Another experience in these waters
my experience a few years ago in these waters in my old Oday 30. It was published on Sail Net but some of you may not have seen it. Shows who tricky things can get real quick. The exciting trip from the Dry Tortugas to Key West June 1. 2005 Our plan after 3 days at the Dry Tortugas was to start early (7:30 am) and take the 38 miles to the Marquesas islands where we would anchor out and snorkel and fish for 2 nights and then off to Key West, another 30 miles. We pulled up the anchor right at 7:30 and motored around Ft. Jefferson and around the other little keys there and rounded marker #2 and started the easterly trek to the Marquesas. There was another boat about a mile ahead of us we could see and we knew that the Fullers (who were also sailing this route with us) would be behind us in about an hour. They were in a newer Hunter 42 and cruise at 7 knots and we plod along in our O’Day 30 at 5.5 knots. Their longer waterline and 64 hp diesel is much faster than our old Yanmar 15. It was overcast and we were not able to get a weather report on the radio out so far but had read the posted weather at the ranger station. It said 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms for the next 3 days. We figured one day was as iffy as another. We were under mainsail and full 150 genoa rolled all the way out. We had the motor on trying to make the point as the wind was real close to the nose and this let us move at about 5.5 knots. We were about an hour out between the marker and Rebecca Shoals which we needed to leave to our port and then turn more Easterly. We thought we would then be able to turn off the motor and be under sail. We noticed a long grey black line behind us and saw it was coming right up on our stern. It looked bad but they always look bad until you get in them then they are just normal rainy, windy, etc. We did not see any lightning or hear any thunder so kept plodding on and did not reduce sail. We noticed the other boat was doing the same. In about 10 minutes the wind came up. Really up, 20 to 25mph, maybe more, and hit us on the quarter knocking us down and rounding us up into the wind until we stalled and got knocked down again. We did not get the rail in the water as the wind would surge, then let off, then surge. In the Lulls we rounded up, righting the boat. We released the main and genoa. Rhonda tried to hold the sheet while I pulled the roller furler. We got it rolled up but it was wrapped so tight that it did not go all the way and about 4 feet of sail was flapping and the sheets were flying around. I went on top and lowered the main while Rhonda tried to keep the boat in a somewhat upright state. Trying to get the topping lift hooked I pushed the main and felt a tear in my shoulder. Great! I got it down, thanks a lot to the lazy jacks that I had up and ready. The main fell right down in the slot. Now we could steer. Rhonda went below in her life jacket and reports that looking up all she could see was me and the waves over my head in the stern. We tried to power up and into the wind and tighten the sheets on the flapping genoa but by now the wind had increased to at least 30 maybe 40mph gusts and we could not get enough power to get the nose into the wind, so I fell off (steered away from the wind) and put the stern to the storm and let us surf down the building seas. Rhonda came up and helped. This gave us control but within a few minutes the wind had increased to gusts of maybe 50+ and these started shredding the bimini top right off the frame. It began flapping all around me at the helm and Rhonda went below, got the sailing knife, opened it and handed it up. I was able to cut off the rest of the canvas so at least I could see and was not getting smacked in the head by the canvas shreds. I then saw the sheets parted from the ring on the genoa and fell to the deck. Now the genoa was unfurled and flapping in the wind. I assumed the ring had pulled out at the clew. . The wind and waves continued to build and we were surfing along at what was recorded on the GPS as a new max velocity of 9.9 knots. Our sailing speed is usually 6.5 to 7 knots at very best. This was not good and Rhonda was below with her life jacket on trying not to cry, scared. I hollered down for her to get up here and help. She bit her lip and up she came. Rhonda took the wheel and I went forward with a line to roll up the rest of the sail and tie it off. I ran up and in my haste forgot to put back on my lifejacket. This was not a fun job as we were surfing the waves and the wind and rain were pelting me. We did get it though and I was able to secure the sail. We were now running under power and bare poles. The lazy jacks saved the main and I was able to tie a line or two around it to make sure it stayed put. Now I felt we were safe even though the storm was all over us we were steering the boat and not getting knocked down. We knew we could ride this out. At this time we heard a distress call on the radio. It was the other boat we were sailing near. We could not see them but they were calling a distress call. They were the Barnacle Bait. They had on the boat a grandfather, his son and 3 grandkids. They had lost their motor and their mast had somehow pushed through the deck and collapsed the compression post so were without power and sail and the mast was flopping around half in and half out. We have a new radio cable on our boat that runs from the radio up the mast to the antenna. It is an extra thick and highly efficient system that is an upgrade most people do not do. We were the only boat that could receive and send to Ft Jefferson so Rhonda, scared though she was, went below and radioed communications between Barnacle Bait and the Rangers at Ft. Jefferson who called the Coast Guard that dispatched immediately. We continued to stay in communications with them. The blow lasted about 45 minutes and we now hear from other boats out there winds were in the 50 to 65 mile range. We then monitored several other boats and relayed communications between them and whomever they were trying to reach. All and all our radio worked when all others failed. We saw one large 54 footer in Key West later that said they clocked over 55 mph winds. They had 2 knockdowns and lost their Genoa as it too did not retract and blew out. On the Dry Tortugas the boats in the Anchorage were also dealing with the storm. Although our friends anchored there did fairly well, several boats broke anchor or drug off the hook and into the islands beaching themselves in the big waves and wind. Finally the wind abated and we rounded back into the wind and tried to figure out where we were. We used the handheld GPS but did not believe what it was telling us so we radioed our position to another boat back at the fort, Spirit, and he plotted our coordinates and gave us a course to get back on track. We had been blown about 6 or 7 miles off course and had to then try to motor into the wind and seas of about 6 to 8 feet. We were sluggish to say the least just rolling up on the rollers and then falling down. Our progress showed about 3 kts. Our little 15 hp motor had a hard time punching us over 8 foot swells. After another half hour the wind had calmed enough I felt we could put up the main and since we have a small main we might get some drive and steadying from it. I figured about 20 mph. This time I put on the jacket and went up and raised the main. We immediately steadied and began to drive forward. What a great feeling a sail boat can give you when it starts doing what it was designed to do. We were still powering at 2000 rpm but that was mostly heading us in the right direction. The small main thrust us forward and we started making headway into the wind. We called our friends who were supposed to be behind us and found they were far ahead now. We took about 2 hours to get back to where we could turn east and miss the shoals. As we reached a southern point where we wanted to turn on the GPS we eased off the wind and pointed East. Then I went forward again and checked the roller furler. I found the snapshackel had let go and the ring was intact. What luck, we now had both sails available. I untangled the sheets and snapped them on to the sail. I untied the sail returned to the cockpit and we rolled out about ½ the genoa. Now we began to eat the waves and once again were motor sailing down the waves with the wind just off our nose but the waves at our quarter. Rhonda went to the rail and threw up---several times. After everything she finally had time to think about what just happened. We sailed along for several hours like this doing about 5 kts. Our friends in the 42 called again on the radio and reported they were at the Marquesas under power, had been knocked around a lot but were now in calmer water. They were all sore and bumped but their boat was unharmed. He and his family had on life jackets and he was wearing his harness. They were not going to try for the Marquesas but go on to Key West. They thought they would make it by 7 pm. We told them we would follow but not to look for us before 10 or 11 pm. The next we heard from them was at 7:30. They were in and anchor down. We were still in the channel motor sailing and doing now about 5.5 to 6 kts but still having to tack every few hours to the south. At about 8:30 we heard the motor sound change. Instead of the rhythmic thump-thump we heard puff-puff. I knew this sound and a look over the stern showed we were no longer pumping water through the motor. I shut it down. Now it was nearly dusk, seas were calming and were in the 4 to 5 foot range but very overcast, winds about 20+, and 24 miles to go. Well, we were sailing. Rhonda looked at me like, well? Now what? It was almost funny. We did laugh, I told her we were not IN, trouble but we HAD trouble. The difference is we could handle this. We were sailing along fine now and even took a shot or two of the sunset. It looked so calm now. At 9:30pm I radioed for Key West TowBoat US. They responded and wanted to know if we were in distress. They had just dropped off Barnacle Bait and were on their way to get some dinner. The Coast Guard had responded to them and towed them about halfway to Key West and the Tow Boat US arrived and took over. The Coast Guard had boarded all the passengers (kids and father) off Barnacle Bait and took them on to Key West. We told them we were sailing along fine now under full sail of 150 and the main. We were doing 5 to 6 kts and on point for the Key West SW channel. We told them to go to dinner, call us in 2 hours and we should be near the harbor where they could come out and tow us to Conch Harbor where we had reservations for the next day. It was real dark, no stars, no moon and only a few channel marker lights flashing on the reef islands to starboard and an occasional light on the islands to port. Man Island, Woman Island, Crawfish Island we sailed past them and to the now visible lights on the horizon that were Key West. We were going to get this behind us. At about 11:00 TowBoatUS hailed us and said they were loading the boat to come out for us .We gave them our coordinates and soon they hailed us to identify them as they flashed us with their spotlight. Rhonda went below and talked to them on the radio and we formulated a plan for the hookup. They pulled up near us, Rhonda rounded into the wind and I rolled in the genoa and dropped the main. They pulled alongside and pitched a tow line that I made fast to the bow cleat. They eased up the slack and let out about a ton of line and began the tow us in and through the harbor. I steered and Rhonda relayed info on the radio. At about 12:30am, we cleated on to the fuel dock at Conch Harbor. The tow boat guys stopped and told us they would be back first thing in the morning to move us to a slip. We were here and safe. We ate some cinnamon spins which completed our great feast of two other granola bars for the day, and fell fast asleep. At 6:30 am the following morning the dock man was banging on the deck. We awoke and explained our situation. They moved us to an out of the way spot, gave us fresh coffee and we called for a Yanmar repair man. About 2 hours later he showed up. He came from Stock Island and I asked him if he knew my Uncle Tommy there. Come to find out they are good friends. He checked everything out and changed an impeller and pronounced us good to go. The tow was covered under our Boat US policy and the repair was pretty inexpensive. Small world. Post script.. Two days later we rented a motor scooter and went to Stock Island and met not only Tommy there but we also met the Captain of Barnacle Bait and who was preparing to motor across Florida Bay to Naples then up to Cape Coral. We took pictures of the boat and the captain. He was ever so grateful to us for calling help for him. He is the commodore of the Cape Coral Yacht club. Terry and Rhonda Forshier
