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The Ensenada Sailboat race from Newport Harbor to Mexico is a classic in every regard. A bunch of friends get together, buy some trick t-shirts with the boat name on it and spend a week-end playing with the big boys as they sail to a Yacht Club in Mexico and down a few beers at Husongs. This is called living the legacy and being a larger part of history. Lots of talking points for some businessmen and reason for them to take off on a Friday, a week-end and a Monday of course.
Unless you have set foot on a sailboat, the quiet, the peace and the eventual wind in your hair, swells coming over the bow and the wrestling with the turnbuckles, lines, spinaker, the wheel, crank in the windlass – as well as all those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and beer in between become real challenges. For the two to three hundred boats that enjoy this annual right of passage – they even had a great sailboat called: Windward Passage – you become part of a great adventure club that becomes part of your own personal history. “Hey, we were in the Ensenada Race in 2012 aboard the Aegean!”
As we say, most of these guys are not professional sailors or sail racers. Most have not been on the Southern Ocean Racing Circuit or been across on the TransPac Race to Honolulu. No, they are just guys that are ready to party, have competition in their bones – strictly for talking points and love the comaraderies of the various Yacht Clubs, Flags and frequent meetings with the few professional sailors they are able to enjoy some mutual conversation. Lots of these folks are in Real Estate, Accounting and Marketing. Most are college grads who just love the Balboa Bay Club, Balboa Corinthian Yacht Club and a host of others scattered around Southern California, San Diego and even some from San Francisco.
Four sailors were lost the other day. Their boat was a small 37 foot Hunter 376 called the Aegean. Single sail. Three died of blunt force trauma. The forth is still missing and presumed dead. The Aegean was destroyed almost into toothpicks. It was hit or hit something in the middle of the night near the Coronado Islands – a known commercial tanker and freighter land. The thought is that the Aegean hit a tanker while outside the the Coronados Islands limits on its way to Ensenada. The death of these four sailors now has become part of Newport to Ensenada legend. How did it occur? Who or what did it? How could they miss a large target on their radar screen? Why weren’t they paying attention. Was it simply, as in most airline fatalities – simply Pilot error?
Years ago in 1970, we took a trip on a “stinkpot” – a name for a straight power boat – to St. Croix, Virgin Islands from Newport Beach. Along the way and after traversing the Panama Canal, we came to the waters off Columbia and the torrential run-off of storms and the high waters of the Orinoco River pouring into the Carribean sea. Trees as large as the giant Redwoods float out of that river at an extrodinary speed. The junk in the water is amazing and if it hit your boat – you could sink. Nightfall comes and that requires a serious redunction in speed to 4 or 5 knots and an observer on the bow with a huge searchlight to call out to the Captain Port or Starboard when large obstacles are observed. Throughout the night, we observed oil tankers and freighters traveling at speeds of up to 40 knots. Their thick hulls were unafraid of the various junk in their path to the oil refineries on Aruba and Curacao. We got behind several of them and tried to stay in the remnants of their wakes, hoping that they washed the junk out of the way from our 72 foot Shock Design stinkpot “Tempest”. We were up all night and daylight did not come quickly enough. We were lucky and only hit a few trees and junk….but luckily enough..we were going slow.
The Aegean was in a so-called race. What they were doing outside of the Coronados Islands is difficult to say. Most sailors probably would have not taken that tact. The Coronados Islands are also a Mexican Military Base. Things happen aboard any boat, much less one quickly set up for racing. Perhaps the radar failed to see an obstacle coming their way. Perhaps, the radar didn’t see an obstacle coming from behind. Perhaps, they all had too much beer and had all fallen asleep at the same time. Perhaps, the team on watch….feel asleep. There is an investigation underway to determine how it happened. We may not ever know the reasons. We may never know what hit them! It is very doubtful that anything that they may have hit at speeds less than 20 knots, might have been responsible for the disintegration the the entire sailboat.
Our deepest and most sincere sympathy goes to all their families, friends and fellow sailors of those lost. ” The loss of one deminishes us all.”
The oceans of the world need to be respected, admired and loved – so that one day, the oceans will give up their dead.
Very poetic.
Very inaccurate.
Tankers and freighters can do 20 knots top speed, not 40 as you recounted of your Panama Canal “trip” 40 years ago.
The Aegean would be lucky to hit 10 knots, not 20 as you stated in your article.
This boat was most likely run over by a much larger vessel, and maybe they will figure it out by paint damage on one of the larger ships that are in these shipping lanes. The Aegean even under full sail, and with its engine running couldn’t achieve the speed necessary to disintegrate, even if it hit a concrete wall. There was a debris field and part of the transom found, evidence of a severe impact. They didn’t hit a tanker, something hit them.
Hopefully there will be a lot more info coming out in the weeks ahead of what really happened. One issue is the delayed response of the Coast Guard and other rescue personnel by 8 hours from the time of impact. These boats had transponders aboard (not EPIRB’s) and when they quit broadcasting, (when they were hit) the people monitoring their position should have tried to make radio contact with them at a minimum. At that point there was the possibility of a rescue.
The wreck was discovered by a passing boat, not as the result of a search, and it’s too bad that they lay in the water for so long with nobody looking for them.
I’ve seen some scary stuff out on the water at night…like a tug pulling a barge with no lights on it. The stainless steel cable pulling it would cut right through any sailboat unlucky enough to get in its way.
“The oceans of the world need to be respected, admired and loved – so that one day, the oceans will give up their dead.” What the hell does that mean?
I watched the start of the race and it’s always a joyful celebration, with a real party atmosphere. Unfortunately, if you or someone else makes a mistake out on the water, the consequences can be deadly.
*Demogogue,
How many years have to been to sea..again? Loved to know what type of of boats you have either owned or been crew aboard. Having said that: You evidently have never had what they call emphemistically a “bad crossing”. Swells can rise to 50 feet in bad weather, 30 or more in good. Going downhill creates what they call a surfing effect. It is what all the 70 feet Ocean Racers use to increase their speeds. Some of the newer sail craft have amazing speeds. Maybe you just haven’t kept up with the technology. No biggie.
The last news from the news room is that they went aground on North Coronado Island, because the Coast Guard supposedly found someone’s GPS in the rocks. We suppose there is always a remote possibility that the Aegean hit perfectly to create a crystal glass type of explosion upon the rocks. Who knows? We need an eye witness or a voice recording. Sounds like this disaster however was completely unexpected, as no one called home – that we know of. Right you are that the Aegean was no Race Boat….we think we mentioned that several times. It is a Red Butt Crusier. You sit on your butt until it turns red and then let someone else on the tiller. It is for comfort not for racing.
So, let us agree on these thoughts perhaps: The bodies should all be sent to the coroners office to be examined for drugs, alcohol and for any odd ball blunt force trauma issues. We need a good forensic examination of all of those that have been found and perished. Secondly, the pieces of the Aegean need to be recoved and examined for foreign paint chips, elements of fire, chemical disintegration and any and all thoughts that the boat was not blown up by any explosives.
This is certainly an odd case – but things happen in the ocean that are quite inexplicable at times.
The Mariners Prayer we wrote was to offer our sympathy to those that send their families and friends to sea…either for war, for business or for recreation. Many sailors have been lost at sea. Those of us that put several years into it have seen enough sadness and experienced enough scary moments to understand that unless you have the greatest respect for the sea……bad things can happen quickly.
Since you don’t quite grasp the speed of modern tankers…..we encourage you to go to Wikipedia and or just Google it and write: “The speed of modern Super Tankers!”
In case you haven’t heard: The USS Reagan can travel upwards of 70 knots, but thats just a puny little aircraft carrier.
The boats we have served aboard are: 72 foot Motor Yacht “Tempest”, 72 foot Ocean Sail Boat “Kialoa II” and a 98 foot Motor Sailor called the “Sea Diamond”. This was over a three year period of full time work with 27 ports of call…..and yourself?
Winship’s…….what kind of comic books are you reading? Seriously.
“In case you haven’t heard: The USS Reagan can travel upwards of 70 knots.”
Well here is Northrup Gruman’s specs:
USS Ronald Reagan General Specifications
Displacement: 101,000–104,000 tons full load
Length: Overall: 1,092 ft (333 m)
Waterline: 1,040 ft (317 m)
Beam: Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m)
Waterline: 134 ft (40.8 m)
Draft: Maximum navigational: 37 ft (11.3 m)
Limit: 41 ft (12.5 m)
Aircraft Carrier
Propulsion and power: 2 × Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors
4 × steam turbines
4 × shafts
260,000 shp (194 MW)
Speed: 30+ knots (56+ km/h)
Range: Essentially unlimited
30+ knots doesn’t equal 70 knots. I trust Gruman’s numbers seeing as how they built the Reagan. Where do you get “upwards of 70 knots” from?
As far as my nautical experience I’ve owned both sail and power. A 40′ Jeanneau Sun Odyssey, and a 24.5′ SeaRay that I completely rebuilt the inboard outboard.
I’ve sailed on numerous boats from little MacGregors to J 70’s and Catalina 310’s. I’ve also been on multi day fishing boats way down into Mexi waters, and have been through the Panama Canal and I’ve sailed in the Mediteranean.
I’ve had bad crossings, but mostly good ones. I own foul weather gear by Gill, but prefer my Helly Hansen stuff, and have yet to get seasick.
Now back to the Aegean….they didn’t find somebodies GPS on the rocks. The Coast Guard got access to one of the crews GPS tracking devices login information and they were able to see that they were headed straight for the rocks at the Coronados. Now there is a lot that should come out in the following weeks, and nobody has all of the facts at this point.
But, explosives? Why would you suggest that ?
Please try to be more accurate in your posts.
*There are many choices…but here is one:
At the Burial of the Dead at Sea.
¶ The same office may be used; but in the Sentence of Committal, the Minister shall say,
We therefore commit his body to the deep, looking for the general Resurrection in the last day, and the life of the world to come, through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose second coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the sea shall give up her dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in him shall be changed, and made like unto his glorious body; according to the mighty working where by he is able to subdue all things unto himself.
I was aboard our race boat TNT Friday evening, There was a tug pushing ahead a very
large barge, we almost didn’t see him, our crew reported seeing a large tanker as well.
Both within Mexican waters. It was a mixed sky, with overcast, light breeze and calm seas.
The crew of Aegean were very experienced, we know them from previous races. They knew what they were doing, they had solid seamanship skills.
At night many things can happen. We noticed as we passed the tug, they didn’t have proper lighting, happens often in Mexico.
Lights for Navigation are either 3 or 5 mile visual. That means you should see them at those distances… not always the case. What happened to the crew we may never know. What is known is 4 very wonderful sailors were lost at sea, their boat destroyed.
Every person of the sea, knows that hazards… for me I hope they didn’t suffer. I hope
whatever happened, happened is moment of time. I hope none of the crew suffered.
God and the Sea now have their souls, we, the sailors that shared what they loved keep our tears within, yet we know deeply the loss to their friends and families. I have done 36 Ensenada races. I’ve seen it all. I can tell you it’s something that gets in your bones, something that is special. And yes when you are out on the ocean late at night, with a full moon, stars ablaze overhead, Dolphins around your boat, a clean breeze driving you forward, it is spiritual…. it’s a bit of earthly magic. Every sailor knows that. Anyone from any Navy that has stood watch late at night or in the wee small hours of the new day, knows the experience I am speaking of.
The Crew of Aegean were doing what they loved. They are now with the Stars. God Bless them.
Thanks for this comment, Chuck.
*Double Dittos ….Chuck…thanks.
*Latest reports are that the Aegean either went aground on North Coronados island in a dead calm with 4 to 6 foot swells….because the crew fell asleep……or that the Aegean was run over by a very large vessel at a speed of a least 42 knots …or 50 MPH. These suppostions have been put together by a very pretigious board of Sailing professionals. Most believe that the destruction of the Aegean in a dead calm would make it impossible to be pounded into toothpicks without an outside force.
Hello Chuck, This is Michael Patton, the missing Aegean crew member. We have met briefly in Ensenada. I came across your words while revisiting the Aegean mystery. Four years and it still bugs the Fxxk out of me.
Thanks for your view and insight you expressed at the time. Many if not most at the time where clueless as to the scope of the whole thing. Still there has not been any viable explanation offered publicly. I am not surprised. I know what happened, seriously. To many would look bad and they keep me quite or should I say don’t want to hear it less they would have to prove me wrong and they can’t. It will come out eventually. FYI, Currently requests for the Coasties investigation files under the FOIA have been denied twice.
Different classes but I am pretty sure we beat you at least once. : ) SMACK ! Hopefully we will race again, Best Regards and Better Winds. MP