteras, and to stay way away. It isn't called the graveyard of ships for no reason. I can't imagine anyone who sails a boat, not knowing the dangers of this area, and to stay away from it, particularly during storm conditions. I was not familiar with all the particulars of Diamond Shoals, but certainly know of the Cape Hatteras area.
boys and girls know of Cape Hatteras, and to stay way away. It isn't called the graveyard of ships for no reason. I can't imagine anyone who sails a boat, not knowing the dangers of this area, and to stay away from it, particularly during storm conditions. I was not familiar with all the particulars of Diamond Shoals, but certainly know of the Cape Hatteras area.
I doubt that they were anchored
They might have been using the anchor as a droque to slow down. It sounds like they needed a parachute anchor!!! But I've read that a boat can get blown downwind and start surfing then broach and roll. One way to slow the boat down is to drag rope etc off of the stern. I've read about everything from old tires to hatch boards being used for this purpose. But from the news report it's hard to tell. Maybe they knew that they were getting blown onto the shoals and were trying to anchor in deeper water. Ideally you would sail or motor out of harm's way. But if they lost power and couldn't sail maybe dropping an anchor made sense. I'd love to have more details. 50Kt winds and 30' waves wow!!!!!!!!!! Not many boats could sail off a lee shore in those conditons. My Pearson would need a double reef and no jib. Unfortunately with a double reef and no jib I can't do better than a beam reach and with 30' waves I doubt that I could even go 90 degrees to the wind. It's kinda like being between two 18 wheelers tailgating and the front one slams on it's brakes. The only solution is not to be there.
They might have been using the anchor as a droque to slow down. It sounds like they needed a parachute anchor!!! But I've read that a boat can get blown downwind and start surfing then broach and roll. One way to slow the boat down is to drag rope etc off of the stern. I've read about everything from old tires to hatch boards being used for this purpose. But from the news report it's hard to tell. Maybe they knew that they were getting blown onto the shoals and were trying to anchor in deeper water. Ideally you would sail or motor out of harm's way. But if they lost power and couldn't sail maybe dropping an anchor made sense. I'd love to have more details. 50Kt winds and 30' waves wow!!!!!!!!!! Not many boats could sail off a lee shore in those conditons. My Pearson would need a double reef and no jib. Unfortunately with a double reef and no jib I can't do better than a beam reach and with 30' waves I doubt that I could even go 90 degrees to the wind. It's kinda like being between two 18 wheelers tailgating and the front one slams on it's brakes. The only solution is not to be there.
Had the same question..
Been following all the rescues with interest. Hate it for these guys, but the reports I hear are winds in 30-40 mile range. Is it worse? If not, I'm surprised so many have had such problems. First and foremost, I ain't there and won't be! They call it graveyard of the atlantic for a reason. I've been out there in big and fast sportsfishermen that could get back fast. There's no where to go if/when it gets bad. And it invariably will. And, not Monday morning qb'ing here - at all. But it seems folks making that passage would be prepared to handle those kind of winds. With so many boats in trouble there must be something more going on. And anchoring out there, impossible on even a good day. You locals hearing more?
Been following all the rescues with interest. Hate it for these guys, but the reports I hear are winds in 30-40 mile range. Is it worse? If not, I'm surprised so many have had such problems. First and foremost, I ain't there and won't be! They call it graveyard of the atlantic for a reason. I've been out there in big and fast sportsfishermen that could get back fast. There's no where to go if/when it gets bad. And it invariably will. And, not Monday morning qb'ing here - at all. But it seems folks making that passage would be prepared to handle those kind of winds. With so many boats in trouble there must be something more going on. And anchoring out there, impossible on even a good day. You locals hearing more?
Frustrating not to know the details ...
the first question that pops into my mind is ... why did they need to be rescued? The photo shows a boat that does not appear to be in distress. The other rescues seem to indicate that the people are being rescued from boats that are floating. If I were over Diamond Shoals and getting panicky, I would consider beaching my boat in the area south of the lighthouse. You can duck into relatively protected waters just south west of the point (which is about a mile south of the light house) when winds are from the north. I've windsurfed in that area in high winds and the water can be very flat behind the point when the wind is from the north. The one boat was way off-shore, but I am wondering about their reasons for abandoning. I would think that would be the last thing you want to do.
the first question that pops into my mind is ... why did they need to be rescued? The photo shows a boat that does not appear to be in distress. The other rescues seem to indicate that the people are being rescued from boats that are floating. If I were over Diamond Shoals and getting panicky, I would consider beaching my boat in the area south of the lighthouse. You can duck into relatively protected waters just south west of the point (which is about a mile south of the light house) when winds are from the north. I've windsurfed in that area in high winds and the water can be very flat behind the point when the wind is from the north. The one boat was way off-shore, but I am wondering about their reasons for abandoning. I would think that would be the last thing you want to do.
All Puked Out??
I've never been seasick but have seen some people become virtually helpless after puking several hours. In that kind of sea state if everyone on board got really sick and scared that might explain the maydays. With little information about the boats and crews all of this discussion is very speculative. What about the ICW??? I'd read that there was a lot of shoaling in NC and maybe the ditch wasn't an option. But maybe they were just optimists thinking that with good weather they could get around the cape. I'm sure that it is simular to the gulf stream in that some days it is easy to cross and other days you don't want to be there. I've only crossed the GS twice. Once it was like a lake glassy not even any swells. The other time there were 20' swells but even then it was easy as the swells had a long period. BUT the swells did show me that it could be rough out there.
I've never been seasick but have seen some people become virtually helpless after puking several hours. In that kind of sea state if everyone on board got really sick and scared that might explain the maydays. With little information about the boats and crews all of this discussion is very speculative. What about the ICW??? I'd read that there was a lot of shoaling in NC and maybe the ditch wasn't an option. But maybe they were just optimists thinking that with good weather they could get around the cape. I'm sure that it is simular to the gulf stream in that some days it is easy to cross and other days you don't want to be there. I've only crossed the GS twice. Once it was like a lake glassy not even any swells. The other time there were 20' swells but even then it was easy as the swells had a long period. BUT the swells did show me that it could be rough out there.
Does't look questionable to me.
This is what they were facing that day. http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/buoy/41025.html?graphtype=2 This is a note attached to that buoy: Note: This buoy is located in the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. Station 41025 was re-established 10 nautical miles southwest of its original position to reduce the shoaling hazards experienced in storms. That's why I checks the weather before I go out.
This is what they were facing that day. http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/buoy/41025.html?graphtype=2 This is a note attached to that buoy: Note: This buoy is located in the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. Station 41025 was re-established 10 nautical miles southwest of its original position to reduce the shoaling hazards experienced in storms. That's why I checks the weather before I go out.
caguy ...
I am not sure what you mean by "doesn't look questionable". I am wondering why those sailors abandoned their boats. It seems like a pretty extreme measure to me if they are in boats that appear to be handling the conditions, such as the one in the picture. The article talked about "near hurricane" winds, yet the data shows winds that didn't quite reach 50 MPH. This is pretty bad for sure, but bad enough to need to desert your boat? The waves didn't seem all that great either from the data (contrary to the article). I understand the extreme nature of the wave conditions over Diamond Shoals because the depth is only about 25 feet in this area. I can also understand why ships with a deep draft could break-up as they get grounded in these waves. But does a small sailboat with a draft of only 6' or so actually get grounded in the troughs of waves? There is no explanation if this was actually happening. Tom's explanation of seasickness causing the mayday response seems the most plausible in this case, otherwise, I don't see how somebody would desert their boat. I was also wondering if anybody else would feel as I do that it would be preferable to run their boat up on the beach if deserting was the other option. The beaches have pretty forgiving sand in that region, and like I said, with a north wind, it seems like it would be possible to find a fairly protected shoreline as it sweeps towards the west, just south of the point.
I am not sure what you mean by "doesn't look questionable". I am wondering why those sailors abandoned their boats. It seems like a pretty extreme measure to me if they are in boats that appear to be handling the conditions, such as the one in the picture. The article talked about "near hurricane" winds, yet the data shows winds that didn't quite reach 50 MPH. This is pretty bad for sure, but bad enough to need to desert your boat? The waves didn't seem all that great either from the data (contrary to the article). I understand the extreme nature of the wave conditions over Diamond Shoals because the depth is only about 25 feet in this area. I can also understand why ships with a deep draft could break-up as they get grounded in these waves. But does a small sailboat with a draft of only 6' or so actually get grounded in the troughs of waves? There is no explanation if this was actually happening. Tom's explanation of seasickness causing the mayday response seems the most plausible in this case, otherwise, I don't see how somebody would desert their boat. I was also wondering if anybody else would feel as I do that it would be preferable to run their boat up on the beach if deserting was the other option. The beaches have pretty forgiving sand in that region, and like I said, with a north wind, it seems like it would be possible to find a fairly protected shoreline as it sweeps towards the west, just south of the point.
ICW...
yes some shoaling problems, you have to work with tides ect. But controlling dept is 10-12 feet, and huge barges make it 24/7. Mast height is an issue for the big guys (>65 feet).
yes some shoaling problems, you have to work with tides ect. But controlling dept is 10-12 feet, and huge barges make it 24/7. Mast height is an issue for the big guys (>65 feet).
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