Re: [Cal_Boats] Abby Sunderland (Final Chapter) -- Timm

Very interesting story Timm. What was particularly interesting to me was the mention of Joe Buck. Joe was a ham radio and sailing friend of my dad and had crewed on Papoose when it was owned by one of the previous owners. I think they were also on some navy reunion cruse together. I still have copies of the emails I exchanged with Joe when I first got Papoose. He shared some of the history of Papoose that was very helpful to me. I am in Bellingham this week so do not have access to them right now so I cannot be more specific as this was almost 20 years ago. Small world. Allen On Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 9:35 AM, <ti… [at] ch2m.com> wrote: > > > Skip Allan is a hero of mine. I dare call him a friend. > > > > I was in the same storm, at the same time further North with another sailor > on board. > > > > We saw 54 knots and 35’ haystack seas “confused”. > > > > We were doing 13-19 knots with the storm staysail up. > > > > Skip’s boat did not fail, Skip was not hand steering his tiller pilot was. > > > > Skip’s story is below. > > > > Final comment: > > > > *"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how* *the > strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The > credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred > by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up > short again and again, because there is no effort without error or > shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who > spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the > triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he > fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold > and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."* > > "Citizenship in a Republic," > Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910 > > *Theodore Roosevelt* > > > > > > From Skip: > > > > On Saturday, 8/23, 10 days after leaving Hanalei, we were halfway home to > Santa Cruz with 1190 miles to go. We had passed the Pacific High, and were > running in the Westerlies at latitude 38-38 x longitude 147 -17. So far, the > passage had been going well, my sixth return passage from Hawaii aboard > WILDFLOWER. But an ominous note on the thrice daily weather fax charts was > the notation “GALE” between our position and the Pacific Coast. > > I began to plan for this possible gale by increasing latitude, slowing > down, and closely monitoring projected GRIB files out to 144 hours. It > appeared from all forecasts that we needed to slow down at least 48 hours to > let the gale ahead abate. However, it is against my instincts to try and > slow a boat down, and so with difficulty I reefed the main and dropped the > jib in 8 knots of wind, reducing speed to a sedate 3.5 knots in smooth seas. > > On Wednesday, 8/27, the morning GRIB file showed the area of most wind > ahead was between 124 and 128 degrees, with no weather abatement until at > least Monday, 9/1 earliest. Dwight on NA NA, 450 miles ahead, had reported > gusts of 42.5 knots from the north between latitude 127-128 and having to > run off under storm jib 80 miles. NA NA reported 20 foot seas the previous > night near 37 x 124-30. I hoped that WILDFLOWER, by being at the latitude 40 > degrees, would allow us to run off 180 miles to the latitude of Santa Cruz, > should conditions worsen. > > On Friday, 8/29, at sunset near 40 x 130, conditions began to rapidly > deteriorate. I changed to the #4 (75% short hoist) and storm staysail, > dropping the main completely. > > The following day, Saturday, 8/30, with Santa Cruz 365 miles on a bearing > of 095 T, we were having to run off due south (180 T) in winds 30-35 knots. > By 1530, the sail combination proved too much, and I dropped the #4, flying > the storm staysail (39 sq.feet) and towing a 30” diameter metal hooped > drogue. It was uncomfortable, windy, and rolly that night, with the cockpit > filling about every five minutes, and the boat being knocked down to 70 > degrees at least half a dozen times. WILDFLOWER’s shallow cockpit and > oversize drains allowed full drainage in about 90 seconds, and this was not > a problem. > > The electric Auto Helm 1000+ tiller pilot was doing an amazing job > steering, as it was being continuously drenched, even submerged. The > Sail-O-Mat windvane was useless preventing or correcting breaking wave > induced broaches and I retracted its oar to avoid fouling the drogue rode. > > On Sunday, 8/31, the wind was 30-35 with a confused wave train from the NW, > N, and NE. At 0915 I winched in the drogue to change from a hi-tech spinny > sheet to stretchy nylon anchor line. Unfortunately, I found the drogue had > split, and was no longer effective. I deployed my spare drogue, but without > a metal hoop, it would periodically collapse astern in a breaking crest. > > At noon, it looked like the gale was lessening. I left the safety of the > cabin, and with two safety harnesses affixed to the windward rail, began to > hand steer eastward on a reach with the #4. It was mogul sailing at its > best, having to radically bear away to avoid hissing 8-12′ breaking crests > on the top of 15-30 foot seas. > > At sunset I again went below with the Auto Helm tiller pilot continuing to > steer nicely under #4 jib. Not long after, the wind came on to blow from the > NNW, and the seas began to build further. That night I stayed suited up > below with full foulies, headlamp, and harness, ready to dash out the hatch > and take the tiller if the autopilot failed, and we subsequently rounded up. > In addition, I dropped the storm staysail, as we were running too fast at > 6-9 knots. Under bare poles DDW, the speed was better at 5-7 knots. > > What followed ultimately played into the following day’s events. During the > long night, my third in this particular gale, breaking crests would poop the > boat about every five minutes, filling the cockpit and surging against the > companionway hatch boards. Even though I had gone to lengths for many years > to insure fire hose watertight integrity of the companionway hatch, I found > the power of the breaking wave crests slamming the boat would cause water to > forcefully spray around the edges of the hatchboards and into the cabin. > > During the long wait for daylight, I had more than enough time to ponder > what might happen if the autopilot was damaged or was washed off its mount. > I had two spare tiller pilots. But it would take several minutes, exposed in > the cockpit, on my knees, to hook up a replacement in the cockpit, on a dark > night, when the boat was being periodically knocked down and the cockpit > swept. > > In addition, I pondered the fate of the DAISY that was lost in the spring’s > Lightship Race, when presumably a large breaking wave crushed and sank > DAISY. I also reminded myself I was responsible for not only my own life, > but was also a family care giver at home. > > There was no doubt that if WILDFLOWER’s tiller pilot was lost that we would > round up and be at the mercy of these breaking waves, some of which I > estimate to be in the vicinity of 25-35 feet, and as big as I hadn’t seen > since the ‘79 Fastnet Race storm on IMP. > > The anxiety and stress of this night, with the whine of the wind in the > rigging, the wave crests slamming into the hatch boards, and the 70 degree > knockdowns that would launch me across the cabin, created serious doubts > that we could continue this for another night, much less the 3-4 days the > conditions were expected to continue. > > The boat was fine, and had suffered no serious damage yet. My physical > health was OK, but I could see with minimum sleep that my decision making > could be beginning to be compromised > > At 0715 the following morning, Monday, 9/1, I Sat phoned my long time > sailing friend, ham radio contact, router, navigator and weatherman, Joe > Buck in Redondo Beach. Joe and I had maintained 2x/day ham radio schedule > since leaving Hanalei, and he had instant internet access to all forecast > weather and wave charts. I explained the current situation to Joe: that I’d > had a difficult night, and wasn’t sure I could safely continue. Joe’s > weather info had the highest wind and wave on my current drift southward > continuing for at least another three days, with continuing gale force winds > and 18-22′ significant wave height. > > I asked Joe for help in some difficult decision making I had to do. First, > would he phone San Francisco Coast Guard Search and Rescue (SAR), and query > what the protocol is for asking for assistance, all the while making sure > the CG understood I was not in trouble and was not asking for help at this > time. (Coast Guard NMC Pt. Reyes, Kodiak, and Hono were not answering my > radio calls on their published safety and working 4, 6, 8, and 12 mg > frequencies, both simplex and duplex.) > > Joe called back an hour later (0830) on ham radio 40 meters and said that > Lt. Saxon at SAR reported no military assets within 200 miles or 20 hours, > that WILDFLOWER was 200 miles beyond helo range, but that there was an > inbound container ship TORONTO coming in my direction at an undetermined > distance. > > Joe helped me to understand if the boat were lost, I would likely be lost > also. But that if I left WILDFLOWER proactively, that only the boat would be > lost. I told Joe of my hesitation of putting my life in the hands of a > possibly foreign crew on a big commercial ship during a transfer off > WILDFLOWER in these conditions, especially at night. We agreed that a > decision had to be arrived at soon, before 1130, and before TORONTO passed > by. > > I spent the next hour, sitting on the cabin sole on my life raft, debating > whether to ask for assistance in leaving my beloved WILDFLOWER. “FLEUR” was > my home, consort, and magic carpet that I had built 34 years ago. I cried, > pounded my fist, looked out through the hatch numerous times at the passing > wave mountains, remembered all the good times I had shared with WILDFLOWER. > And came to a decision. > > At 1115 I called Joe back and told him to again call Lt. Saxon at SAR and > inform her that I was asking for assistance. Joe called back and informed me > that TORONTO was 5-6 hours away, and that SAR needed to hear from me > directly as to my request. > > At 1200, like a gopher popping out of its hole, I slid the hatch open to > get a clear Satphone signal, and called SAR. Lt. Saxon already knew my > details and position, and only asked “what are you requesting?” I replied, > “I am asking for assistance to be removed from my boat.” > > We kept the conversation short and to the point, due to my exposure > topsides with the Satphone. She said the MSC TORONTO would be requested to > divert, that I was not to trigger the EPIRB, but that I was to take the > EPIRB with me when I left WILDFLOWER. Contrary to published reports, at no > time did I call “PAN PAN,” and no com schedule was kept with the Coast > Guard, although I did check in with Joe every 30 minutes on ham radio. > > Lt. Saxon also said that if I left my boat, she would be considered > “derelict” and broadcast as a hazard to navigation. I assured her I would > not leave my boat floating. > > An hour later, at 1300, WILDFLOWER’s AIS alarm rang. MSC TORONTO was > showing 30 miles away, and closing at 23.4 knots from the south west. I had > to do some fast planning. > > But with no idea how the transfer would be made (jump, swim, climb, hoist?) > I didn’t know what I could pack into my bag, bags, or backpack. I decided on > my documents, wallet and and passport, laptop, camera, cellphone and sat > phone, logbook, EPIRB and a change of clothes and shoes. All this I bagged > into waterproof bags. And in a moment of whimsy, decided to try and offload > the two Single Handed Transpac perpetual trophies, as they had 30 year > historical and sentimental value to our Race. > > At eight miles, the captain of the MSC TORONTO rang on the VHF. He spoke > perfect English, and as I had a visual, directed him to alter 20 degrees to > starboard to intercept. He explained his ship was over 1,000 feet long, that > he would lay her parallel to the waves and make a lee at a forward speed of > Slow Ahead (6 knots). > > The captain also explained that I would board his ship from a rope ladder > that led to the pilot’s door, on the aft starboard side. I asked if he could > slow to a speed between 3-4 knots, and he willingly agreed to try. At five > miles, a sharp eyed lookout on MSC TORONTO sighted WILDFLOWER ahead. But MSC > TORONTO’s radar and the rest of her bridge crew did not sight WILDFLOWER > until 2.5 miles under these conditions. > > At 1415 hours, one of the world’s biggest container ships was bearing down > on WILDFLOWER, less than five boat lengths (125 feet) dead ahead, the huge > bulb bow scending 20 feet and making a five foot breaking wave. With my > heart in my throat, I motored down the starboard side of a gigantic black > wall, made a U turn, and pulled alongside the pilot’s door and rope ladder. > > The crew threw a heaving line, and in the next five minutes we transferred > three bags. Knowing I was next, I jumped below decks, said a final quick > goodbye, and pulled the already unclamped hose off the engine salt water > intake thru hull. > > Back on deck, I reached for the bottom rung of the Jacob’s Ladder, which > was alternately at head height, and 10 feet out of reach, depending on the > ship’s roll. I grabbed hold, jumped, and did a pull up onto the ladder, and > climbed up, wearing a 15 pound backpack with my most valuable positions and > EPIRB. > > At 1429 hours, on Monday, 9/1, 2008, at position 35-17 x 126-38, the MSC > TORONTO resumed its voyage to Long Beach, leaving WILDFLOWER alone to bang > and scrape her way down the aft quarter of the ship and disappear under the > stern. I watched, but could barely see through my tears. > > Four hours and 100 miles SE of where I left WILDFLOWER I was on the bridge > of MSC TORONTO watching the anemometer True Wind Speed graph continuing to > register 32-35 knots. From 140 feet off the water, the swells below still > looked impressive, and the ship was rolling enough to send spray above the > top containers on the foreward part of the ship > > For the next 24 hours aboard MSC TORONTO (1065′ LOA, too wide for Panama) I > was treated with the utmost kindness and compassion by Capt. Ivo Hruza and > his 24 man crew. We stood watch together, ate together, told stories, viewed > family photo albums, discussed the world situation, toured the ship and > engine room (12 cylinder, 93,360 horsepower diesel). By the time we came > down the Santa Barbara Channel and docked at Long Beach, I felt a part of > this happy crew of 6 nationalities. I could not have been assisted by a > better or more professionally manned ship. > > On Tuesday afternoon, after clearing customs and immigration aboard, I > shook hands with each and every crew member. And descended the gangway > alone, to meet Joe, sister Marilee, and begin New Beginnings. > > I will never forget WILDFLOWER. She took a beating in this gale. She never > let me down, and took me to amazing places, where we met wonderful people > and made new friends. In this time of loss, a most wonderful thing is > happening: many loved ones, friends, interested parties, and people I’ve > never met are closing a circle of love around the mourning and celebration > of WILDFLOWER. > > Time will heal a broken heart. I look forward to seeing everyone at Carla > and Mark’s. I apologize in advance if at times I have to look away and wipe > my tears. > > Treasure Each Day, > > Skip > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > *From:* Michael Robinson <mi… [at] hotmail.com> > *To:* Cal boats List <ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> > *Sent:* Sun, June 13, 2010 10:02:12 PM > *Subject:* RE: [Cal_Boats] Abby Sunderland (Timm, Allen) > > > > I'm late to the party here but in MHO: > Boat is flat bottom racer with no forward buoyancy. Probably OK with crew > of big men. Look at Open 40 website and see flat bottom, rudder (I know it > has 2) out of the water on a 15 degree heel and knife edge bow. There is no > way that boat could heave to. So you have a 16 year old girl in 25 ft seas > with 50 knts of wind how are you going to slow down or prevent broaching? > Skip Allen could not keep his Hawkfarm from danger without hand steering. He > has credentials. The route, the boat, the time of year: All wrong. High tech > boat carbon fiber, crash bulkheads don't mean much if you are rolling and > pitch polling. > > My $.02 > > *Mike Robinson* > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > To: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com > From: timmothy.lessley@ ch2m.com > Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:35:07 -0600 > Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Abby Sunderland > > > Geraldo said that. You asked to summarize w idiot G said. I repeated it. > Cheers, > > Timm Lessley > (Sent from Blackberry) > (503) 863-4019 > > > ------------------------------ > > *From*: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com <Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com> > *To*: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com <Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com> > *Sent*: Sun Jun 13 19:26:05 2010 > *Subject*: Re: [Cal_Boats] Abby Sunderland > > > > The boat took second place in 2002 in the round the world alone race. It > also took second in the 2007 Florida to Bermuda race. It had a Kevlar > Fiberglass hull with crash bulkheads and would self right of it turned > turtle. Why do you say it was unproven? > > > > Allen > > > > > > > > On Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 6:08 PM, <timmothy.lessley@ ch2m.com<ti… [at] ch2m.com>> > wrote: > > > > > > The boat was unproven and not able to go around the world. > Been there done that got the tee shirt. > > Cheers, > > Timm Lessley > (Sent from Blackberry) > (503) 863-4019 > > > ------------------------------ > > *From*: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> <Cal_Boats@yahoogrou > ps.com <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com>> > *To*: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> <Cal_Boats@yahoogrou > ps.com <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com>> > > *Sent*: Sun Jun 13 19:04:00 2010 > > > *Subject*: Re: [Cal_Boats] Abby Sunderland > > > > > > Not on till 10 pm EST > > Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry > ------------------------------ > > *From: *Allen Edwards <allen.edwards@ PaloAltoPhoto. com> > > *Date: *Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:35:41 -0700 > > *To: *<Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com>> > > *Subject: *Re: [Cal_Boats] Abby Sunderland > > > > > > Can anyone summarize what the idiot said? > > > > Allen > > > > On Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 4:31 PM, <timmothy.lessley@ ch2m.com<ti… [at] ch2m.com>> > wrote: > > > > > > Geraldo is an idiot. IMHO > Cheers, > > Timm Lessley > (Sent from Blackberry) > (503) 863-4019 > > > ------------------------------ > > *From*: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> <Cal_Boats@yahoogrou > ps.com <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com>> > *To*: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> <Cal_Boats@yahoogrou > ps.com <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com>> > *Sent*: Sun Jun 13 12:14:35 2010 > *Subject*: Re: [Cal_Boats] Abby Sunderland > > > > Too easy to criticize when things go wrong. That boat went around the > world single handed before. It was self righting. It survived multiple > knock downs before being dismasted. The hull survived whatever dismasted > it. It didn't sink and Abby was able to stay on the boat without being > seriously injured. So what is the problem with the boat? > > > > I have read that her traveling in the southern ocean in winter was a bad > idea, which clearly after the fact it was. But it looks like she was at a > latitude equivalent to just north of Los Angeles where the racers go more > like the Oregon Washington border. That has to make a difference. > > > > No matter if it was foolish or brave, she is obviously a very good sailor > and was clearly up to the task. That should not be open to question. She > was prepared. > > > > Again, what is wrong with the boat -- besides not being a Lapworth design? > > > > Allen > > > > > > > > On Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 10:09 AM, <mayman252000@ yahoo.com<ma… [at] yahoo.com>> > wrote: > > > > Glad she is safe! Geraldo on Fox News,sailor himself, says boat was a > problem and will cover on his show tonight. Her age? Well I have a son who > was flying planes before driving a car! He started flying lessons(with money > he earned scooping ice cream) at 14. He would save and as soon as he had > enough money he would take another lesson. He flew solo one day after his 16 > birthday and did check ride for private license a week after his 17 > birthday. Both FAA minimum ages. When he started many people said how can > you let him do that,he is so young! It was his passion and still is, had to > let him go for it. Not as dangerous as Indian Ocean but not something most > 14 year olds do! > Jim > Cal 27-3 > Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with > Hotmail. Get busy.<http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?tile=multicalendar&ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_5> > > > > >