One Dead, One Missing, Two Rescued in Lake Michigan

[dennisjay]

Rescued Lake Michigan boater shares survival tale - chicagotribune.com

A compelling story -- and a good lesson about always keeping someone on board when you go swimming.

[Dockhead]

Horrible journalism. All feelings and no facts. What the h*ll happened? Four people under sail at night just jump off the boat to go swimming? Sounds crazy.

Oddly enough, something rather like this happened to me two days ago, but not voluntarily. I was at anchor off St. Vaast in Normandy, getting ready to cross the channel. I was standing on my upturned bathing platform (it folds down hydraulically) securing the dinghy when one of the hydraulic rams came loose, allowing the platform to swing down slightly. I fell overboard, first time that's ever happened to me. There was a current running and as soon as my head came up above the surface I could see the boat rapidly dwindling. I swam like hell and managed to get back to the boat. If the full 4 or 5 knot tidal stream had been running, I would likely be dead. Or if I were not a strong swimming. Or if it had taken me more than a split second to understand I needed to swim for my life.

My crew was below and didn't hear the splash. He eventually came out and helped me aboard. Scared the living sh*t out of me and has given me an entirely new appreciation of the terror of going overboard.

Why somone would just jump overboard voluntarily, and at night too, is entirely beyond my comprehension.

[Healer52]

Exactly how was that any sort of 'accident'?

And of course alcohol was involved....how could it not be?

[Joli]

It's amazing how quick a sailboat can drift, much faster then people think. Very sorry to read of these types of tragedies.