S/V SANCTUARY, Beneteau 393, flaga kanadyjska, bodaj z Quebec, w drodze z Nowego Jorku na Bermudy. 35°57'N 067°29'W. 29.10.2011. 5 osób (4 mężczyzn i kobieta), Kanadyjczycy.
W sztormie oberwali "wielką falą" - wywrotki, bałagan wewnatrz, przeciek, zerwana tratwa. Przy próbie odpalenia silnika coś zaczęło się fajczyć, więc zrezygnowano. Odebrawszy prognozę kolejnego sztormu zdecydowali wezwać Coast Guard; ok. 7 rano. Ok. godz. 14 akcję zakończono.
http://www.cruisingworld.com/dramatic-rescue-sea https://plus.google.com/photos/11615091 ... banner=pwaDryfujący jacht widziano ponoć jeszcze miesiąc później... aż dziw, zważywszy że to beneto.
A na wypadek gdyby se kto co pomyślał:
" Cher marin bonjour,
Je suis le proprio de VSf et du bateau qui a fait naufrage ce weekend dernier. Je veux juste apporter quelques précisions concernant ce naufrage avant que vous tombiez dans trop de spéculations car je sais que plusieurs d entre vous aimer bien aller la dedans.
Tout d abord,il est faux de dire que le bateau etait sous moteur, il a toujours été en fuite sous genois pendants plus de 2 jours avec des ventes oscillants entre 40 et jusqu'a 60 noeuds avec des vagues de 20 a 40' et avec en prime des nuits sans lune donc pas besoin de vous dire que le climat etait pas une croisiere tout inclut.
Ici, on est devant un acte de bravoure du capitaine qui cummule plus de 44 ans de navigation, diplome des Master licenes skipper USA, ce dernier mériterait une medaille de bravoure pour ce qui a pu réaliser dans de tel conditions. Il a prit les bonnes décisions au bon moment et a gardé son sang froid tout au long, c'est simple il a sauvé la vie à 4 personnes en plus de la sienne.
Durant la grosse vague, il a enrégistré une vitesse de 17 kn en surf et en plus cette fameuse vague est arrivé a sens opposé ( c est a dire coté opposé aux vents) donc créant bcp de dégats dans le bateau. Par la suite, je vous évite des détails de l'horreur qui reganit à l'intérieur du bateau.
C est en partant le moteur pour recharger les batteries que le skip a senti une odeur de bruler et a donc fermer le moteur illico pour éviter un potentiel feu.
Et je parle meme pas de la nuit qui a suivie avec des vents violents avec des orages donc celui qui disait qui mettrait un petit mouchoir en avant et qui se sentirait bien et bien il est mieux d etre petit en cri... ton mouchoir mon cher !
Bref, si ca n'aurait été de cette vague tout allait passablement bien a bord et le bateau filait vers les Bermudes pour se refugier et aurait pu poursuivre sa route. Mais n'ayant plus de voltage a bord, pu de moteur, une fuite d eau important, le skip a prit la meilleur décison du monde car vous le savez les bateaux c'est du plastique et ca se remplace mais pas la vie humaine....
Par la suite devant tout ses faits et sachant qu'une autre grosse dépression leur tomberait dessus dans la soirée de samedi (météo recu via Iridium par moi) le skip a décidé de contacter la Coast Guard pour une évacuation sachant que le radeau avait été arraché par la grosse vague. Heureusement que le Norwegien passait pas loin car selon les dires du captain de ce cruising ship, dans la soirée de samedi il a enrégistré des vents de 60 allant jusqu' a 80 kn (il a la comparait a Perfect Storm) et il est de toute évidence que meme sous voile, l'équipage aurait péri.
Alors svp ayez un peu de sympati envers ces gens et chercher pas les bébittes. Mettez vous juste 2 minutes a vivre ce calvaire et imaginer durant 48 heures sans presque rien manger et boire) et vous comprendrez.
VSF organise des convoyages depuis plus de 17 ans et n'avait jamais connu autant de depressions et de mer et sacher qu'on va continuer a les faire car comme dit Yves, ca réponds a un besoin, tous vont en sortir de la encore plus fort.
A l heure on j'écrie ceci, Sanctuary doit avoir coulé car il prenait l eau et l'équipage avait réussi a évacuer jusqu'a l'arrivée du cruising ship mais avec l autre grosse tempete et ne pouvant plus évacuer son eau et bien il a du couler au plus profonds de l'Atlantique.
PS : Je suis a l'extérieur du pays donc je vais pas donner suite aux commentaires à moins de voir des sottises s'écrires.
Bien a vous
Guy " (Guy Carpentier, Voile sans Frontière, że dodam)
"We left Sandy Hook on Tuesday (October 25) afternoon, after having checked that the weather conditions would be favourable for our passage to St Maarten.
After a first night of navigating in good conditions, the wind changed to 30 kn SW winds and forced us to change our direct course to handle the state of the sea. By Thursday early evening, the winds increased to 45 – 50 kn, with breaking seas and we experienced three knock downs which ripped our life raft off the deck, created structural damage to the hull and caused diesel fuel leak from one of our reserve tanks.
The boat at this time was starting to take on water that we managed to keep under control. On Friday, we experienced an electrical short in the engine compartment while starting the engine with the objective of recharging our electrical batteries.
Our situation was now that our batteries were low which meant that our navigational aids would soon not be functional and our satellite phone was not fully charged.
In the night of Friday to Saturday we established a watch to both navigate and manually pump water from the boat.
Easterly winds increased from 15 to 30 kn in confused seas - this was the indication of another storm.
I made the decision to request assistance since we would have been unable to survive another storm and the lives of my crew was my first priority.
The US Coast Guards were contacted Saturday morning and they immediately responded. They provided us with a 15 minutes update of the status of help. Within an hour they had confirmed that there was a vessel within the area that would help and that they were sending a Hercules airplane to locate us and organize the rescue with the other vessel.
I would like to thank the US Coast Guards for their exceptional efficiency and professionalism.
We would also like to thank the Norwegian cruise line – Captain Hakan Svedung who took the decision to delay his navigation schedule to divert course to rescue us.
His entire crew, particularly his rescue team who took great risks in dangerous sea conditions.
We experienced exceptional hospitality from the Norwegian Cruise Line staff and will forever be grateful to them.
To end, I would like to thank my crew that demonstrated tremendous courage and admirable spirit. We all understood that our lives were in danger but at no time, did any of them panic or challenge my decisions. I am honoured to have been their captain for this incredible experience.
Captain Thierry Simon
s/v Sanctuary" For those of you who are interested in the detailed story of our ''adventure'', here it is:
This text is extract from the letter I wrote to the owner of Sanctuary, the day we arrived in NYC onboard Norwegian Gem.
We arrived this morning in New York City, NY, onboard the Norwegian Gem, the ship that saved us from certain death.
We started from Sandy Hook on Tuesday, October 25 with a favorable weather forecast for the next few days (NE wind 10-15 kn) which allowed us to cross the Gulf Stream in direct route to St. Maarten, NA.
After a pleasant first night, a wind SW 30 KN forced us to diverge from our direct route, given the wind and the sea conditions. The next day, we were hit by a severe depression with winds of 40 kn and more. Running before the wind with genoa rolled up to 85%.
During the night of Thursday to Friday, we experienced winds up to 60 KN with rough, huge seas. I took the wheel all night because I was the only one who could handle the breaking waves. The crew were on 2 hours watch, to inform me of the waves coming from behind. It was a night of new moon, no visibility.
Around 23:00, we were hit by a huge breaking wave, twice as big as the others. It came from port, while all others were coming from starboard. It hit hard and the boat was capsized, the mast in the water. I had water at least two feet above me and I was torn from the wheel. I was attached and I found myself on the stern, against the outboard motor. When the waters went away, the boat righted herself and the mast was still standing up. The boat continued on, driven by fierce winds. Eric’s portable GPS recorded boat speeds up to 17.6 KN ...
Inside the ship, it was horror. Eric who was sleeping in the saloon, went through the saloon table and ended up against the fridge on the other side of the boat. The other two teammates who were sleeping were also thrown violently. All cabinets were emptied and there was stock all over the floors, including glass and debris of all kinds.
We realized that there was also a leak of diesel spare reservoir that had emptied into the bidge. We also realized that the boat was taking on water.
We were subsequently struck by two lightning storms. With hyper violent winds. We also were hit by two other big breaking waves, one of which ripped-off the "life raft". The shock of the sea waves caused structural damage to the hull and possibly delaminating the fiberglass. Inside the boat, in André’s cabin, the cabinet was smashed and could not open anymore. To my surprise we survived - boat and crew - this apocalyptic night.
The next day, the wind was calmer, but the sea was still very confused, with a nasty cross swell, residual of the storm. We made an inventory of damages to the boat. I tried to contact you with the Iridium sat phone and I hit your mailbox again, where I left you a message. We set our course to Bermuda in order to stop and repair. It was unthinkable to go to St. Maarten, NA in these conditions. We were at that time 357 nautical miles North of Bermuda.
On the evening of Friday, around 18:00, we started the engine to recharge the batteries. I immediately felt a burning smell and smoke coming from the engine compartment. We stopped the engine and made an investigation of the engine compartment. We believe that there was an electrical short with possible wire melt down and blown fuse. Impossible to start the engine any more...
An Easterly wind rose and we made direct route to Bermuda. As it was impossible to recharge the batteries, it was necessary to reduce our electrical power consumption. We then established shifts for steering and other shifts to pump manually the boat that was taking on water.
On the morning of Saturday, the wind came from the SW 30-35 kn. It was impossible to sail to Bermuda anymore. Our batteries were very low and a new storm was beginning. The Iridium phone was charged at 50%. I decided to contact the USCG and request assistance. I also activated the DSC on the VHF. The Norwegian Gem cruise ship told me later that she never received the distress signal...
The United States Coast Guard sent a Hercules aircraft on our position and found a ship that was cruising at 50 NM from us. We established shifts for pumping the boat manually every two hours to prevent the water from rising above the floor.
There was diesel all over the boat and it was very dangerous for slipping on floors.
The Norwegian Gem agreed to divert her course and came to us for assistance. The Hercules airplane of the United States Coast Guard circled above us and made a radio technical liaison between all parties. When we saw the ship, we were contacted by VHF and we began to plan the rescue maneuver in a strong wind and rough seas with waves of 10-15 feet. A rescue boat was launched and she came close to the boat. The transfer of the crew was extremely difficult and dangerous. There have been several violent impacts between the two boats.
We went on board the rescue boat with few belongings. We had prepared our passports and a bag of clothes.
The approach maneuver back to the cruise ship was extremely difficult and dangerous. Several collisions occured between the rescue boat and the cruise ship while we were hoisted.
The officers of the cruise ship took care of us and we all went to the infirmary where we were examined by doctors. We were offered cabins and were able to shower and feed. For more than three days, we had almost nothing to eat and drank little, given the state of the sea and the sailboat’s condition.
The Norwegian Gem has resumed her voyage to New York City. The next day, we cleared customs, met the NYC press and celebrated with the cruise ship officers and the rescue team that saved our lives.
Captain Thierry Simon.
In 44 years of sailing, it was the first time ever that I called any Coast Guard organization to require assistance. It was a very difficult call to make. I always returned my boats and their crew safely to shore.
It is a lesson in humility.
Captain Thierry Simon.
