quote:RADAR is invaluable in this situation... Not only can you see what's "on the other side", but you can see the holes better than your naked eye...
Originally posted by capehorn 16Instead of doing what my gut told me,I went for an opening thru the new storm thinking I would pop out on the other side.
You remember those trips when you turned around only to hear about the spoils that went to those who ran thru a gathering storm to be greeted by warm sunshine?? Well I’m not 19 anymore and that ain’t what happened to us!!!
Remember the story of Capt. Bligh and the Mutiny on the Bounty? He sailed a 23’ boat over 4,000 miles to Timor, even though Tahiti was only a hundred or so in the other direction. Tahiti was upwind and Timor was in a direction he could safely head. 47 days later he made Timor with his 18 crewman safe. He didn’t make the news.
There is much to be learned from Capt. Bligh.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
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On this trip we were in my 18' open skiff, running offshore from Savannah to Charleston. A tropical storm formed off the coast when we were about half way. We kept running north and it kept getting worse and worse. 10 miles south of Charleston we were no longer able to make forward progress against the sea and were taking a pounding that would have sunk a lesser boat. This one can't sink and sheds water like a duck. Dive mask time. A large sailing yacht called in a mayday and I plugged in his position on my GPS. He was only 6 miles north of me and I couldn't get to him on a bet, then a 60' shrimp trawler called in a Mayday, I plugged in his position, it was close too, but I couldn't help him either. Sorry. CG responded to both. God bless them. My only choice was to turn around, I wasn't going to make Charleston tonight. I turned the boat and let her find her head, she'll tell you where she rides the best.In the NE 50 kt. wind and 12’ breaking seas the only direction I could safely run was between St. Helena and Port Royal. I picked Port Royal even though it was further away. The course was easier on the boat and I know Port Royal, don’t know St. Helena, and I figured if we had to run it in the dark in breaking seas, better the Devil you know than the Devil you don’t. Better to run 50 safe miles than 5 dangerous ones. I called the CG on the radio and gave them my situation, position and intentions. They said, oh crap! Do you know there is a bad storm out there? Yes, I could tell Asked me if I needed assistance, I said no, just check in with us every 15 minutes. My radio has DSC. CG Tybeee called every 15 minutes and DSC let them know where we were. Got into Port Royal about midnight. CG checked on us every 15 minutes all the way Charleston would have to wait. Anybody who b@tches about the CG hasn’t had a night like tha
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There is much to be learned from Capt. Bligh.
He could have used some work on his people handling skills though. It took a heck of a seaman to do what he did, but Mrs. Cracker would have thrown him off the boat too. Got to ask her please, and don’t ever scream orders 
That never works out well 
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper