Small boat in big surf - Pictures

[BC Mike]

If you want a pub goers guide book to the North Island and a review of every beach on the North Island just ask. It is all in my head. For starters the two nicest non surf beaches are Taupo Bay at the top right and Opito Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula. The pub at Coromandel is a classic with a sign that says " used beer department " This is an older pub, for a more modern unit in an absolutely lovely area, is the pub at Waihi Beach which is also a good surf beach.
Michael

[John B]

I first saw these photos last weekend through Sailing Anarchy. If my memory is correct, the first question I have is why were they so close to shore - and they appeared to be really close. The second thing I noted is that they tried this stunt with the hatch open and dropboards not in place. Were they vying for a Darwin Award?

[jim lee]

Oh man! This is a wake up call for me! Playin' fast and loose with the rules of boating, I've run this exact short cut a few times in the past. This is also, I think, where the J/35 Jammin' was lost in pretty close to the same kind of deal.

As for the hatches being open, its kinda' like this. The Bay is cold and windy as all get out most of the summer. Outside the bay, where the sequence starts, is typically kinda' quiet. As you pass under the bridge (heading into the bay) its not uncommen to have the wind pipe up from about 12-15 to around 30kt.

So here they are on the outside where its calmer, sunny and warm. Great time for lunch and a drink. Sure the hatches are open, its a beautiful day. They probibly beat into a near gale getting there. (Well, maybe not that near a gale but you get the idea) The boat's a Santana 22, they may have been thinking that they would surf the waves back in under the bridge heading home. (We do this all the time, its fun.) The breaking surf is not nearly as obvious from the sea angle as from the shore. It shoaled, things changed for the worse and stuff happend.

I kinda' feel like defending their action 'cause, well.. They wern't doing anything I'd (before seeing this) not have done. Or done in the past.

Currently I've been working on changing my attitude tward sailing cause, well.. I have kiddies now and I need to be more carful.

Never thought about that 'ol short-cut past black's beach and inside the south tower before.

-jim lee

[Alan Wheeler]

Thanks for the description Jim. Just goes to show, even when you have dealt with the same piece of water for years, one day it can just turn around and Bit hard. Some of your comments make perfect sense. From the very first shot taken, looking back, it is like those breakers just come from now where. Must be a short sharp shoal. (try repeating that lot fast ) It is hard to judge distance, but was the guy a little to close to the shore? It looks like a few yards further towards the bridge footing, it is calmer. Is there a reason why you cut in so close? Or why not the other side of the footing compleatly?
It was good to see a picture of the Golden gate. I did not realise it joined a very narrow cutting with such high hills. Are the hills bothsides. I just presumed it was flat country, So where is the City?

P.S. It is quite an eye opener to think Mirabella can't fit under that bridge eh.

[jim lee]

Well in the first shot the city is behind you. Well actually there's a cliff behind you and the city is behind that. As the shots progress so does the poor boat under the bridge and into the bay. On the later shots you can see the city on the right.

There -are- hills. The reason the SF Bay is so windy in the summer is 'cause this is where the hills break and the westerlies can get through to fill in where the hot air in the san jua.. san jua..,, that big 'ol valley that is the center of calfornia.

The sides are steep and the water is deep going throught there. Most likely that's one reason for the big surf. But I notice that the tide is with the waves.. Never can tell..

As for cutting in close, sometimes you can catch a favorable back current, nice views? Donno' just kinda' fun sometimes to go a different way.

-jim lee

[BC Mike]

Surf is the end result of a swell out in the ocean. The swells are caused by wind. The bigger the swell the further apart they are, the faster they travel, the bigger the wave. The swell changes shape to a wave with a steeper face as it goes over shallower water. It gets so steep that it breaks. When the waves just collapse all over the surf is referred to as closed out. Sometimes the wind blows from off the shore and holds up the waves. You can see the spray blowing off the top of big waves. It takes about 30 plus mph of offshore breeze to hold up waves that might normally be closing out. You can feel the transition from swells to waves. An unbroken wave or swell is of little consequence, it is just energy travelling. White-water is real, it has mass, it will roll boats that get beam on. The wave does not need to be very big to do this.
Michael

[cyclepro]

Here are some comments of one of the passengers of that unfortunate boat - they were posted on a Yahoo San Francisco forum:

quote:

From: Dan Brazelton

Hi,

I was the crew on the boat. So I can answer a few questions. Before you ask about decisions that were made, I was not the skipper and I was not at the helm. Out of respect for him, I am not going to speak for his decisions.

I have 1 year of sailing experience myself. I knew that fort point
was hazardous, but had been near before, but as close. I had never seen conditions like Saturday before.
The boat was recovered by a salvager and is floating, sans rigging.

Both the skipper and I are ok.

Going thru the posts I saw discussion about the rough seas out the gate. I didn't think it was too rough for the bay area. It was a
solid breeze though. Rough seas were not an issue. Surf was the
issue. It was actually very mellow.

From the back side of the surf, it didn't look like they were breaking.

Lifeline: I was caught in the rigging and dragged under for some time.
I would like to see video to see how long. I wouldn't have wanted to be on a lifeline in that situation, unless it was easy to detach. Unless I was not in the bay - then I would rather get dragged and pummeled than separated from the only solid object for miles around.

Thanks very much for this discussion. I feel privileged to be alive
and learn.

Dan

unquote

[BC Mike]

Dan I am pleased you guys are okay. Surf is not a familiar item for most folks. Hope you get sailing soon.
Michael