Mishap ~ January 2008

 
 

Mishap, January 2008 (also known as Abrupt End to Our Cruising Season)


Our return to Rio Dulce in October 2007 and subsequent visits to Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Copan and Belize for the holidays are described in text accompanying the photo albums of the same names. All those adventures were somewhat overshadowed, though, by the mishap which brought an abrupt end to our cruising season. The story, as written by Marlene, pretty much as it was printed in Latitude 38, a sailing magazine:

A large front with gale force winds was moving into our area around December 30-31. We were out at one of the Belize atolls and decided to head inside the reef and find a sheltered anchorage. After looking at the guidebook, we decided on what we thought would be a safe place. We had good wind protection, but the current was huge. One day during lunch our anchor dragged and we almost ended up in the surrounding mangroves. So, on January 3, with the winds down to 20kt or so we decided to move to another safe anchorage, a little further north. Our eventual destination was Cay Caulker, but after consulting the Rauscher guide book we decided on the protection of Long Cay, described as a safe, calm, lagoon with a 5 ft bar across the entrance. We draw 3.5 ft so we headed in.


No sooner were we inside the lagoon that we were dead aground in 2 feet of mud. Try as we might, we were unable to get out by ourselves. We revved our motors, we put up the jib, Roy lowered the dinghy to scout out a channel of some sort -- no luck. We consulted the tide tables and learned that waiting for a high tide would give us only a few inches, not another two feet. So we put in a call to anyone at Cay Caulker to please respond. Someone came on the radio and when he heard our plight told us about a landing craft that could tow anything including barges. We contacted the company and within a hour or so, the craft arrived and started towing us up to Cay Caulker. While underway we started our motors to see if the churning mud had disabled them. One would not start. The other did have cooling water so we knew we would have power to anchor once we were free of the tow boat.


As we approached the anchorage, we once again started both motors hoping that both would start. I checked the starboard; no water. Roy bent over the rail to check the port motor, the boat lurched, he lost his footing and was flipped over the side. In a desperate attempt to stay on, he held on to the rail with his left hand for just long enough to cause injury to his arm. He eventually let go, and because I had witnesses the incident, I picked up the microphone enroute to port side and radioed to the tow boat to STOP -- MY HUSBAND HAS GONE OVERBOARD. In the few seconds it took me to reach the port side, Roy was a few boat lengths behind Damiana. Since our arrival was the afternoon show at the anchorage, everyone was on Channel 16. So I then radioed for anyone with a dinghy to please go rescue my husband -- Damiana is still attached to the towboat. Three dinghies came racing toward us. Roy was swimming toward the boat on his back with one arm. Two of the men helped get Roy on board, and one helped get us free of the tow boat. As Roy was getting on board, he told me his left arm was injured. One of the men helped Roy get inside, undressed, wrapped in beach towels, the other two helped me get lines from the tow boat and eventually anchor the boat.


Our visa was due to expire within a few days, so the next day I left Roy on Damiana, hitched a ride on a boat going up to Ambergris Cay to take care of paper work, and upon my return in the afternoon, Roy was complaining about his arm hurting.


For the next few days I serviced the motors with Roy providing instruction. His arm was hurting so much that he eventually called George, our orthopedic surgeon friend (who had been one of our crew on Jellybean for the 04 HaHa). After coaching Roy through some movements, George told Roy he had most likely torn his bicep muscle from the radius, and that if he wanted to regain full use of his arm that he needed surgery within 7-10 days of injury. George got on it right away and arranged for Roy to see a hand surgeon as soon as he could get up to Sacramento.


So the next Day, Monday, January 7, we motored to Ambergris Cay, a few hours north of Cay Caulker. Ambergris has both a marina and an airport. Cruisers from two boat went up to Ambergris the same morning, and knowing that single-handed docking Damiana in the marina could be problematic due to surge and wind angle, offered to help us dock. We all anchored near the marina, four people from the other two boats dinghied over, and we rehearsed the docking before heading over. We had one person at each corner of Damiana, I was at the helm, and even with obstacles and wind, I had no difficulty getting in safely. We all went to dinner on Monday night to celebrate our successful docking. Then on Tuesday, Roy got on an airplane, and after a few transfers was in Sacramento by midnight. I stayed with Damiana. George picked up Roy, took him home, and between George and his wonderful wife, Wendy, Roy was taken to the surgery office on Wednesday, to surgery on Thursday, back to the surgery office on Friday, and ultimately to the airport on Saturday morning, January 12 to return to me and Damiana in Belize.


Lucky for us, Len and Norma, sailing friends (04 HaHa, Hangover), had planned to join us for that very week. They arrived on the same Saturday as Roy. So, with Roy grounded, his arm heavily bandaged in a splint and sling, we set off on Sunday to return to the Rio Dulce in Guatemala, where we kept Damiana last summer. Unfortunately, Roy will need nine months of rehab and was told to not sail for at least that long. We arrived at the Rio Dulce on Wednesday, January 16. For the next few days Len and Norma helped us get the boat ready for a long storage, and shortly after they left, we followed suit. Since back in California, Roy has seen his surgeon a few times, is getting physical therapy and is diligent about doing his daily exercises.


We plan to return to Damiana in October and pick up where we left off!