Yacht crews who sailed into severe wind warning 'lucky to be alive'
by Sail-World Cruising roundup on 5 Apr 2010
Vancouver Island chaos. Rescue officials mystified as to why boats sailed in spite of weather warnings SW
Rescue officials say six people are lucky to be alive today after their sailboat capsized and hurled them into the raging waters off Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in Canada during a severe windstorm.
Rescue officials and ferries were kept busy as the storm sank and grounded boats, levelled the Mill Bay Marina as well as cutting out power to the neighbouring communities.
The storm was well forecast, but yachts still went to sea. A 10-metre custom yacht called the Incisor was among the 60 boats participating in the Southern Straits Regatta, which in spite of 45knot winds and four metre swells was not cancelled and carried on across the Georgia Strait, a wide body of water between the mainland and the island.
As waves swamped the Incisor, pulling it halfway into the ocean, a sailor on the Radiant Heat issued a mayday call at 2:45 p.m. to the Victoria Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre. The Radiant Heat, which had lost its mast in the storm, rescued two of the people in the water and the other four were rescued by a Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft.
The captain of the hovercraft credits the captain of B.C. Ferries Coastal Renaissance with helping control the potentially deadly situation by positioning his vessel to provide a windbreak for the rescuers. 'It is so appreciated to get help from a large vessel like that in difficult conditions,' said Capt. Susan Pickrell.
B.C. Ferries spokesman Mark Stefanson said ferries routinely respond to emergencies.
All six sailors were taken to hospital and treated for hypothermia.
Air co-ordinator Capt. Greg Clarke of the rescue co-ordination centre criticized organizers for holding the race despite an extreme wind warning issued by Environment Canada.
'We were wondering what these guys were doing out in mid-strait, especially for a mainland-to-Island crossing,' he said. 'I just don't know what was going on in the thoughts of those continuing to sail in the conditions.'
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