Idiots on boats

[Pirate Lady]

Strong storms were predicted ALL day, but some people just can't help being idiots and going out even when told not to.

***Marine Emergency Team 21 rescues one, and assists dozens of others during a strong upper bay thunderstorm***
Just after 6:30pm, Marine Emergency Team 21 was alerted by the US Coast Guard for a 32ft vessel with 3 souls on board who lost anchor and was adrift in a severe thunderstorm near Bowleys Marina. Further reports indicated it was two persons in an 18' flat bottom boat near Hart Miller Island, then a third report of a 28 foot vessel aground near Millers Island. At this point the crew from MET 21 realized they were actually responding to multiple incidents and immediately deployed on Marine Unit 219. After clearing the Middle River, MU 219 continued to Hart Miller where they encountered several vessels of various size washed ashore from the powerful storm. Unable to access the vessels by boat, Marine Unit 219 deployed two rescue swimmers to recon and account for occupants on each vessel in distress. After searching the last vessel, a report of someone blowing a whistle near pleasure island was received. While underway, MU 219 located a Male victim who was separated from his jet ski during the storm and swam toward the island. Two rescue swimmers deployed again and brought the person to MU 219 where he was loaded, returned to Rocky Point Park, and reunited with family.
All persons were now safe and accounted for.
Upon returning to port, Marine Unit 219 located the missing jet ski, several paddle boards and kayaks. All recovered property was labeled with name and address and will be returned to the rightful owners.

If it weren't for more storms today I would ride out to the island to view the carnage. But I listen when there SCAs.

 

[Pirate Lady]

PS, probably belongs in Midatlantic thread, but oh well. Admins can move if they want.

 

[km1125]

PS, probably belongs in Midatlantic thread, but oh well. Admins can move if they want.

I dunno... idiots are on boats everywhere!

 

[Windjammer]

You can't fix stupid!

 

[endless seas]

Idiots are everywhere! Land and sea and no respect or common sense.I think a lot of it is their upbringing.

 

[Carpediem44DB]

Gives the Coasties something to do besides board our vessels
I am just glad that no rescuers were injured or lost, that's when i really shake my head at the stupid boaters. Want to put yourself at risk, knock yourself out, but you should first sign a waiver with the regional authorities that you expect no rescue when out in conditions that the authorities have issued warnings about!

 

[Pirate Lady]

Ya carp, that’s why I posted. These Farking idiots on jet skis, paddle boards, drunken up fools that choose to go out despite all the warnings and put other people lives in danger. “Oh help me cause I am too stupid to listen”.
I give these rescuers credit. I could never be one. Not for fear, for attitude. Oh you stupid fark you want me to put myself in harms way to save your stupid ass, here is your Darwin Award.

 

[El Capitan]

"....the weather was fine when we went out..."

 

[bfernald0]

Strong storms were predicted ALL day, but some people just can't help being idiots and going out even when told not to.

My first boat was a Maxum 2800 SCR. To my surprise, the prior owner offered to deliver the boat from Dana Point to Marina del Rey, which is about a 60 mile run, uphill. The delivery date came and it was blowing 25-30 knots, with a small craft advisory. I assume the owner is not bringing up the boat, and stay at the office working. About noon, I get a call from his cell phone. He did take the boat, is off of Palos Verdes Peninsula in heavy seas, and sounds panicked. The phone goes dead.

I drive down to Marina del Rey and call the Coast Guard on the way to report a potential incident at sea. I arrive at the harbor, and it is blowing like all get out. No sign of my new boat and the prior owner's cell phone goes straight to voicemail.

I then get a call from the Coast Guard. The boat was located off of San Pedro, out of fuel and drifting. The owner was aboard. They tell me that it's being towed into San Pedro and so I jump back in the car and go down to meet it.

The owner is very surprised to see me and asked how I know he'd be there. I told him that I was the one that had called the Coast Guard. Long story short, he thought "small craft advisories" applied to dinghies and row boats, not a 28 foot cruiser. He ran out of fuel off of Palos Verdes and the boat was rolling so badly he lost his cell phone overboard. The VHF didn't work.

I took him to dinner and put him in an Uber back to Dana Point. His son called me a few days later thanking me profusely for 'saving his life.'

I'll never forget it. "Small craft?!, this is a 28 foot boat!"

 

[dwna1a]

Let me carefully add to this one, Friday we had a mix of Smallcraft Warnings and Marine Advisors. I stayed at the boat so I could go in early and beat the heat. It wasn’t raining yet but the sky was pitch black with storms just behind the tree line. Three kayakers started to offload their boats, two where the blowup kind. I walked over and very nicely advised the it would not be smart to go out at this time, their response “they knew what they were doing and to mind my own business” About then a 9yo got out of the car. I advised them again it would not be worth the risk for them or the folks that would have to go looking for them. Again I got the same response. Before I walked away I asked them to leave the child on land where he would be safe and go enjoy themselves. Then Mother Nature gave them a lesson in wind and blowup boats.

They were going to go, no matter what! As a Ex FF I can say we all had things that upset us, I know PD guys had the same. Family, pets, and children were my nightmares. Looking for a 9yo lost on the water would be pretty much at the top. Especially when the parents had been warned!

 

[bfernald0]

Did it for you…
When the National Weather Service issues a "small craft advisory," how small is small and how much wind is involved? The Coast Guard generally assigns the label to vessels shorter than 33 feet.

Hilarious, my 340 is technically 37' LOA. If there's a small craft advisory, I stay home. Not worth beating the crap out of it.

 

[Woody]

Did it for you…
When the National Weather Service issues a "small craft advisory," how small is small and how much wind is involved? The Coast Guard generally assigns the label to vessels shorter than 33 feet.

This from NOAA....
Small Craft Advisory
(SCA) - An advisory issued by coastal and Great Lakes Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) for areas included in the Coastal Waters Forecast or Nearshore Marine Forecast (NSH) products. Thresholds governing the issuance of small craft advisories are specific to geographic areas. A Small Craft Advisory may also be issued when sea or lake ice exists that could be hazardous to small boats. There is no precise definition of a small craft. Any vessel that may be adversely affected by Small Craft Advisory criteria should be considered a small craft. Other considerations include the experience of the vessel operator, and the type, overall size, and sea worthiness of the vessel.
* Eastern (ME..SC, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario) - Sustained winds or frequent gusts ranging between 25 and 33 knots (except 20 to 25 knots, lower threshold area dependent, to 33 knots for harbors, bays, etc.) and/or seas or waves 5 to 7 feet and greater, area dependent.
* Central (MN..OH) - Sustained winds or frequent gusts (on the Great Lakes) between 22 and 33 knots inclusive, and/or seas or waves greater than 4 feet.
* Southern (GA..TX and Caribbean) - Sustained winds of 20 to 33 knots, and/or forecast seas 7 feet or greater that are expected for more than 2 hours.
* Western (WA..CA) - Sustained winds of 21 to 33 knots, and/or wave heights exceeding 10 feet (or wave steepness values exceeding local thresholds *
* Alaska (AK) - Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 23 to 33 knots. A small craft advisory for rough seas may be issued for sea/wave conditions deemed locally significant, based on user needs, and should be no lower than 8 feet.
* Pacific - (HI, Guam, etc) - Sustained winds 25 knots or greater and seas 10 feet or greater; except in Guam and the northern Mariana Islands where it is sustained winds 22 to 33 knots and/or combined seas of 10 feet or greater. "Frequent gusts"are typically long duration conditions (greater than 2 hours).