Tragedy Strikes.

[Sandero]

Hindsight is always 20-20. Coulda would shoulda... if nothing else sailing is lessons learned and there's not success like failure and failure is no success at all. You have to make mistakes to learn... This has been a lesson(s) for all, but so far Gil is the one paying the price.

This made me think of my old dog now long gone. She loved to retrive a ball. One day we were at the beach (bay side of Westhampton) and I would toss the ball into the water. The dig would run in and then swim to the ball and try to grab it with it's mouth. But every time she tried the ball would be propelled out in front of her. She kept doing this pushing the ball further and further from the beach. I called her... she turned her head and realized she had gotten herself far from the shore.... she swam out on the sea side of the ball and tried unsuccessfully to grab it but at the same time pushing it to the beach... to where she was able to grab it when the way put it on the sand. hahaha

The boat will come back...

[Liam Wald]

Mistakes/Failures to learn...
I believe to was Edison who said something to the effect of, "Now I know 122 ways not to make a light bulb".

[gilgsn]

Hello everyone,

Another morning in West-End, unfortunately with no new sighting. Yesterday's false alarm turned out to be a larger sailboat with a dinghy on davits. I spoke to the captain who saw it, disappointing.

To answer a few questions, I have S&R insurance through Delorme, but not for the boat. My next insurance purchase was going to be medical evacuation insurance, also through Delorme, then boat insurance in third position.

I have been lucky here to be able to stay on people's boats for a couple nights, including Scott's and Noi's Tayana. Also met a nice Canadian couple who extended the same courtesy. I have rented a house from a local man for a couple nights, at $90, can't do that more than a couple more times.. There is simply nothing cheap available at West-End. Thanks to a few loans I get one meal a day and I'm not sleeping outside. Staying at OBB is certainly not an option. I will head for Nassau after the first, no point in loitering here at the Marina any longer. I intend on checking on the Embassy, but doubt they will do anything. I do indeed have my passport, wallet and ship's papers, since I was checking in. I bought a few clothes and a carry-on bag.. So glad I took my computer with me.. I had no idea my misadventure was going to draw so much attention, but the more eyes looking the better. I am certainly thankful for the help. I have resumed working, but this time of the year there simply isn't much to do, and I get limited time online. If anyone needs work on Unix servers, databases and the web, I'm your guy. As soon as I get situated, I will start refunding the Paypal transfers I have received one by one, in chronological order, and I will not forget those who sent them.

Gil.

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by Liam Wald

There have been many comments regarding what some believe to be a very irresponsible plan in sailing off with few financial resources.
That caused me to remember a man that I had met and spent some time working with at Coast Chandlery is SoCal back in the 80's.
The fellows name is Fred Boynton. In the 70's he was a teacher living in Boston. He fell upon hard times when, as I recall, he lost his job and his wife left him. After a time he ended up living aboard his boat, a Virtue 25, and down to his last $100 dollars when he thought "what have I got to loose" and sailed away alone. He sailed back into Boston Harbor 10 years latter, with $100 in his pocket, having circled the globe.
My guess is that most people would have called him foolish when he left but called him courageous upon return.

Yup, and Robert Manry sailed Tinkebell, a 13-foot Maine Old Town converted "Whitecap" wooden day-sailer from Falmouth, Mass to Falmouth, England in 1965, with nothing but a sextant, compass, jugs of water, and canned food packs. When successful, those excursions make great campfire stories, yet most people consider crossing the Atlantic in a 13-foot wooden rowboat to be a somewhat foolish adventure. I'm sure his wife was a tad nervous. Gil didn't do anything wrong, per se, yet it would have helped him to have a few more dollars in the pocket before setting sail. I actually feel bad for him that he lost his boat. Stuff happens.

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by gilgsn

Hello everyone,

Another morning in West-End, unfortunately with no new sighting. Yesterday's false alarm turned out to be a larger sailboat with a dinghy on davits. I spoke to the captain who saw it, disappointing.

To answer a few questions, I have S&R insurance through Delorme, but not for the boat. My next insurance purchase was going to be medical evacuation insurance, also through Delorme, then boat insurance in third position.

I have been lucky here to be able to stay on people's boats for a couple nights, including Scott's and Noi's Tayana. Also met a nice Canadian couple who extended the same courtesy. I have rented a house from a local man for a couple nights, at $90, can't do that more than a couple more times.. There is simply nothing cheap available at West-End. Thanks to a few loans I get one meal a day and I'm not sleeping outside. Staying at OBB is certainly not an option. I will head for Nassau after the first, no point in loitering here at the Marina any longer. I intend on checking on the Embassy, but doubt they will do anything. I do indeed have my passport, wallet and ship's papers, since I was checking in. I bought a few clothes and a carry-on bag.. So glad I took my computer with me.. I had no idea my misadventure was going to draw so much attention, but the more eyes looking the better. I am certainly thankful for the help. I have resumed working, but this time of the year there simply isn't much to do, and I get limited time online. If anyone needs work on Unix servers, databases and the web, I'm your guy. As soon as I get situated, I will start refunding the Paypal transfers I have received one by one, in chronological order, and I will not forget those who sent them.

Gil.

It's a sad story, Gil. I truly hope that you find your boat and that things soon get back on track.

[gilgsn]

yet it would have helped him to have a few more dollars in the pocket before setting sail.

Indeed, I was impatient to set sail, had been preparing for a year and a half, thinking about it and learning for years. Another month would not have made a big difference, but the weather was all right and I decided to go. I would have been better off with $1K in my pocket. I was going to continue working throughout the trip, but did not account for losing the boat in such a way. Next time I'll be a little more careful in that regard.

Gil.

[captain58sailin]

I wish you all the best Gil, and I hope that you are reunited with your vessel soon and this just becomes another good story to tell. OG has done a great job of rallying the troops to try to help find your vessel. All the best to you and your future endeavors.

[bill352]

If the drift estimate is correct, Dagny is now crossing (though admittedly a few miles out) the approaches to the St. John's and the St. Mary's Rivers, where aircraft carriers and submarines make landfall. If our security forces keep track of floating objects anywhere on the US east coast, this should be one of the places. No idea who to call to get any useful info. And even if they do have contact, they may not want to admit it. (Giving away capabilities, etc.)

And come to think of it, they may not want to admit it if they don't.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by PortClydeMe

... I WAS the first member to suggest searching by air. You are correct! Now, would he have needed the funds up front to accomplish that? Maybe, and maybe not. It would depend on his 'people skills' and his powers of persuasion ...

Bahamian private pilots charge about $600/Hr for single engine planes. I've never known one to take an IOU, from a stranger.
ie: Staniel Cay private Pilots: Roland Smith “Pistachio” (242-357-0571), & Solomon Robinson “DJ” (242-357-0200) both charge about $550 for a 45 minute one-way trip between Staniel Cay and Nassau - so call it about $600/Hr.

[Ocean Girl]

This is just one example of the many posts I get over a FB. Between here and FB, we are gaining momentum getting the word out. Thanks to all who have lent their minds thinking of solutions and resources not tapped yet, for going the extra mile for someone you haven't even met. Love the cruising community, love CF for being a platform to make these connections possible.
"Jonas Grumby
Jonas Grumby I will go to your page and share it too. I'll share it in Sea Ray owners club also. Lots of those guys run up and down the FL coast
Like · Reply · 9 hrs
Jonas Grumby
Jonas Grumby Shared it with Great Loop FB page. And Sea Ray owners club page. If we get the word to enough sailors/capitals we will only increase the odds of finding her.
Like · Reply · 9 hrs"

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by sneuman

It is not a boat locals would want. They are all fishermen at West End. And, if you'd seen the caliber of boats that put in at WE, you wouldn't for a second suggest that a foreigner would be interested. If Dagny had been in the marina, it would have been the smallest boat by 11 feet (mine being the next smallest) and one of the few sailboats.

I think theft can be all-but ruled out.

Neuman,
You make assumptions in your above post that are pure conjecture. For example, using your reasoning for theft based upon boat size, why would anyone be interested in stealing a dinghy? Also, stating that it is not a boat that locals would want negates the probability of theft from a non-Bahamian-- a distinct possibility but how can you be certain that no local would be interested in that boat for many reasons? No one at this point knows what happened to the boat other than that it is missing. My previous remarks were made in light of the possibility that theft could have been an option. A real option based upon the increase in crime and thefts that have recently besieged the Bahamas and the Caribbean as reports on CF and Noonsite have reported. Again, this is a sad and unfortunate occurrence for Gil that might never be positively resolved.

[gilgsn]

Hello,

I submitted a report to International Boat Watch Network.

Gil.

[robshookphoto]

I don't know if this is helpful for projections, BUT:

There was a boat that went adrift near Colombia. She was sighted on December 28th 2 miles outside of Charleston Harbor -

It was just reported washed ashore here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/creepy/comm...shed_up_on_an/

I've sent OP a message asking where she came ashore and any estimate they have about when she came ashore, along with a link to this forum. I'll update if/when I get a response.


The other thought I had is Dagny had an anchor line out. If she crossed any protected shallows she may be anchored there, or any ocean shallows that would have certainly at least changed the projection.

[sanibel sailor]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Neuman,
You make assumptions in your above post that are pure conjecture. For example, using your reasoning for theft based upon boat size, why would anyone be interested in stealing a dinghy? Also, stating that it is not a boat that locals would want negates the probability of theft from a non-Bahamian-- a distinct possibility but how can you be certain that no local would be interested in that boat for many reasons? No one at this point knows what happened to the boat other than that it is missing. My previous remarks were made in light of the possibility that theft could have been an option. A real option based upon the increase in crime and thefts that have recently besieged the Bahamas and the Caribbean as reports on CF and Noonsite have reported. Again, this is a sad and unfortunate occurrence for Gil that might never be positively resolved.

Isn't there also some strange underwater formations around there? I saw a TV show suggesting extra-terrestial activity. Just sayin'

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Neuman,
You make assumptions in your above post that are pure conjecture. For example, using your reasoning for theft based upon boat size, why would anyone be interested in stealing a dinghy? Also, stating that it is not a boat that locals would want negates the probability of theft from a non-Bahamian-- a distinct possibility but how can you be certain that no local would be interested in that boat for many reasons? No one at this point knows what happened to the boat other than that it is missing. My previous remarks were made in light of the possibility that theft could have been an option. A real option based upon the increase in crime and thefts that have recently besieged the Bahamas and the Caribbean as reports on CF and Noonsite have reported. Again, this is a sad and unfortunate occurrence for Gil that might never be positively resolved.

Dinghys can be easily fenced. Simple as that. Much different when you're talking about a very distinctive foreign-flagged vessel. Believe me, the locals aren't interested. I was there.

And again, a foreigner is not going to steal a 26' sailboat from a Bahamaian port. For a whole thread right here on cruisersforum, see: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...mon-12842.html

Impossible? Certain not. Highly improbable? Absolutely.

Again, Occam's Razor is our friend, here. The boat is infinitely more likely to have dragged anchor and drifted away.