It was an early morning wake up, and it was a beautiful full moon, just half way down when I looked out of the cabin door from the dock. The sailor’s wind chimes were still clanging at 10 – 15 knots, and it was just 3AM. I woke up before the alarm went off and there was no going back to sleep so up and at ‘em, vitamins and head for the shower. My observers were to be there at 0400, and we were supposed to be on station for an assigned radio check in at 0430. I have a Licensed 100 ton Master for my observer, (a good learning opportunity for me) and his girlfriend. Turns out it was a blessing to have 3 on board and after an introduction to the boat, safety gear, systems and electronics, we were off the dock at 0415 and nearly to our assigned position which was Point Wilson Light to the buoy about ½ mile to the North, the general area of the Point Wilson rip tide. Nearly to our mark, there was an announcement on the VHF, there would be a 30 minute start delay due to weather so we cruise in the very early dawn, light enough to see the lumps in the water, and the white tops on some of those 2 foot lumps.
All soon enough, the warning signals are past and the race is on. The race started at 0530, right after the tide switched to a big ebb from a big flood. Tide range was about 8 feet, and it was essentially the main tide of the day, thus also, the largest rip of the day and close to the largest of the month. The choice was intentional, to take advantage of that huge ebb current for the paddlers and rowers to run west through the Juan de Fuca Strait, to Victoria, BC. It was also intentional that the first 40 miles would be a qualification lap for the second part of the race. Intentional because on this end of it there could be a much closer chance for assistance if needed, and the conditions could be equal to anything the racers might meet with on the next 750 miles of the race.
There were 60 vessels signed up to start but by the time the race was underway, it was down to 55 due to withdrawal for various reasons which may have included sanity. Within about 10 to 15 minutes from the start, we had a fleet of fast moving, sailing vessels of all types streaking by on a beam reach on that 15 knot wind. Some good sized catamarans, trimarans, and then the smaller (18 -20 foot variety) cats and tries, then the smaller, sailing kayaks, then the rowers. The early ones got around in close and before the rip built up. As it built up it also went longer, farther out into the strait. Two to three feet became 5-6, the 20% whitecaps became 80% and that looked like a long, white wall, stretching from close to the light house corner out past the buoy maybe another mile. Even in our area we had 3-5 foot waves on a regular basis and there were racers going through this to get around the point and head west. There was another safety boat (RSV – race support vessel), stationed north of the Point Wilson buoy about a mile out, a 34’ foot cabin cruiser with a USCGAux banner up. He was just at the west side of the rip when an 18 foot tri, developed trouble resulting in loss of directional control. The CHB was standing by, and then was requested to take the tri in tow with the single hand skipper remaining on the tri. Since most of the racers were through that area or were way out to the east of us we opted to stand by during the tow. That was not going easy, now steering control on the tri, and it was filling with water. The skipper was bailing until he was sitting in a cockpit full of water, and the tow was only standing in position against the run of the tide. The sea state around them was at least 6 ft and much of it in the 8-10 ft range with some greater than that. The CHB captain is reporting everything is on the floor, no way to control the tow, and getting through the rip is just not happening. A Jefferson County Marine patrol boat, has come in to stand by as well, and decided to take the tri skipper off his vessel. They move in, the tri skipper jumps, and the aluminum patrol boat back off with the human cargo on board. 3 minutes later the trimaran rolls over and has to be cut loose. That happens about 5 miles in front of an oncoming container ship approaching at 18 knots.
At that point the larger Jefferson Fire Rescue boat comes on scene to stand by the tri because now it is drifting into the shipping lane. Vessel traffic and the oncoming container ship are advised, and Vessel Assist is responding to salvage the tri, which floats at the surface, and stays in the rip.
There were some other did not finish occurrences, from just out of the rip and on the beach next to the lighthouse without a mast, to some landing for overnight in places other than Victoria, like Protection Island or Discovery Island, and a couple along the beach inside of Dungeness Bay. One of the SPOT devices escaped its confines on its kayak and floated to Smith Island where it landed itself.
The first boat into Victoria was a team of 5 “old guys” in a big Cat rigged with a sliding rowing seat on the aft end of each hull. Since there is no sailing allowed inside the “Inner harbor” in Victoria, every boat in the race had to be capable of human power, row, paddle or peddle. The second was a big proa. . They were into the dock in Vic BC before the towing incident in the rip was over. It was a great race, and everyone survived, even the capsized tri was returned to the Port Townsend Maritime Center ramp. A long day for some, and a terrific learning opportunity for most. It was the roughest water I have spent time in, and with a good strong captain sharing the wheel and the radios, it was a real “boat ride” and a rewarding day.
Would I do it again? Yup, would I do it all the same? Nope – I learned while I was out there that my AIS was not working. Did not get that up and working for the entire race. I would have that working and check the day before, like I do the VHF’s. I would also try to sleep a little later too. The old saying that “All’s well that ends well” really applies to any day on the water, but when I can help ensure that not only my boat and I get home safe, but that others can too, it makes it really “All well.”
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
