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Nine saved, one missing, near Mystic River

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5429 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/19/2012 : 18:23:53

My wife and I were sailing in between Milford and New Haven this afternoon and around 2:30pm we heard the USCG Sector Long Island Sound issue a warning over VHF Channel 16 of a "submerged vessel in the area of Fishers Island Sound with a woman trapped below decks. All vessels in the area are advised to keep a close watch and assist as possible."

Local authorities seemed to be on the scene within minutes and it just so happened that a dive team was nearby doing some other work. They were reported as being on scene within 30 minutes.

We heard continued reports as we sailed and got back to the dock around 6pm. There was a report of a debris field and nine passengers rescued and brought to shore. No injuries were reported among the nine. One person was reported missing.

I later tuned into WTNH Channel 8 in New Haven (the local ABC affiliate) who reported that a 50 foot yacht struck some rocks near the Noank Shipyards at the mouth of the Mystic River. This area is a known "minefield" with more rocks than seaway, however the channel is very well marked and conditions were partly cloudy, light winds and 10 miles visibility. They said is took place near Buoy #4, which could be R_"4"_Fl_R_4S at N41 18.8, W071 59.3, at a very sharp jog in the river.

This is very close to Dave Bristle's home, and of course I was worried when we first heard of the report.

I can't imagine anyone driving their boat fast enough to create a "debris field" in this area, especially at that time on a Sunday in August - too much boat traffic.

I expect to see the whole story on this evening's news. It has been dark for over an hour now - I hope they can find the missing person.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5429 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2012 : 18:48:39

Correction (from Twitter): It was RN4 near West Clump, called Pulpit Rock closer to Fishers Island. N41 17.2 W071 59.7

Apparently the boat was leaving West Harbor from Fishers Island. Search has been called off until morning.

Edited by - Voyager on 08/19/2012 18:51:25

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3477 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2012 : 04:02:29

And we have yet another search going.... down here.
[url="http://loganville.patch.com/articles/man-missing-in-lake-lanier-believed-drowned"]Lake Lanier Man Missing after jumping off sailboat at night.[/url]

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jerlim
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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2012 : 10:59:23

We heard that radio traffic too...I found the cool professionalism of the USCG and local enforcement to be admirable.

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Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2012 : 13:50:31

Divers recovered the missing body from inside the boat this morning. It was indeed at West Clump (submerged rocks - marked).

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Voyager
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5429 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2012 : 18:55:59

My wife was quite upset upon experiencing the whole drama playing out in real time. Every weekend we hear of boat's taking on water or read of drownings. It's sad, but it's a news story somehow and a personal tragedy for "some other family". Actually, given the numbers of people who go out and come back safely, it is a blessing to all of us.
But for Cathy, the VHF reports, the details we got in real time, the SAR efforts and time it takes to get resources and personnel on scene, then the image of being trapped below decks after a crash or capsize, and the final report were harrowing. It made it real.
And coincidentally, I asked Cathy to do a MOB drill earlier in the day. I asked her to steer the boat and control the throttle while I was the spotter. We took 3 turns to collect the float. It reinforced the idea that safety is paramount, but is easily squandered. You have to hone it every time you go out and challenge yourself in some way.
She knew it was tough but in the past considered it academic. Now she realizes that it is anything but. When you pick up actual "swimmers" who have fallen out of a kayak, walked out too far in the current or got stranded on a sandbar as the tide came in, you know it's life and death out there.
Not sure whether this will make a long term difference, but maybe now we'll take the Safe Boating course together as well as Seamanship and Piloting.
Next we'll start on charting and GPS...

Edited by - on

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2012 : 16:24:19

One would think that a 50 footer would be operated by a skilled mariner. Wonder if it was a luxo bleach bottle purchased by a newbie.

Sten

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Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2012 : 21:41:49

I still don't know much about the vessel, except that it was a "cement" hull. The owner is a long-time member of a yacht club in RI. His wife was the casualty--I don't know if he was the operator at the time.

This area has some tricky markers around some dangerous rocks, particularly along the north shore of Fishers Island where this occurred. There are many questions, and little news so far.

Edited by - on

ruachwrights
Captain

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USA
258 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2012 : 17:29:40

This sounds like a real tragedy. We sailed this area and I can remember that the currents were strange on the approach to Mystic off of Fishers Island. That approach has kind of an ominous feel since there is a mast or something else sticking up out of the water at the entrance. A "cement" hull sounds like a sailboat to me though to hit a rock and overturn sounds like it would need more speed than most sailboats can muster. I feel bad for the woman and her captain.

Vern Wright
"Hajime"

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5429 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2012 : 19:33:19

Fishers Island Sound can be fascination and beautiful, however treacherous - lots of obstacles, strong currents and sudden fogbanks moving in. Having a good knowledge of the area, a detailed chart and a working GPS are not bad to have. You also have to keep an eye out, remain vigilant and keep track of your location. You can't both entertain guests <i>and </i>navigate competently.
It can also be a very beautiful and magical area and offers lots of stuff to navigate and challenge yourself.

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Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2012 : 07:24:39

Yup--I'm out there several times each week, use my chartplotter constantly, and watch the tide tables. Fishers Island Sound parallels The Race, and has somewhat the same currents, although less extreme because of the obstacles between the east end of the Island and Watch Hill, RI. A 48' powerboat crashed onto Watch Hill Reef a couple of years ago and badly injured the skipper and his wife--I saw the boat on the hard a few days later. You don't want to "touch bottom" at any speed around here--the bottom is generally the edges of a piece of granite the size of Ohio.

Here's what can happen when you don't watch the tidal currents and level when you're approaching something like the daymark at the mouth of the Mystic River. This is the schooner Alabama a couple of years ago. She is <i>not</i> heeling from the wind...

There have been a few times I've been glad I could apply a little burst of power going around that mark, or even a buoy out in the sound. You learn to watch which way the nuns are leaning!

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 08/25/2012 07:26:14

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