HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE HONORS AMERICA'S HERO

By KRISTI LANGENBACHER Correspondent Sunday, August 05, 2007

A Coast Guard rescue three months ago led to an opportunity to promote international relations this week. Members from Air Station Elizabeth City were invited to tour two Royal Navy ships visiting Norfolk, Va. on Tuesday.

The invitation was the result of a rescue which involved a British citizen three months ago.

An HH-60 helicopter and a C-130 airplane responded to a distress call from a sailboat 200 nautical miles off the coast of North Carolina on May 7. The crews rescued three men from the stormy waters that day.

Members of both aircrews traveled to Norfolk on Tuesday. The HH-60 helicopter crew of Petty Officer Drew Dazzo, Petty Officer Scott Higgins, Lt. j.g. Aaron Nelson and Lt. Cmdr. Nevada Smith attended the event. Lt. Paul Beavis and Petty Officer Marcus Jones, members of the C-130 airplane crew, attended as well.

They traveled to Naval Station Norfolk to tour two ships from Her Majesty's Service, or HMS. The aircrew members met the crews and toured the HMS Illustrious and the HMS Manchester.

The tour was arranged after a survivor who was rescued by the Air Station Elizabeth City crews wrote a letter recognizing the crews for their rescue on May 7. The crews rescued Canadian citizen Rudy Snel, American citizen Jean Pierre de Lutz, and Ben Tye, a British citizen.

Snel's son wrote a letter to Capt. Mike Andres, commanding officer of Air Station Elizabeth City, encouraging formal recognition of the rescue crews. He also sent copies of the letter to several government officials, including President George Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the British Consulate General's office in Atlanta.

The British Consulate then contacted the air crews.




"Because of the survivors, the British Consulate in Atlanta arranged a tour to thank us for what we did for the British National," said Smith, aircraft commander of the HH-60 helicopter involved in the rescue.

Smith said the tour was also an opportunity to raise public awareness about the Coast Guard, and to promote international relations. He described the British sailors as sociable, friendly and interesting. The aircrews handed out Coast Guard coins and books to the British sailors, and received DVDs about the Royal Navy.

"For us, we got to show the British sailors some Coast Guard people and let them know what we do," Smith said. "And in return, we learned about the Royal Navy and met some really great people."

The men toured the ships, including the search and rescue helicopter, command centers, avionics repair shop and bridge.

Dazzo, the rescue swimmer who pulled the men from the water on May 7, said the experience was an opportunity to see how another country's military operates.

"It was a learning experience because their operations are similar to our Navy, but how they go about doing them is a little bit different," Dazzo said.

He called the rescue the most challenging rescue of his 10 years in the Coast Guard.

"It's probably the rescue I've prepared for my entire career," Dazzo said. "With high winds, rough seas and very low visibility - it's what you train for."

The crews rescued the three men from their partially-inflated life raft after their sailboat capsized twice during Subtropical Storm Andrea.

Dazzo said writing a letter of recognition is one of the many things the survivors have done since the rescue.

"The guys we rescued really want to see us in the limelight," he said. "The exposure they've given us is really amazing."

One of the survivors also wrote a letter to Dazzo's 13-year-old daughter letting her know how fragile life is and how much he appreciated Dazzo's efforts. The same man also sent a balloon bouquet to Dazzo's son on his second birthday.

This guy has gone above and beyond," Dazzo said. "We didn't expect any of this. Just a thank you when we dropped him off out of the helicopter was enough."

Another highlight of the group's tour of the Royal Navy ships was meeting up with members of the U.S. Marine Corps. The British ships were conducting joint training exercises with the U.S. Marines using the curved ramp on the Illustrious for launching Harrier Jump Jets.

The jets use thrust-vectoring for vertical/short takeoff and landing from the curved ramp on the deck of the ship.

"They told me they conducted 150 landings and take-offs in a 14-hour period," Smith said. "That's pretty amazing."

Dazzo called the flight operations that day impressive, and said the design of the ship was interesting as well.

"The bridge and the air operations were open, and together," he said. "That way the ship crew and the aircrews can communicate more effectively."

The HMS Illustrious is an Invincible-class light aircraft carrier home-ported in Portsmouth Harbour in England. The HMS Manchester is a Type 42 guided missile destroyer with a medium-range missile system.

Weather Story- Chicago, Illinois.

Well in Chicago since 1 August its been hot, humid and muggy. Highs ranging between 90 to 113 in Talyorville. Yesterday was no better and we got punched hard by Mother Nature. At one point yesterday (Monday) evening more than 3,000 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in 10 minutes were recorded, some very impressive especially in parts of the south and western suburbs. DeKalb County was ground zero for the heaviest storms. WGN reported "3.82” of rain fell between 3:50 p.m. and 6:50 pm—2.90” of it in just 30 minutes".

The outlook for today is not much better, NWS already has Flash Flood Warnings out for Cook and Dekalb counties until 2:30PM CST, so lets watch the radar (brought to you by NexLab) and the skys...



Flood Statement National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville IL 931 AM CDT Tue Aug 7 2007

Winnebago IL-Mchenry IL-Boone IL-Lake IL-Ogle IL-Cook IL-Kane IL- Dekalb IL- 931 AM CDT Tue Aug 7 2007

...The Flood Warning Remains In Effect Until 230 PM CDT For Northern Dekalb...Northern Kane...Northern Cook...Northeastern Ogle...Lake... Boone...Mchenry And Winnebago Counties...

At 931 AM CDT...National Weather Service Doppler Radar Estimates And Rainfall Observers Have Reported A Swath Of 3 To 7 Inches Of Rain That Has Fallen From Southern Winnebago County Eastward Into Central Lake County. The Heaviest Rainfall Reports Have Been In The Rockford Area Where Over 6 Inches Of Rain Has Fallen. Rain Has Subsided This Morning...But Some Roads Remain Closed Due To Flooding.

A Flood Warning Means That Flooding Is Imminent Or Has Been Reported. Stream Rises Will Be Slow And Flash Flooding Is Not Expected. However...All Interested Parties Should Take Necessary Precautions Immediately.

Do Not Drive Your Vehicle Into Areas Where The Water Covers The Roadway. The Water Depth May Be Too Great To Allow Your Car To Cross Safely. Move To Higher Ground.

Do Not Attempt To Cross Water Covered Bridges...Dips...Or Low Water Crossings. Never Try To Cross A Flowing Stream...Even A Small One...On Foot. To Escape Rising Water Move Up To Higher Ground.

Lat...Lon 4220 8939 4216 8928 4212 8921 4205 8906 4199 8894 4199 8853 4201 8766 4220 8781 4235 8785 4238 8781 4248 8780 4249 8939

Stay cool and stay dry!

RS

2007 inaugural IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea

2007 inaugural IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea to be awarded to Searose G seafarers for dramatic rescue of Teklivka crew

( Left, Rescued Tanker Crew Covered in Oil Photo Courtesy Searose G)

Council - 98th session: 25-29 June 2007

Two officers from the 83,155 dwt Bahamas-registered oil/bulk ore carrier Searose G have been selected to receive the inaugural 2007 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea, in recognition of their part in a dramatic rescue in severe weather.

The IMO Council, at its 98th session in London, agreed with two Panels of international assessors and judges that Second Officer Mustafa Topiwala of the Searose G and Captain Zvonimir Ostric (who was on the vessel as onboard trainer at the time of the incident) had displayed exceptional bravery in the rescue of the remaining survivors from the sunken vessel Teklivka, in the eastern Mediterranean, in March 2006. They were nominated by the Bahamas and by the International Federation of Shipmasters' Associations (IFSMA).

The Bahamas-registered Searose G was on passage through the Mediterranean, bound for the Suez Canal, when it responded to a distress call from the Maltese-flagged Teklivka, which was sinking 50 miles south in gale force winds. The Teklivka had sunk when the Searose G reached the scene but a dramatic rescue ensued, with Searose G rescuing nine crew and another vessel picking up three crew members. Tragically, three crew members of the Teklivka were lost.

The assessment and judging panels considered that Second Officer Topiwala and Captain Ostric placed their own lives in jeopardy, even though they were not trained professional rescuers, by undertaking acts that went well beyond the scope of their normal duties. They left the comparative safety of their ship, descending to a liferaft filled with oil and water. Second Officer Topiwala then entered the sea, in extremely hazardous weather conditions, during the rescue.

Mr. Topiwala and Captain Ostric will be invited to receive the award at a special ceremony to be held during the IMO Assembly, to be held from 19 to 30 November 2007 in London. They will each receive a medal and a certificate citing the act of exceptional bravery performed.

"I am delighted that the assessment and judging of nominations for this inaugural Bravery Award has met the high expectations of all concerned and that we have, in Second Officer Mustafa Topiwala and Captain Zvonimir Ostric, truly exemplary and meritorious winners," IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos said. "I congratulate them both wholeheartedly and look forward to doing so personally, at the Award ceremony during the IMO Assembly."

Mr. Mitropoulos noted that the Award was launched "so that the international maritime community could honour the very best of human qualities - bravery, courage, selflessness - and there is no doubt that all other nominees for the 2007 Award have also shown just that and are deserving of our respect."

The IMO Council agreed with the recommendations of the assessment and judging panels that the following nominees, the first two of which were also shortlisted for the Award, should be recognized by receiving certificates citing their respective acts of bravery:

• The Hong Kong Government Flying Service, nominated by China, for courageous actions that went well above those expected of a professional rescue service. The assessment and judging panels considered that members of the Hong Kong Government Flying Service clearly risked their own lives to rescue 91 crew members of the vessel Wing on IV and the barge Hai Yang Shi You 298 (in August 2006) during the course of three consecutive aircraft/helicopter operations carried out in severe typhoon weather conditions, at some 170km and 132km southwest of Hong Kong, China, respectively.
• Captain Xufeng Zu of the diving squad of Quinghuangdao Base of Beihai Rescue Bureau of China Rescue and Salvage (CRS). Captain Xufeng Zu was nominated by the International Lifeboat Federation (ILF) for a selfless act of bravery in August 2006. During the course of a professional operation involving two consecutive dives to locate and rescue the crew from the upturned hull of the capsized bulk carrier Fu Hua 1 (41 miles off Quinghuangdao, China), Captain Zu gave up his own breathing equipment, with no guarantee that he would survive, thereby placing his own life at risk so that two remaining survivors could be saved, before he himself was able to leave the stricken vessel.
• Dr. Christine Jane Bradshaw (a civilian nominated by the ILF), for descending on a winch in rough weather, having been to sea only once before in benign conditions, to assist in treating and rescuing the last surviving crew member of the tanker FR8 Venture, in the Pentland Firth, Scotland, in November 2006;
• The crew of the ocean-going rescue tug Nanhaijiu III, of Nanhai Rescue Bureau (nominated by China), for a series of successful rescue missions since the rescue tug was put into service in March 2006, including the location and rescue of 14 small Vietnamese fishing boats during typhoon Chanchu, in May 2006;
• Mr. Brett Churcher, skipper of the fishing boat Striker (nominated by ILF), for prompt and effective actions which led to the saving of the lives of a man and his four-year old daughter off Cape Palliser, New Zealand, in April 2007;
• The crews of the fast action lifeboats and vessels of the Spanish Maritime Safety Agency (nominated by Spain), for a series of successful operations to locate and recover safely, thousands of migrants at sea. Between March 2006 and February 2007, 30,493 migrants were assisted by the Spanish rescue services in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean;
• Viktors Timoscenko, Master of the Latvian-registered tanker Ance (nominated by IFSMA), for persisting in the successful rescue of two persons adrift on a catamaran, after other efforts had been called off, during an operation that lasted almost 14 hours at night time, some 834km off Cape Cod, United States, in November 2006; and
• Station Officer Kekoi Jaiteh, of the West Gambia Fire Department (nominated by ILF), for actions which resulted in the saving of the captain and three crew members from a capsized cargo vessel in rough inshore waters, in January 2007.

The IMO Council endorsed the view of the judging panel that the 11 remaining individuals or services that had also been nominated for the 2007 Award should each receive a letter of commendation.

The IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea was established by the Organization to provide international recognition for those who, at the risk of losing their own life, perform acts of exceptional bravery, displaying outstanding courage in attempting to save life at sea or in attempting to prevent or mitigate damage to the marine environment.

Nominations for 21 acts of bravery were received for the 2007 Award, from nine Member States and three non-governmental organizations in consultative status. The nominations focused on such factors as location of the incident; prevailing weather conditions; skill displayed; leadership demonstrated; determination to conduct the rescue operation; exceptional courage demonstrated; and degree of risk (to human lives and/or the marine environment) involved.

The nominations were scrutinized initially by the Assessment Panel made up of members of non-governmental organizations* in consultative status with IMO, which met at IMO on 30 May 2007, under the chairmanship of the Secretary-General.

The Panel of Judges met at IMO Headquarters on 22 June 2007 (under the chairmanship of the Chairman of the IMO Council, and with the participation of the Acting Chairman of the Maritime Safety Committee and the Chairmen of the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the Legal Committee and the Facilitation Committee) to consider the recommendations of the Assessment Panel and to select the recipient of the Award.

* The International Shipping Federation Limited (ISF); the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU); the International Maritime Pilots' Association (IMPA); the International Federation of Shipmasters' Associations (IFSMA); the International Salvage Union (ISU); the International Lifeboat Federation (ILF); and the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA).

RS

Dream cruise to Vanuatu turns to 'holiday from hell

5:00AM Friday July 13, 2007
By Eloise Gibson

Passengers on a Pacific Star (video courtesy of tallpappy74 ) cruise were so ill as the ship was battered by storms off Auckland that they have been given free doctors' visits and $100 vouchers.

About 1000 passengers left Auckland on Tuesday for an eight-night cruise and were hit by the atrocious conditions.

People on board reported passengers being sick and damage to the boat by swells of up to 10m.

One passenger said the dream trip to Vanuatu had started like the holiday from hell.

P&O Cruises spokeswoman Sandy Olsen said some of the ship's external windows and doors, as well as its television satellite equipment, were damaged in the storm.

"It would have been an uncomfortable couple of days for the people on board," she said.

"As you can imagine, some people were unwell due to seasickness."

Conditions were so bad the ship has cancelled a planned stopover in Lifou, New Caledonia, and will head straight for Vila to make its scheduled Friday night stopover.

Ms Olsen said passengers would get $100 spending money and P&O would waive doctors' charges for those who needed medical help during the storm.


Here is an oldie but goodie. How would you like to see this type of wave coming at you? This the German cargo ship MV Taifun back in 1976, location the English Channel, searching for survivors of a sinking Russian ship. Hold on to your shorts!




Lastly this is a video of the M/V Napoli being split in two...

UK – update on MSC NAPOLI

The Devon County Council issued a Situation Update regarding the MSC NAPOLI. The bow section is at anchor offshore. An emergency towing bridal has been rigged. The stern section remains aground and is stable. Small amounts of oil continue to emanate from the two sections. (7/27/07)... Holland and Knight LLP

Maritime Notes:

Coast Guard Day – 2007

Tomorrow, August 4, 2007, marks the 217th anniversary of the adoption by Congress of legislation to establish a “system of cutters” to protect the revenue of the young United States of America. As indicated in Coast Guard History, other missions were added over the years and other agencies were merged to form the modern United States Coast Guard. Semper Paratus! Thanks Dennis!

Weather Story:

Typhoon USAGI Aug. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Typhoon Usagi swept across Kyushu, leaving at least 18 people hurt and bringing torrential rain to the southwestern Japanese island before weakening into a tropical storm. About 6,100 people were stranded by canceled flights.

Chicagoland weekend weather... HOT.. HUMID.. MUGGY, chance of T-Storms and great beach weather... Stay cool and have a great weekend!

RS

Third in a Series; Subsea Atmospheres - Waves

Waves in the environment
By Dr J Floor Anthoni

Without waves, the world would be a different place. Waves cannot exist by themselves for they are caused by winds. Winds in turn are caused by differences in temperature on the planet, mainly between the hot tropics and the cold poles but also due to temperature fluctuations of continents relative to the sea.
Without waves, the winds would have only a very small grip on the water and would not be able to move it as much. The waves allow the wind to transfer its energy to the water's surface and to make it move. At the surface, waves promote the exchange of gases: carbon dioxide into the oceans and oxygen out. Currents and eddies mix the layers of water which would otherwise become stagnant and less conducive to life. Nutrients are thus circulated and re-used. The large ocean currents transport warm water from the tropics to the poles and cold water the other way. They help to stabilise the planet's temperature and to minimise its extremes. For instance, because of warm ocean currents arriving from the north, the temperature of New Zealand is 3-4 degrees higher than it would be without them.

For the creatures in the sea, ocean currents allow their larvae to be dispersed and to be carried great distances. Many creatures spawn only during storms when large waves can mix their gametes effectively.

Coastal creatures living in shallow water experience the brunt of the waves directly. In order to survive there, they need to be robust and adaptable. Thus waves maintain a gradient of biodiversity all the way from the surface, down to depths of 30m or more. Without waves, there would not be as many species living in the sea.

Waves pound rocks and make them erode faster, but sea organisms covering these rocks, delay this process. Waves make beaches by transporting sand from deeper down towards the shore and by washing the sand and removing fine particles. Waves stir and suspend the sand so that currents or gravity can transport it.

Wave motion
Anyone having watched water waves rippling outward from the point where a stone was thrown in, should have noticed how effortlessly waves can propagate along the water's surface. Wherever we see water, we see its surface stirred by waves. Indeed, witnessing a lake or sea flat like a mirror, is rather unusual. Yet, as familiar we are with waves, we are unfamiliar with how water particles can join forces to make such waves.

Waves are oscillations in the water's surface. For oscillations to exist and to propagate, like the vibrating of a guitar string or the standing waves in a flute, there must be a returning force that brings equilibrium. The tension in a string and the pressure of the air are such forces. Without these, neither the string nor the flute could produce tones. The standing waves in musical instruments bounce their energy back and forth inside the string or the flute's cavity. The oscillations that are passed to the air are different in that they travel in widening spheres outward. These travelling waves have a direction and speed in addition to their tone or timbre. In air their returning force is the compression of the air molecules. In surface waves, the returning force is gravity, the pull of the Earth. Hence the name 'gravity waves' for water waves.

In solids, the molecules are tightly connected together, which prevents them from moving freely, but they can vibrate. Water is a liquid and its molecules are allowed to move freely although they are placed closely together. In gases, the molecules are surrounded by vast expanses of vacuum space, which allows them to move freely and at high speed. In all these media, waves are propagated by compression of the medium. However, the surface waves between two media (water and air), behave very different and solely under the influence of gravity, which is much weaker than that of elastic compression, the method by which sound propagates.

The specific volume of sea water changes by only about 4 thousands of 1 percent (4E-5) under a pressure change of one atmosphere (1 kg/cm2). This may seem insignificant, but the Pacific Ocean would stand about 50m higher, except for compression of the water by virtue of its own weight, or about 22cm higher in the absence of the atmosphere. Since an atmosphere is about equal to a column of water 10m high, the force of gravity is about 43 times weaker than that of elastic compression. Surface tension (which forms droplets) exerts a stress parallel to the surface, equivalent to only one 74 millionth (1.4E-8) of an atmosphere. Its restoring force depends on the curvature of the surface and is still smaller. Nevertheless it dominates the behaviour of small ripples (capillary waves), whose presence greatly contributes to the roughness (aerodynamic drag) of the sea surface, and hence, to the efficiency with which can generate larger waves and currents. (Van Dorn, 1974)

If each water particle makes small oscillations around its spot, relative to its neighbours, waves can form if all water particles move at the same time and in directions that add up to the wave's shape and direction. Because water has a vast number of molecules, the height of waves is theoretically unlimited. In practice, surface waves can be sustained as high as 70% of the water's depth or some 3000m in a 4000m deep sea (Van Dorn, 1974).
Note that the water particles do not travel but only their collective energy does! Waves that travel far and fast, undulate slowly, requiring the water particles to make slow oscillations, which reduces friction and loss of energy.

In the diagram some familiar terms are shown. A floating object is observed to move in perfect circles when waves oscillate harmoniously sinus-like in deep water. If that object hovered in the water, like a water particle, it would be moving along diminishing circles, when placed deeper in the water. At a certain depth, the object would stand still. This is the wave's base, precisely half the wave's length. Thus long waves (ocean swell) extend much deeper down than short waves (chop). Waves with 100 metres between crests are common and could just stir the bottom down to a depth of 50m. Note that the depth of a wave has little to do with its height! But a wave's height contains the wave's energy, which is unrelated to the wave's length. Long surface waves travel faster and further than short ones. Note also that the forward movement of the water under a crest in shallow water is faster than the backward movement under its trough. By this difference, sand is swept forward towards the beach.

Water waves can store or dissipate much energy. Like other waves (alternating electric currents, e.g.), a wave's energy is proportional to the square of its height (potential). Thus a 3m high wave has 3x3=9 times more energy than a 1m high wave. When fine-weather waves of about 1m height pound on the beach, they dissipate an average of 10kW (ten one-bar heaters) per metre of beach or the power of a small car at full throttle, every five metres. (Ref Douglas L Inman in Oceanography, the last frontier, 1974). Attempts to harness the energy from waves have failed because they require large structures over large areas and these structures should be capable of surviving storm conditions with energies hundreds of times larger than they were designed to capture.

Waves have a direction and speed. Sound waves propagate by compressing the medium. They can travel in water about 4.5 times faster than in air, about 1500m per second (5400km/s, or mach-4.5, depending on temperature and salinity). Such waves can travel in all directions and reach the bottom of the ocean (about 4km) in less than a second. Surface waves, however, are limited by the density of water and the pull of gravity. They can travel only along the surface and their wave lengths can at most be about twice the average depth of the ocean (2 x 4 km). The fastest surface waves observed, are those caused by tsunamis. The 'tidal wave' caused by an under-sea earthquake in Chile in May 1960, covered the 6000 nautical miles (11,000km) to New Zealand in about 12 hours, travelling at a speed of about 900 km/hr! When it arrived, it caused an oscillation in water level of 0.6m at various places along the coast, 1.4m in Tauranga Harbour and 2.4m in Whitianga harbour. Note that tsunamis reach their minimum at about 6000 km distance. Beyond that, the curvature of the Earth bends the wave fronts to focus them again at a distance of about 12,000 km, where they can still cause considerable damage.

The relationship between wave speed (phase velocity) and depth of long surface waves in shallow water is given by the formula c x c = g x d x (p2 - p1) / p2 or c x c= g x d for water/air where c= wave speed, g= acceleration of gravity (9.8066 m/s/s), d= wave depth (or upper layer depth, m), p2= density of water (=1) and p1= density of air (= 0.00125). The formula states that wave speed increases with wave depth and the relative difference in density. For an ocean depth of 4000m, a wave's celerity or speed would be about SQR(10 x 4000) = 200 m/s = 720 km/hr. Surface waves could theoretically travel much faster on larger planets, in media denser than water. For deep water, the relationship between speed and wavelength is given by the formula: l = g x t x t / (2 x pi) l = t x c for all kinds of waves, substitute in above equation: t x c = g x t x t / (2 x pi) c = g x t / (2 x pi) or t = c x 2 x pi / g or t = c x 0.641 (s) where t= wave period (sec), f= wave frequency, l= wave length (m) and pi=3.1415... to calculate c and l from wave period t (in sec): c = t x 1.56 m/s= t x 5.62 km/hr = t x 3.0 knot l = 1.56 x t x t (metres) Thus waves with a period of 10 seconds, travel at 56 km/hr with a wave length of about 156m. A 60 knot (110 km/hr) gale can produce in 24 hours waves with periods of 17 seconds and wave lengths of 450m. Such waves travel close to the wind's speed (97 km/hr). A tsunami travelling at 200 m/s has a wave period of 128 s, and a wave length of 25,600 m.

These two diagrams show the relationships between wave speed and period for various depths (left), and wave length and period (right), for periodic, progressive surface waves. (Adapted from Van Dorn, 1974) Note that the term phase velocity is more precise than wave speed. The period of waves is easy to measure using a stopwatch, whereas wave length and speed are not. In the left picture, the red line gives the linear relationship between wave speed and wave period. A 12 second swell in deep water travels at about 20m/s or 72 km/hr. From the red line in the right diagram, we can see that such swell has a wave length between crests of about 250m. When the 12s swell enters 10m shallow water (follow the green curve for 10m), its speed will halve to 10m/s (left graph) and so will its wave length (right graph). But the height of the wave increases by a similar factor (not shown here).

The rougher the water becomes, the easier it is for the wind to transfer its energy. The waves become steep and choppy. Further away from the shore, the water's surface is not only stirred by the wind but also by waves arriving with the wind. These waves influence the motion of the water particles such that opposing movements gradually cancel out, whereas synchronising movements are enhanced. The waves start to become more rounded and harmonious. Depending on duration and distance (fetch), the waves develop into a fully developed sea.

Anyone familiar with the sea, knows that waves never assume a uniform, harmonious shape. Even when the wind has blown strictly from one direction only, the resulting water movement is made up of various waves, each with a different speed and height. Although some waves are small, most waves have a certain height and sometimes a wave occurs which is much higher.

When trying to be more precise about waves, difficulties arise: how do we measure waves objectively? When is a wave a wave and should be counted? Scientists do this by introducing a value E which is derived from the energy component of the compound wave. In the left part of the drawing is shown how the value E is derived entirely mathematically from the shape of the wave. Instruments can also measure it precisely and objectively. The wave height is now proportional to the square root of E. The sea state E is two times the average of the sum of the squared amplitudes of all wave samples. The right part of the diagram illustrates the probability of waves exceeding a certain height. The vertical axis gives height relative to the square root of the average energy state of the sea: h / SQR( E ) . For understanding the graph, one can take the average wave height at 50% probability as reference. Fifty percent of all waves exceed the average wave height, and an equal number are smaller. The highest one-tenth of all waves are twice as high as the average wave height (and four times more powerful). Towards the left, the probability curve keeps rising off the scale: one in 5000 waves is three times higher and so on. The significant wave height H3 is twice the most probable height and occurs about 15% or once in seven waves, hence the saying "Every seventh wave is highest". Click here for a larger version of this diagram.

When the wind blows sufficiently long from the same direction, the waves it creates, reach maximum size, speed and period beyond a certain distance (fetch) from the shore. This is called a fully developed sea. Because the waves travel at speeds close to that of the wind, the wind is no longer able to transfer energy to them and the sea state has reached its maximum. In the picture the wave spectra of three different fully developed seas are shown. The bell curve for a 20 knot wind (green) is flat and low and has many high frequency components (wave periods 1-10 seconds). As the wind speed increases, the wave spectrum grows rapidly while also expanding to the low frequencies (to the right). Note how the bell curve rapidly cuts off for long wave periods, to the right. Compare the size of the red bell, produced by 40 knot winds, with that of the green bell, produced by winds of half that speed. The energy in the red bell is 16 times larger! Important to remember is that the energy of the sea (maximum sea condition) increases very rapidly with wind speed, proportional to its fourth power. The amplitude of the waves increases to the third power of wind speed. This property makes storms so unexpectedly destructive.

The biggest waves on the planet are found where strong winds consistently blow in a constant direction. Such a place is found south of the Indian Ocean, at latitudes of -40º to -60º, as shown by the yellow and red colours on this satellite map. Waves here average 7m, with the occasional waves twice that height! Directly south of New Zealand, wave heights exceeding 5m are also normal. The lowest waves occur where wind speeds are lowest, around the equator, particularly where the wind's fetch is limited by islands, indicated by the pink colour on this map. However, in these places, the sea water warms up, causing the birth of tropical cyclones, typhoons or hurricanes, which may send large waves in all directions, particularly in the direction they are travelling.

For the complete series visit: Seafriends.org

Weather Story;

Typhoon Usagi is tracking closer to Japan and expect to hit the island today. To top that one, a small tsunami hit the Japanese Island of Hokkaido, no damage was reported. Tropical Storm Eric is still spinning in he eastern pacific and TS Chantel is off the NHC radar.


RS

Summary of Action for CG6014 for the S/V SEAN SEAMOUR II- REDUX - Plus

I am going to let this story roll another days its just an amazing story. But there is still more! The USCG hit a milestone in rescues!

My good shipmate and friend gCaptain
has the story!

In my Weather Stories section there are also two (3) Weather Warnings for today. Chantel near Nova Scotia, USAGI heading for Japan and Tropical Storm Erick spinning out in the Eastern Pacific. RS


The Summary of Action for CG6014 for the S/V SEAN SEAMOUR II- REDUX - Plus

This is truly an amazing story of the harrowing rescue of the crew of the s/v Sean Seamour II, by the United States Coast Guard. As I have said this has to be one of the top ten rescues during a major storm.

(USCG Photo: USCG Cutter Tampa tackling waves during Substropical Storm Andrea.)

Posted here is the official USCG Summary of this rescue. It is my belief that this USCG crew deserves to be recommended for the Distinguished Fly Cross for their valor.

I ask each of my reader to write a letter of support for, LCDR NEVADA SMITH, LTJG AARON NELSON, AMT2 SCOTT HIGGINS, and AST2 DREW DAZZO.

You can write to:

Captain Michael J. Andres, Commanding Officer, USCG Air Station, Elizabeth City, ISC Portsmouth (PW), 4000 Coast Guard Blvd. Portsmouth, NC 23703-2199.

Summary of Action for CG6014 for the S/V SEAN SEAMOUR II, 7 May 2007

1. Date of Event: 7 May 2007
2. UCN: 07-117
3. MISLE #: 347947
4. Distance to O/S: 225NM SE of Elizabeth City
5. Weather conditions:

A. En route scene– 2 miles visibility, rain; forced to circumnavigate heavy rain bands.

On scene – 2 miles visibility, moderate rain. En route MCAS Cherry Point – 2 mile visibility, rain; broke out of the weather approx 15NM east of Morehead City, NC where the weather turned clear with 38 knot wind gusts.

B. Time of Day – Day.

C. Temperatures – Survivors had mild hypothermia after approx 5 hours in the water. Cabin heat in the aircraft lessened the severity or the survivors’ hypothermia en route to MCAS Cherry Point.

D. Seas – Waves of between 50-70 feet according to the aircraft’s radar altimeter and the survivors’ estimates. The nearest NOAA buoy reported 38.4 feet. PO Dazzo was in the water during the largest waves, while LTJG Nelson and PO Higgins conducted hoisting in the treacherous seas. The crew, as best as they could, timed their evolutions and waited for the waves to diminish each time to approx 20 to 40 feet before bringing survivors up from the water.

E. Winds en route – peak winds of 77 knots from 090.

Winds on scene – steady 45 knots from 090 with higher gusts. Survivors reported peaks of 85 kts throughout the night.

Winds en route to MCAS Cherry Point – 50 knot direct tailwind until flying west of the weather front located 15 NM east of Morehead City, NC; unlimited visibility thereafter with a 40 knot headwind.

6. Crew Information & noteworthy tasks completed during event:
1. H60 – IP – PNAC – LCDR NEVADA SMITH – As AC, directed the rescue plan; acted as safety pilot; kept PAC abreast on the pace and size of waves.
2. H60 – AC – PAC – LTJG AARON NELSON – Demonstrated outstanding aeronautical skill throughout the flight. Despite enormous waves, provided a stable platform and active communications for the Flight Mechanic to conduct the hoists.
3. H60 – FM – AMT2 SCOTT HIGGINS – Lowered and raised the rescue swimmer 6 times and completed 3 basket hoists of survivors. PO Higgins worked the hoist virtually non-stop for 39minutes. He gave excellent and continuous conning commands. Provided a continuous and vivid picture of exactly what the swimmer, basket, survivors, raft, and waves were doing throughout. AMT2 Higgins made the difficult decision to continue with the last hoist of the RS as he felt 10 broken strands cut his glove as the last basket hoist was being completed.
4. H60 – RS – AST2 DREW DAZZO – Extraordinary performance during this intense SAR case. Ensured the three sailors got safely out of the raft and into the rescue basket despite 50-70 foot waves and steady 45 knot winds.
7. Survivors: 3 mariners sailing to the Azores from the Green Coves Spring, FL.
8. ODO: LT Schanno
   
9. SUMMARY Of ACTION:

At 0743L on May 7^th, 2007 CG6014 departed Air Station Elizabeth City to rescue 3 mariners reported to be in a raft after they had abandoned the 44’ sailing vessel SEAN SEAMOUR II when it sank 225NM SE of Elizabeth City. The crew was sailing from the Green Coves Spring, FL across the Atlantic to the Azores when they were caught in a storm 180NM E of MCAS Cherry Point. In the near hurricane force winds, later named Subtropical Storm Andrea, the vessel and its crew struggled mightily throughout the early morning hours. The vessel had capsized during the night and trapped the 3 sailors inside the vessel. When the vessel eventually righted itself the three abandoned the vessel to a small life raft and activated their EPIRB as the sailing vessel’s bow began to dive and it was swallowed by the sea.

The C130 successfully located the raft earlier that morning as they fought the gusty winds and sweeping rain showers. The waves were so high and the raft (with no sea anchor and black in color) was moving so fast and was so hard to see that the C130 was only able to spot the raft every other orbit. Through perseverance of the crew and expert use of the onboard sensor equipment, the C-130 aircrew remained overhead the desperate situation. CG6014 finally established radio contact with the C130 which skillfully vectored them directly to the raft saving valuable fuel and ultimately allowing CG6014 to remain on scene longer.

Once on scene, the crew of CG6014 immediately formulated a rescue plan to save the imperiled survivors. After discussing the potential dangers, AMT2 Higgins, the Flight Mechanic (FM), prepared AST2 Dazzo, the Rescue Swimmer (RS), for deployment. With LTJG Nelson holding a stable 100’ hover near the raft, AST2 Dazzo requested a harness deployment into the churning ocean. The pilot and FM expertly lowered AST2 Dazzo between the mountainous swells; then AST2 Dazzo stroked mightily in the pounding waves to reach the tossing raft. Upon reaching the raft, AST2 Dazzo calmed the anxious survivors, checked their conditions, and briefed them on what to expect during the upcoming evolution. AST2 Dazzo selected the first survivor, who had a possible broken rib and was not wearing a survival suit, to enter the water for the first hoist. The RS struggled to carefully place the survivor into the rescue basket while simultaneously being pummeled by the relentless waves and wind. The ocean continued its attack on the raft and quickly pushed it hundreds of yards away from the swimmer and helicopter.

After the first survivor was safely aboard, AST2 Dazzo was hoisted back into the helicopter to catch his breath, and discuss the progress of the mission and a follow-on course of action with AMT2 Higgins. With LCDR Smith calling out the intervals and size of the approaching sets of the more dangerous waves, LTJG Nelson, AMT2 Higgins and AST2 Dazzo executed a second text book harness deployment of the swimmer near the raft. Once in the water AST2 Dazzo was violently slammed by a wave which knocked the mask off of his face. AST2 Dazzo promptly refitted his mask, regained his composure, and pressed on. With AST2 Dazzo swimming mightily below, AMT2 Higgins expertly conned LTJG Nelson near the raft’s position and prepared the cabin for the next basket hoist. The winds and waves continued to shove the raft away from the helicopter furiously as the second survivor entered the water. AST2 Dazzo positioned this second survivor with great difficulty into the rescue basket and AMT2 Higgins hoisted him up to the safety of the aircraft.

In order to expedite the rescue of the third survivor, AST2 Dazzo skillfully communicated to AMT2 Higgins to lift him only 30 feet above the waves and immediately relocate him near the raft. Demonstrating the utmost of crew coordination, teamwork and aeronautical skill LTJG Nelson and AMT2 Higgins quickly and safely hover taxied AST2 Dazzo toward the raft as he dangled below the helicopter and above the violently tossing waves. After being successfully lowered into the water for the 3^rd time, AST2 Dazzo began the final arduous swim toward the last survivor in the raft. AST2 Dazzo helped him from the raft and as the swimmer textbook states, promptly punctured the raft with his knife to avoid a potential airborne missile hazard and to avoid subsequent requests for help. The final hoist of the survivor was about to be effected when AST2 Dazzo ingested a mouthful of salt water. While rapidly succumbing to sheer exhaustion and the effects of salt water ingestion, AST2 Dazzo shoved the last survivor into the rescue basket and provided the thumbs up signal to the FM. As AMT2 Higgins raised the rescue basket with the survivor, he felt broken strands from the hoist cable cut his glove with the basket still 100 feet below the aircraft. A critical life or death decision had to be made as the FM continued to retrieve the final survivor, not knowing if the cable would part or not. Physically and mentally reaching his limits as he was being tossed about in the angry seas, and only after seeing the last survivor enter the helicopter did AST2 Dazzo decide to give the emergency pick up signal. He could not stop vomiting due to salt water ingestion, and he was unable to get a good breath of air because of the relentless, towering waves.

The emergency pick-up signal was immediately spotted by LTJG Nelson who then communicated this to AMT2 Higgins as he was bringing the last survivor aboard. AMT2 Higgins, while still cognizant of the fraying hoist cable, quickly disconnected the basket and immediately lowered the bare hook to the swimmer. The swimmer attached himself to the bare hook as the confused seas immediately dropped and suspended him over a trough which, despite the hoist pendant being in the full down position, wrenched his back causing extreme pain. AMT2 Higgins notified the pilot that the swimmer may have been injured as he continued to recover the RS. Once aboard, AST2 Dazzo was still ill due to salt water ingestion and was experiencing muscle spasms in his back. Disregarding his back pain, physical discomfort from continual vomiting, and sheer exhaustion, AST2 Dazzo rendered the necessary assistance to the hypothermic sailors, and administered oxygen to the survivor with the broken rib.

The pilots then navigated 180 nm through the storm with a 50 knot tailwind to MCAS Cherry Point where 3 ambulances awaited the grateful survivors. AST2 Dazzo was also met by an ambulance where he was evaluated and treated for his back spasms and dehydration by medical personnel and quickly returned to duty.

High winds, treacherous seas and extreme off-shore distances created a situation that required intense operational risk management, exacting crew coordination, and incredible skill and courage. Without the complete competence, concentration, and professionalism of every crewmember, this operation could have had a disastrous outcome. Each crewmember was essential to the life saving rescue of three mariners.

This day’s rescues were highlighted through local and national level media outlets. The CG crew has been contacted by the Weather Channel for video of the rescue where they plan to feature this case on an upcoming special storms episode. Additionally, numerous news articles have been published recounting the tale of the Sean Seymour II and her crew. Letters from one of the survivors and a survivor’s son will be included in this awards package to help capture the conditions on scene and desperation of the three mariners.

(There were two EPIRBs aboard the sailing vessel Sean Seamour II. The old EPIRB, that was kept as a backup, was registered to the captain’s old boat, the sailing vessel Lou Pantai. It was also referred to as the Lou Pantini several times by the media. The new EPIRB that did not work as advertised was registered to the boat that actually sank, Sean Seamour II. Bottom line, any reference in prior SITREPs or articles regarding the Lou Pantai should actually read the Sean Seamour II.)

Weather Story: All Mariners Take Notice:

Remember how Substropical Storm Andrea started?

The lastest track on Subtropical Storm Chantal, is that the system is rapidly becoming extratropical, ( meaning the storm originated outside the tropics) and is presently centered near Longitude 58.5 West, 260 miles east Southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Max speed 32 MPH (52 KM/HR), Max winds are near 50 MPH (85KM/HR) with higher gusts. Chantal has the makings of becoming a very dangerous storm, Chantal Warnings.

Lets keep an eye on Typhoon 05W (Usagi) tracking for Japan, with max winds at 120kts, USAGI Warnings Ship Advoidance

Also we have Tropical Storm Erick moving westward at 9KTS

ERICK'S FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INITIAL      01/0900Z 13.0N 125.2W    35 KT
12HR VT     01/1800Z 13.1N 126.8W    35 KT
24HR VT     02/0600Z 13.2N 128.7W    40 KT
36HR VT     02/1800Z 13.3N 130.6W    45 KT
48HR VT     03/0600Z 13.5N 132.4W    45 KT
72HR VT     04/0600Z 13.5N 136.0W    45 KT
96HR VT     05/0600Z 13.5N 139.5W    45 KT
120HR VT   06/0600Z 13.5N 143.0W    45 KT

$$
FORECASTER PASCH

RS

Previous s/v Sean Seamour II posts:
WebExclusive EPIRBs and the s/v Sean Seamour II - Part III
WebExclusive EPIRBs and the s/v Sean Seamour II - Part II
EPIRBs and the s/v Sean Seamour II
NHC Report on Subtropical Storm Andrea
Cheating Death On The High Seas
The s/v Sean Seamour II & The Hatteras Trench
High Sea's Update On Sean Seamour II
The Story of the Sailing Vessel Sean Seamour II

China Thanks Horizon for Ocean Rescue

By ESTES THOMPSON 07.23.07, 5:21 PM ET

RALEIGH, N.C. Crew members of a ship operated by a North Carolina company were hailed by Chinese maritime officials for their "courageous, selfless and humanitarian" acts for braving typhoon-whipped seas to rescue two Chinese seamen from a sunken ship

One adrift man was plucked from the Pacific Ocean by a sailor harnessed to a 40-foot ladder as it was lowered into huge swells during Typhoon Man-yi. Thesecond man was rescued by a lifeboat that was heavily damaged, according to a log entry by the Horizon Falcon's captain.

The rescued men were among 13 surviving crew members of the 420-foot log carrier Hai Tong No. 7, which sank about 375 miles northwest of Guam earlier this month. The Panamanian-registered ship had a 22-member crew, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

In a letter sent to Charlotte-based Horizon Lines (nyse: HRZ - news - people ) Inc., a Chinese government official thanked the Horizon Falcon crew and called the dramatic rescues "a demonstration of international humanitarian cooperation, mariner helps mariner."

The letter, dated July 17 and released by the company, was signed by Capt. Liu Gongchen, executive director general of the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center. An Associated Press correspondent in Beijing confirmed the letter's authenticity.

Crew members weren't available Monday because the ship was at sea, a company spokesman said.

Company officials said Capt. Tom McDorr steered the Horizon Falcon through logs and other debris to bring the 722-foot ship close enough to lower a lifeboat. One man was rescued by the lifeboat, driven by Kevin McCarthy, before it was abandoned after being damaged by an 18 to 20-foot swell.

Crew members pulled another Chinese seaman to safety after John Dacaug, who was strapped to a ladder, grabbed the man with a hook, according to the captain's log, which was released by Horizon Lines.

The Horizon Falcon and other ships searched for additional survivors, operating after sundown from the light of flares dropped by a Navy plane.

Horizon Lines Chairman Charles G. Raymond said the rescue was an example of "the brotherhood at sea that crosses any boundary."

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

And from Horizon Lines;

Vessel in Force 8 North Pacific Ocean storm answers distress call

Charlotte, NC (July 17, 2007) – With 30-foot swells in fierce seas and with 40 mile an hour winds buffeting their efforts, the M/V HORIZON FALCON crew performed a rescue of two Chinese seafarers 375 miles northwest of Guam, Horizon Lines Inc. (NYSE:HRZ) reported today following a review of the FALCON’s Master’s Log. The rescue effort took place over a 24 hour period on July 12 and 13.

The HORIZON FALCON, a newly-constructed 2,824 TEU containership in the Horizon Lines fleet, responded to a request by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam to divert for a distress call from a log carrier, HAI TONG No. 7. The 420-foot Panamanian-flagged ship had 22 Chinese crewmembers on board. It sank after encountering rough seas due to a typhoon in the area. Survivors were in the water for two days when the HORIZON FALCON arrived at the scene before noon on July 12.

Captain Tom McDorr of the HORIZON FALCON navigated rough seas strife with logs and other debris from the sunken ship to bring the 722-ft FALCON into safe recovery distance. The crew used a lifeboat and the ship’s portside pilots’ ladder to attempt a rescue of the distressed seafarers.

According to Captain McDorr’s log, a lifeboat with three seamen under the command of Chief Mate Kevin McCarthy, was dispatched with 18-20ft swells and waves impacting from every direction. One survivor was rescued, but as the lifeboat was being recovered, a large swell descended on the lifeboat, knocking the craft to a 45degree angle and damaging the motor. The crew was ordered to abandon the lifeboat and climbed to safety with the survivor up the containership’s 40 foot pilot’s ladder. A second survivor was rescued by ABS J. Dacaug, who while harnessed to the pilot’s ladder descended toward the water. While being submerged by swells, ABS Dacaug attached a grappling hook to the survivor before both were winched clear of the sea to safety.

With flares from an Okinawa-based Navy P3 Orion 225 airplane providing some light from above, the HORIZON FALCON continued searching for survivors and was eventually joined by the M/V CORAL EMERALD. The Horizon ship ran a search pattern in the area for four more hours until morning. A USCG Buoy Tender from Guam arrived at the scene to assist and relieve the HORIZON FALCON, which was running low on fuel.

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search operation for survivors of the HAI TONG No.7 on July 15 after 13 survivors of the 22-man crew had been rescued.

Weather Story

We are still tracking Invest 98L and now tracking Typhoon 05W (Usagi), heading for China.

RS

Sunday and INVEST 98L

000
ABNT20 KNHC 291504
TWOAT
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1130 AM EDT SUN JUL 29 2007

FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO...

1. THE AREA OF LOW PRESSURE...LOCATED ABOUT 400 MILES NORTHEAST OF
THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS...HAS NOT BECOME ANY BETTER ORGANIZED THIS
MORNING.  THIS SYSTEM STILL HAS SOME POTENTIAL FOR TROPICAL OR
SUBTROPICAL DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO AS IT MOVES
NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD AT 10 TO 15 MPH.

ELSEWHERE...TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE
NEXT 48 HOURS.

$$
FORECASTER RHOME

Remember Substropical Storm Andea?

We are now tracking Invest 98 L to see if it forms and becomes a tropical depression, disipates or remains a open wave. At this point I am being told that "even though the system doesn't look particularly impressive right now, there is some potential for tropical or subtropical development during the next 2 days. The chances are not high, but it cannot be ruled out. By day 3, any possible development looks to be non-tropical in nature."

I will keep you posted...

RS

WebExclusive- EPIRBs and the s/v Sean Seamour II - Part III

This is Part III in a series of reports on the malfunction of one of two EPIRBs (the ACR Globalfix" 406EPIRB) that was used during the rescue of the Seamour's crew.

We have reviewed what a EPIRB is and how it communicates between the vessel or person in trouble and we reviewed how the EPIRB communicates with the overhead satellites to the rescuers.

I have begun this story in this fashion because many of the visitors to this site are not mariners and its important for them to understand some of the technology and why when something like a EPIRB goes astray, its important to get to the bottom of the failure.

Today I want to not just revisit or go "back to the future" and remember just what took place prior to setting sail, but also what took place during the emergency.

To do this lets first revisit the final log of the s/v Sean Seamour II.

Cape Cod, May 12th 2007

This is the log of actions and events driven by the only subsequently named Sub-tropical Storm Andrea, leading to the sinking of s/v Sean Seamour II and the successful rescue of its entire crew on the early morning of May 7th 2007.

We departed from Green Cove Springs on the Saint Johns River in the early morning of May 2nd, 2007. Gibraltar was our prime destination with a planned stopover in the Azores for recommissioning and eventually fuel. The vessel, on its second crossing was fully prepared and some of the recent preparations done by Holland Marine and skipper with crew were as follows:

· Full rig check, navigation lights, new wind sensor, sheet and line check / replacement.

· New autopilot, stuffing box and shaft seal, house battery bank, racor fuel filtering system.

· Bottom paint, new rudder bearing and check, new auxiliary tiller, full engine maintenance.

· Recertification of life raft and check of GPIRB (good to November 2007), update and replacement of all security equipment (PFDs, flares, medical, etc).

Although paper charts were available for all planned destinations, with increased dependence on electronic navigational aids, two computers were programmed to handle both the MaxSea navigation software (version 12.5) as well as the Iridium satphone for weather data (MaxSea Chopper and OCENS). A full electronic systems checkout and burn trial was done during the days prior to departure.

For heavy weather and collision contingencies cutter rigged Sean Seamour II was equipped with two drogues (heavy and light), collision mat, auxiliary electric pump, as well as extensive power tools to enable repairs at sea with the 2.4kva inverter. Operational process and use of this equipment was discussed at length with the crew in anticipation. Other physical process contingencies such as lashing, closing seacocks, companionway doors, etc. were equally treated.

The 7 day weather GRIBs downloaded almost daily from April 25th onwards showed no inconsistencies, with the two high and two low pressure systems fairly balanced over the western Atlantic. Only the proximity of the two low pressure systems seemed to warrant surveillance as the May 5th GRIB would indicate with a flow increase from the N,NO from 20 to 35 knots focused towards coastal waters.

Already on a northerly course some 200 nautical miles out, I maintained our navigational plan with a N,NE heading until increased winds warranted a more easterly tack planned approximately 300 nautical miles north of Bermuda towards the Azores.

Wind force increased about eight hours earlier than expected and later shifted to the NE reaching well into the 60 knots range by early afternoon, then well beyond as the winds shifted. Considering that we were confronted with a sustained weather system that was quite different from the gulf stream squall lines we had weathered previous days, by mid afternoon I decided to take appropriate protective measures.

From our last known position approximately 217 nautical miles east of Cape Hatteras I reversed course, laying my largest drogue off the starboard stern while maintaining a quarter of the storm jib on the inner roller furl. This was designed to balance the boat's natural windage due in large part to its hard dodger and center cockpit structure.

By late afternoon the winds were sustained at well over 70 knots and seas were building fast. I estimate seas were well into 25 feet by dusk but after adding approximately 150 feet of drogue line the vessel handled smoothly over the next eight hours advancing with the seas at about 6 knots (SOG). By late evening the winds were sustained above 74 kts and a crew member recorded a peak of 85.5 kts.

Growing and irregular seas were the primary concern as in the very early hours of the morning the boat was increasingly struck by intermittent waves to its port side. Crew had to be positioned against the starboard side as both were tossed violently across the boat. Water began to accumulate seemingly fed through the stern engine-room air cowls. I believe in retrospect the goosenecks were insufficient with the pitch of larger waves as they were breaking onto the stern.

At approximately 02.45 hours we were violently knocked all the way down to starboard. It appears that the resulting angle and tension may have caused the drogue line to rupture (clean cut), perhaps as it rubbed against the same engine-room air-intake cowl positioned just below the cleat. The line was attached to the port side main winch then fed through the cleat where it was covered with anti-chaffing tape and lubricant. Before abandoning ship I noticed the protected part of the line was intact and extended beyond the cleat some five inches. Its position in the cleat rather than retracted from it also supports this theory.

After the knockdown I knew there was already structural damage and that we had lost control of the vessel. I pulled the GPIRB (registered to USCG documented Sean Seamour II) but I suspect that the old EPIRB from 1996 (Registered to USCG documented Lou Pantaï, but kept as the vessel was sold to an Italian national in 1998) might have been automatically launched first. I kept this unit as a redundancy latched in its housing on the port side of the hard dodger; it may have been ejected upon the first knockdown as Coast Guard Authorities questioned relatives with this vessel name versus Sean Seamour II. Herein lies a question that needs to be answered, hopefully it will be in light of the USCG report.

The GPIRB initially functioned but the strobe stopped and the intensity of the light diminished rapidly to the extent that I do not know if the Coast Guard received that signal. At the time were worried the unit was not emitting and I re initiated the unit twice. The unit sent for recertification with the life raft a few weeks prior had been returned from River Services. They had responded to Holland Marine that the unit was good until this coming November, functioned appropriately, and that the battery had an extra five year life expectancy. I will await reception of the Coast Guard report to find out if one or both signals was processed as all POCs were questioned regarding Lou Pantaï and not my current vessel Sean Seamour II (both vessels had been / in the case of Sean Seamour II is US Coast Guard documented).

As all communications excepting hand held VHF were down (SSB antennae on backstay, DSC VHF down and backup antennae inaccessible, Iridium soaked in roll, GPIRB not functioning, EPIRB seemingly lost to sea when hard dodger sheared) too much time was dedicated to hailing over the hand held VHFs and attempting to re-initialize the GPRIB). Had I cut the rig, dumped the 150 yards of chain in the bow, plugged the deck through mast passage and rerouted the rule pumps through the deck air cowl vents, we could have jump started the engine, deployed a second drogue with the sixty yards of stern anchor chain and regained control of the vessel. But that critical time window was lost

Expecting worse to come I re-lashed and locked all openings and the companionway. At 02:53hours we were struck violently again and began a roll to 180 degrees. As the vessel appeared to stabilize in this position I unlocked the companionway roof to exit an see where the life raft was. It had disappeared from its poop deck cradle which I could directly access as the helm and pedestal had been torn away. When I emerged to the surface against the boat's starboard (in righted port position) it began its second 180 degree roll. As it emerged the rig was almost longitudinal to the boat barely missing the stern arch. Spreaders were arrayed over cockpit and port side, mast cleanly bent at deck level, fore stays apparently torn away.

I ordered the crew to start all pumps. By their own volition they also cut out 2.5 gallon water bottles to enable physical bailing while I continued to locate the life raft. It finally appeared upside down under the rig. As its sea anchors and canopy lines were entangled in the rig and partially torn by one of the spreaders I decided to cut them away in an effort to save time and effort. I needed the crew below and had to manage the rig entanglement alone. This done I managed to move the unit forward and use its windward position to blow it over the bow to starboard, attaching it still upside down.

Below, water was being stabilized above the knees. The new higher positioned house battery bank was not shorted by the water level but the engine bank was flooded not enabling us to start the engine and pump from the bilge instead of the seacock. In retrospect this was not a loss as having to keep one of the companionway doors off for bailing and to route the Rule pump pipe, the water pouring in from here and the through-deck mast hole were no match for the impeller' volume. Plugging the mast passage was also not a solution as it was moving and hitting violently against the starboard head wall and was dangerous to try to cope with.

I knew the situation was desperate but it was still safer to stay aboard than to abandon ship, let alone in the dark any earlier than necessary. Estimating daylight at about 05:30 hours, we needed to hold on for at least another two hours. As the boat shifted in the waves it became increasingly vulnerable to flooding from breaking waves. One such wave at about 05:20 added about 18 inches of water, as the bow was now barely emerged these two factors triggered my decision to abandon ship. I exited first knowing that the raft was still upside down. In addition, some of the canopy lines still needed to be cut from the rig entanglement. In the precipitation the grab bag containing Iridium phone, VHF, GPS and all our personal and ship documents was lost.

As we boarded the now upturned raft it immediately flooded with the breaking waves and once unprotected from the wind by the hull structure was prone to turn over (no sea anchors nor canopy to roll over on). Hypothermia was already gaining upon one of my crew and myself and our efforts to right and re-enter the raft drained strength. Periods spent lying on the overturned raft exposed to the wind seemed to further weaken us.

Sean Seamour II sank a few minutes after we abandoned ship fully disappearing from view after the second wave crest.

We became aware of fixed wing overflight sometime between 06:00 and 07:00 hours and estimate that the Coast Guard helicopter arrived some time around 08:30 hours. As seemingly the most affected by hypothermia and almost unconscious the crew had me lifted out first. It was a perilous process during which Coast Guard AST2 Dazzo was himself injured (later to be hospitalized with us). The life raft was destroyed and abandoned by AST2 Dazzo as the third crew member was extracted. He also recouped the GPIRB which remained in USCG custody.

The emotions and admiration felt by my crew and myself to the dedication of this Coast Guard team is immeasurable, all the more so when hearing them comment on the severity and risk of the extraction, perhaps the worst they had seen in ten years (dixit SAT2 Dazzo). They claim to have measured 70 plus foot waves which from our perspective were mountains. We measured after the first knockdown and before loosing our rig winds still in excess of 72 knots.

Also to be commended are the medical teams involved, from our ambulatory transfer of custody from the rescue.

Redundancy;

"My paper chart set was second to few recreational mariners, just there my replacement budget would total 3000$, even though I had comprehensive sets of electronic charts MapMedia, C-Map plus Maptech.

As a redundancy freak (ended up saving the crew) I usually had three of everything if not more (three sets of belts, ten fuel filters, extra propeller, extra running rigging) if Sean Seamour II ran well through the storm is in part due to to low waterline weighted with extra equipment, from sailrite sewing machine to heavy tools sets. Safety wise, I consider I had everything essential plus."

The Facts

As you can see the Master of the s/v Sean Seamour II painstakingly pre-planed for his voyage but to his luck his redundancy of equipment paid off and save both his and his crews lives.. This is important to establish that the Master of the s//v Sean Seamour II did everything he should have done to ensure the safety of not just his vessel but his crew as well.

Now let's review some of the reported facts in this case and make note of, "Re-certification of life raft and check of GPIRB (good to November 2007)." The ACR Globalfix"406EPIRB in question was re-certified as being in compliance and in good working order by a certified outside vendor.

The ACR Globalfix" 406EPIRB in question was purchased in October of 2002 and the UK vendor registered it with NOAA and supplied it to the s/v Sean Seamour II at the time still in the Mediterranean. This EPIRB was always kept in its cradle affixed to the inside of the companionway whenever the boat was in use.

Prior to leaving for the May crossing back to Europe the s/v Sean Seamour II had a shipyard send the EPIRB with the life raft for re-certification, the accredited service center informed the Master through the yard that the unit was fully operational and certified until next November.

The EPIRB started to function normally when initiated at about 02:45hours on the 7th, between the knockdown of the s/v Sean Seamour II, its crew and the EPIRB, it was put back in its cradle for safekeeping and accessibility should the need to abandon ship occur, less than 30 minutes later it reportedly ceased functioning.

The Coast Guard received the signal initially, but the hexadecimal code it received was that of another vessel in Alabama. The USCG never received a distress signal from the s/v Sean Seamour II as there appears to have been no Sean Seamour II vessel registered in their database.

Once the USCG ascertained that the ID code received was that of a non initiated EPIRB, under the principle that every EPIRB has a unique hexadecimal code plus the interruption of the signal, further search on this distress signal was abandoned.

Had the Master of the s/v Sean Seamour II not kept an 11 year old EPIRB (another ACR 406 with its original battery that functioned over ten hours) from one of his prior vessels the crew would be yet another set of lost at sea statistics and all of the above would not be known.

How this happened is now under investigation by the USCG and the Master of the Sean Seanour II. But the ramifications of such a failure do impact the entire maritime community.

As of this writing I cannot stress enough that all mariners must ensure that their EPIRBs are not just in operational condition, that the registration matches the face plate on their EPIRBs, but also that the registration actually matches the hexadecimal code in the NOAA database.

For the s/v Sean Seamour II Lessons Learned visit the maritime communities best of the best gCaptain.com

RS

Previous Posts;

WebExclusive EPIRBs and the s/v Sean Seamour II - Part II
EPIRBs and the s/v Sean Seamour II
NHC Report on Subtropical Storm Andrea
Cheating Death On The High Seas
The s/v Sean Seamour II & The Hatteras Trench
High Sea's Update On Sean Seamour II
The Story of the Sailing Vessel Sean Seamour II