TWO RESCUES

TWO RESCUES

We were limin' in Moody Blues' spacious cockpit when we noticed a boat coming too close to this rocky area off the point. (Note rocky point to the left of the above photo.) 

     "They can't anchor there!" Gene said.

     We grabbed the binoculars and upon closer inspection saw they had a rope from a dinghy trying to tow their bow around to the east and away from the western rocky shore. Swells were coming in from the SE and crashing on the rocks and shoreline, plus the current was really strong, also pushing them to shore. 

     Holy sheemolie, we both thought and jumped into action. We got the plug in the dinghy, got it untied and lowered into the water as fast as the snap of a finger, just as a woman's frantic voice come over the VHF begging for help: "Help, can someone help us? We're going on the rocks!"

       We Indy 500dred-it over there as about five 0ther dinks showed up. 

      "Will you please slow down," I yelled at Gene, "it's getting shallow!"

      "Get on the bow . . ." 

      "Of the dinghy?" 

      "YES, and tie a rope as tight as you can around the backstay."

      "You're gonna be a mule?" 

      "YES and don't let go, keep it tight." 

     So, of course, I did what my captain says and he plowed our dinghy into the stern of the yacht. I got the rope we use to tie our dinghy up and wrapped it around the backstay. Gene floored it pushing the stern to the east as others were getting the bow pointing that way too . Another guy came next to us and copied what we were doing. Other dinghies were mid-ships and some were at the bow. The lovely sloop was saved. "If you recognize me in a bar let me know and I'll buy you a drink." The rescued captain offered. "Pay it forward!" was the general consensus. 

Moody Blues is centered above the palm tree.

Last Wednesday (1-7-15) was the book swap at Island Water World. I had told Hope, s/v Starshine, that I'd help, so I was to be at Paul's bus at 0900. Gene decided to stay onboard and fix the aft-head's pump. 

     Gene got the dinghy in the water and primed the pump and held the rope (painter) as I got in pulled the cord and took off. I only went about 30 meters when the outboard died on me. For the life of me I couldn't get it going again. I think I flooded it. Gene was no where to be seen, and there was no way he'd hear me. All I could think to do was to try to not miss the catamaran and hopefully drift into it and not miss it and yep, hit the rocky shore. 

     I got to the bow of the cat and grabbed onto the starboard pontoon's anchor rode yelling, "HELLO, HELLO." I was worried that the prop on the dinghy would damage their anchor rode. I had to do something, so I was able to maneuver the dinghy between the two pontoons and then hug the starboard pontoon's line and weasled the dinghy out between the starboard pontoon and it's anchor line. Then I got the dink around the bow still yelling,     "HELLO, HELP, HELLO." Suddenly the captain and his wife were there! She said, "We could hear you but couldn't see you." He said, "Hand me a line." I said, "I'm afraid to let go!" (Whatta chicken!) So I walked the dinghy back to their stern with the captain following me back. At the stern Andrew, took over. His wife Ursula (with this gorgeous long hair pulled back in a ponytail) said, "Would you like to call your husband?" I said, "I don't know what good it would do." (As in would he swim over? Not that he couldn't, and I'm sure if he happened to look out and see me heading for shore or on the rocks he would have jumped in to save me! But at this point I knew I was saved.

    Andrew got the engine going and I got back in the dinghy. Andrew said, "See at the throttle where it says Start? I nodded yes. He said, "You didn't have it on start." "Oh." 

      So I thanked them and took off for the book swap. The photo is of the Cat I grabbed!